For patients living in Nepal, travelling to India for IVF is more straightforward than it is for most international patients. Nepali citizens do not need a visa for India, the journey can be made by road or by air, the Nepali rupee is pegged to the Indian rupee, and Hindi is familiar to many Nepali speakers. The main planning tasks are choosing a registered clinic and a suitable city, preparing your medical records, and confirming that you meet the eligibility rules of India's ART Act before you travel.
This guide covers each stage, from crossing the border to the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test at home.
Key points
- Nepali citizens do not need a visa for India, but must carry accepted photo ID.
- Treatment is governed by India's ART (Regulation) Act, 2021: married couples and single women within set age limits are eligible.
- Delhi, Lucknow, Patna and Kolkata are common choices; the quality and registration of the clinic matter more than the city.
- A standard IVF cycle in India typically costs ₹1.5–2.5 lakh, before medication and add-ons. The fixed exchange rate makes budgeting predictable.
- A fresh cycle takes about 2–3 weeks in India; a frozen embryo transfer trip takes about a week.
- Keep copies of every report, consent form and receipt for your doctor in Nepal.
Do Nepali citizens need a visa for IVF in India?
No. Nepali citizens don't need a visa to enter India, and that includes travelling for medical treatment. You do, however, need to be able to prove who you are — to airlines, at the border, at your hotel and at the clinic.
- Flying: airlines and Indian immigration will ask for accepted photo ID. A valid Nepali passport is the simplest option; other documents may be accepted, but check with your airline and the Indian authorities before you book rather than at the airport.
- By road: carry your passport or citizenship certificate and keep copies. Even where the border is open, the clinic will need a government ID to register you as an ART patient.
- Your partner: if you're a married couple, both of you need ID — and the clinic will ask for proof of marriage (see the documents section below).
If your partner is not a Nepali or Indian citizen, their situation is different — most other nationalities need a visa, usually the e-Medical Attendant visa. See our e-Medical visa guide and confirm on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in.
Who can have IVF in India under the ART Act
India's Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 applies to everyone treated in India, including Nepali citizens. In short:
- Married couples can be treated where the woman is 21–50 and the man is 21–55.
- Single women can be treated within the same age band for women.
- Unmarried couples, single men and same-sex couples fall outside the Act's scope.
- Donor eggs or sperm come only from registered ART banks and donors are anonymous — you can't bring a relative or friend as a known donor.
- Sex selection is a criminal offence under the PCPNDT Act; embryo testing can't be used to choose sex.
- Surrogacy in India is not open to foreign nationals, which includes Nepali citizens.
Read more in what Indian law allows for patients from abroad and our plain-English ART Act guide.
Getting there: road or air
Nepal is one of the few places where driving or taking a bus to an Indian fertility clinic is a realistic option. Which route suits you depends on where you live and which city you choose.
By road
Several border crossings connect the Terai with northern and eastern India. From western and central Nepal, crossings towards Uttar Pradesh and Bihar lead on to cities such as Lucknow and Patna; from eastern Nepal, routes lead towards West Bengal and on to Kolkata. Road travel is usually cheaper and makes it easier for family members to accompany you, but the return journey needs careful planning:
- After egg retrieval you may feel sore, bloated and tired for a day or two. A long bumpy journey the next day is not ideal — plan a rest day.
- After embryo transfer, most clinics say normal gentle activity is fine, but a long road trip in heat is tiring. Ask your clinic when they're comfortable with you travelling home.
- Some IVF medicines must be kept cold. On a long road journey you'll need a cool bag and a plan — see travelling with IVF medications.
By air
There are regular flights between Kathmandu and major Indian cities, including Delhi, and connections onward to other metros. Flying makes sense if you want a large metro clinic, if you live far from the southern border, or if you're coming for a short frozen embryo transfer trip. It also shortens the journey home after retrieval or transfer.
