Bangladesh ranks on top among the countries from where patients visit India and stay long for treatment every year.

The move would benefit foreign patients seeking speciality treatment, both allopathic and Indian systems of medicine, at recognised or registered hospitals or treatment centres, an official release said on Friday.

Until now such patents have to enter India on a six-month tourist visa, which is subject to extension only by the home ministry. This causes them inconvenience in case they need treatment for longer duration.

But the state governments and Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) also can extend the medical visas.

As per rules of medical visa, applicants will have to produce detailed local medical documents about their ailment and satisfy the Indian mission of their need for treatment in India.

Patients seeking treatment for neuro-surgery, heart ailments, ophthalmic treatment, organ transplant, congenital defects, gene therapy, plastic surgery and joint replacement, among other listed ailments, can apply for medical visas.

The new visa will also require the patient to come up with their communication with the Indian hospital where they seek treatment.

It will allow the patient three entries to India during its one-year validity period and another entry is available in case of emergency.

It will also allow the patient to have the company of two attendants at any given time on an ex-visa co-terminus with the medical visa. The attendants must be spouse, children of the patient or blood relations and have to register themselves with the FRRO.

A recent study by Confederation of Indian Industry and Mckinsey on the potential health care sector has projected medical tourism to contribute Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore in revenue by 2012.

It pointed out the Indian medical tourism market is restricted to patients from South Asia and the Middle East.

About 50 modern hospitals and 30 Ayurvedic centres are being accredited for medical tourism, and the health minister is preparing a guide to patients seeking Indian specialists.

India with its low-cost advanced speciality treatment has recently attracted foreign patients not only from developing countries but also from the developed countries like the Great Britain.