Choosing a city: border cities and large metros
There's no single “best” city. Delhi, Lucknow, Patna and Kolkata are common choices for patients from Nepal — some because they are close to the border, others because they are major metros with many clinics to compare. The trade-offs look roughly like this:
| Consideration | Closer city (e.g. Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata) | Large metro (e.g. Delhi) |
|---|---|---|
| Travel time | Often reachable by road from the Terai | Usually a flight from Kathmandu |
| Choice of clinics | Fewer options; check each carefully | Many clinics, easier to compare |
| Costs of stay | Often lower accommodation costs | Accommodation can be pricier |
| Monitoring scans | Easier to go back and forth if needed | Usually better to stay for the whole cycle |
Whichever city you choose, check that the clinic is registered under the ART Act and ask for its registration number. On Miro, clinics show an “ART registered” badge where we know it. Our guide to choosing a city in India for IVF goes deeper.
Money: the pegged rupee and what IVF costs
The Nepali rupee (NPR) is pegged to the Indian rupee (INR) at a fixed rate — long set at 1 INR = 1.6 NPR — so, unlike patients from most countries, you don't need to worry about the exchange rate moving during your treatment. A quote in rupees today will be worth the same in NPR next month. Indian clinics quote and bill in Indian rupees.
Typical ranges in India (always get a written, itemised quote):
| Item | Typical range (INR) |
|---|---|
| Standard IVF cycle | ₹1.5–2.5 lakh |
| Stimulation medication (often billed separately) | ₹60,000–1,50,000 |
| ICSI add-on | ₹25,000–50,000 |
| PGT-A (per embryo tested) | ₹25,000–40,000 |
| Frozen embryo transfer (FET) | ₹60,000–1,20,000 |
| Embryo freezing + first-year storage | ₹20,000–40,000 (usually bundled) |
| Storage renewal from year 2 | ₹15,000–30,000 per year |
Multiply by 1.6 for a rough NPR figure. Remember to add travel, accommodation and food for two to three weeks — see the hidden costs of IVF in India. Our cost calculator helps you build a full budget.
Language and communication
Many people in Nepal understand Hindi well, and in clinics in northern India, doctors and nurses will usually be comfortable explaining things in Hindi. English is also widely used for medical paperwork and consent forms. Nepali is less commonly spoken by clinic staff, although you may find it in some areas near the border and in cities with Nepali communities.
A few practical points:
- Consent forms under the ART Act are formal legal documents. If you're not confident reading them in English or Hindi, ask for time and bring someone you trust to help you understand them.
- Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of India. This makes video calls simple to arrange, but the offset matters when a clinic gives you an exact time for an injection or the trigger shot. Confirm whether times are in Indian or Nepali time.
- Ask whether the clinic can send instructions on WhatsApp, so you have them in writing.
Records to gather before you go
A good Indian clinic will want to see your history before your first visit, usually on a video consultation. Gather these in advance (scans or clear photos are fine to start):
- Recent hormone tests — AMH, FSH, LH, thyroid, prolactin — with dates.
- Ultrasound reports, including antral follicle count if done.
- A semen analysis for the male partner (if applicable).
- Tubal tests (HSG) and any hysteroscopy or laparoscopy reports.
- Details of any previous IUI or IVF cycles: medicines, doses, eggs retrieved, embryos, outcomes.
- Infection screening (HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis) — ask how recent the clinic needs these.
Some tests can be done in Nepal before you leave, which shortens your time in India. See tests to do at home before IVF in India and sending records to an Indian clinic.
Documents the clinic will ask for
- Photo ID for you and your partner — passport or citizenship certificate.
- Proof of marriage for couples — your marriage registration certificate. If it's in Nepali, ask the clinic whether they need a translation.
- Address proof — ask what they accept for patients from Nepal.
- Passport-size photographs — useful to carry a few.
Keep copies of everything the clinic gives you: consent forms, the embryology report, the discharge summary, medication lists and receipts. You'll need them for your doctor in Nepal, for any future frozen embryo transfer, and if you ever change clinics. Ask for copies before you leave rather than months later — see your fertility records rights. Our list of documents needed as a foreigner covers the full set.
What to get in writing before you travel
Verbal assurances are easily misremembered, particularly across two countries. Before you commit, ask the clinic to confirm the following by email or on its letterhead:
- The clinic's ART registration number and the name of the treating doctor.
- An itemised quote in rupees, stating what is included (consultations, scans, retrieval, laboratory work, ICSI, embryo freezing, first-year storage) and what is billed separately, particularly medication.
- The expected number of days you need to be in India and which dates are fixed or flexible.
- What you would pay if the cycle is cancelled before retrieval, and whether any fees carry over.
- Which of your Nepali test results the clinic will accept, and how recent they must be.
- Accepted payment methods and when each payment is due.
- Who to contact after you return home, and how.
If you are weighing up more than one clinic, these written answers make a fair comparison possible. See comparing IVF quotes in India.
A sample plan
- At home (4–8 weeks before): shortlist two or three clinics on Miro, compare them with the compare tool, and book video consultations.
- At home (2–4 weeks before): complete tests your clinic accepts from Nepal and send records ahead. Agree a written quote.
- Trip one (about 2–3 weeks): baseline scan, around 10–12 days of stimulation with regular scans, egg retrieval about 36 hours after the trigger, and a fresh transfer 3–5 days later — or freeze all embryos.
- Back home: pregnancy blood test about two weeks after transfer, usually done in Nepal. Share the result with the clinic.
- Optional trip two (about a week): if embryos were frozen, return for a frozen embryo transfer. Because the journey is short, a two-trip plan is often easier from Nepal than from farther away.
An illustrative example: a married couple from the Terai
The following scenario is illustrative only. It is not based on a real patient, and your own plan will depend on your tests and your clinic's advice.
A married couple living near the southern border — the woman aged 33, the man 36 — have tried to conceive for three years. Their gynaecologist in Nepal has arranged hormone tests, an ultrasound and a semen analysis. They shortlist three ART-registered clinics in Lucknow and Delhi on Miro and book video consultations.
- Weeks 1–3 (at home): after the consultations, they choose a clinic in Lucknow because it can be reached by road and the doctor explained the plan clearly in Hindi. The clinic accepts their recent test results but asks for updated infection screening, which they complete in Nepal. They receive an itemised quote and a provisional start date linked to her next period.
- Week 4 (India, days 1–4): they travel on day 1 or 2 of her cycle. A baseline scan confirms she can start injections. Accommodation is a short walk from the clinic.
- Weeks 4–5 (India, days 5–12): scans every two to three days to track the follicles. The husband returns to Nepal for work for part of this period and comes back before retrieval.
- Week 6 (India): trigger injection at a precise time; egg retrieval about 36 hours later; the husband provides a fresh sample the same morning. The clinic recommends freezing all embryos because of a higher risk of ovarian hyperstimulation.
- Weeks 7–10 (at home): she recovers, has her next period, and the clinic plans the frozen transfer. Her gynaecologist in Nepal performs a lining scan and shares it with the clinic.
- Week 11 (India, about a week): frozen embryo transfer, then a return home by road after the clinic confirms she is fit to travel. The pregnancy blood test is done in Nepal about two weeks later.
The example shows how the short distance from Nepal allows flexibility — partners can travel back and forth, and a second trip is less disruptive than it would be from further away.
Before you leave India: arrange follow-up at home
Tell a gynaecologist in Nepal that you're having treatment in India, and ask whether they're happy to do the pregnancy test, early scans and to continue any support medicines the Indian clinic prescribes. Ask the clinic for a written discharge summary and medicine plan to hand to your local doctor. Our guide to pregnancy care back home has a checklist.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Choosing a clinic only because it is close to the border. Proximity is useful, but it does not replace checking ART registration, the doctor's experience and a written quote.
- Travelling without proof of marriage. The clinic is legally required to verify eligibility. Without the certificate, treatment may be delayed.
- Underestimating the stay. Stimulation can take a few days longer than planned. Keep your return journey flexible.
- Carrying large sums of cash. Check the current currency rules and use bank transfer or card payments where the clinic accepts them.
- Leaving without paperwork. Without a discharge summary and embryology report, your doctor in Nepal cannot continue your care properly, and a later frozen transfer becomes harder to plan.
- Relying on an intermediary. You can contact clinics directly. If someone offers to arrange everything, confirm the price and registration with the clinic yourself.
Next steps
Start by browsing clinics that welcome patients from outside India on our international patients page, then read choosing an IVF clinic from abroad and how long to stay in India for IVF. Send an enquiry through Miro — it's free, and you can ask to be contacted on WhatsApp.