PV
TG
MN
EM
EI
ND
CT Scan
PET CT
Digital X-ray
Ultrasound
Amniocentesis
Fetal Reduction
Thermalytix Breast Screening
Cardiology
Lab Tests
GAMCA Pre-Medical
For most Gulf work visas, applicants in India take the GCC expatriate medical through WAFID (formerly GAMCA) at an approved centre before travel. The WAFID booking form lists Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Yemen. Qatar-bound workers in India usually complete the medical at a Qatar Visa Centre, and for the UAE the residence medical is done inside the UAE. Most GCC countries also do a second medical after you arrive, for your residence permit.
“Saudi medical test”, “Kuwait medical”, “Oman visa medical”, “Dubai medical test” — people search for the Gulf visa medical by country, and the rules are not identical. This guide explains, country by country, what applicants from India should expect in 2026, and where the official WAFID process fits.
Gulf visa medical by country: at a glance
| Country | Medical before travel (from India) | Medical after arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | WAFID medical at a GCC-approved centre | Yes, for the resident ID (iqama) |
| Kuwait | WAFID medical; new GHC rules in force since May 2026 | Yes, a second examination after arrival |
| Oman | WAFID medical (listed on WAFID) | Yes, medical fitness exam for residency, incl. latent TB screening |
| Bahrain | GCC-accredited (WAFID) centre where one exists | Yes, booked through LMRA on arrival |
| Qatar | Usually at a Qatar Visa Centre in India | As per Qatar’s process |
| UAE | Confirm with your employer | Yes, residence-visa medical in the UAE |
Always confirm the exact requirement for your visa with your employer, recruiter or the embassy. Rules can change.
What this guide covers
- The common part: the WAFID medical
- Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Bahrain
- Qatar
- UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates)
- The medical after you arrive
- How to prepare, whichever country you are going to
- Seedhi baat: kis desh ke liye kaunsa medical
- Frequently asked questions
The common part: the WAFID medical
The Gulf Health Council runs the GCC expatriate medical programme under the name WAFID. You book on wafid.com, choose the country you are travelling to and your city, pay the booking fee (US$10 standard or US$25 premium), and receive a slip with your assigned centre. The visa types on the booking form are work, family, study and seasonal Hajj & Umrah work.
The tests are the same core panel for all destinations: a doctor’s examination, chest X-ray, HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, malaria and filaria, blood count, sugar, liver and kidney tests, urine and stool, and a pregnancy test for women. Read GAMCA medical kaise hota hai for the full step-by-step process.
Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia is on the WAFID destination list, with work and family visa types and a separate seasonal Hajj & Umrah work visa type.
- After arrival, an expatriate must take a medical test to get the resident identification card (iqama), which must be obtained within 90 days.
- In 2026 Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health announced tighter oversight of expatriate medical examination facilities, with heavy fines for violations.
Kuwait
- Kuwait uses the WAFID medical before travel.
- In May 2026 Kuwait put into force the updated Gulf Health Council regulation (the eighth version), with stricter accreditation of overseas centres, updated laboratory, X-ray and vaccination standards, surprise inspections and penalties for centres whose “fit” workers are later found unfit.
- Workers also have a second medical examination after arrival at approved local screening centres.
For applicants, this means the official medical in India is likely to be stricter, and a problem missed there can still be found in Kuwait. Knowing your results in advance matters more than before.
Oman
- Oman is on the WAFID destination list, and Oman’s medical fitness service follows Gulf Health Council standards.
- In Oman, residency applicants take a medical fitness examination, which includes screening for latent TB with a blood test, followed by a chest X-ray if it is positive.
Bahrain
- Bahrain’s labour regulator (LMRA) uses its own medical form only in countries that have no GCC-accredited centre, which means applicants in India use a GCC-accredited (WAFID) centre.
- After arrival, the expatriate medical check-up is booked through LMRA offices at the airport. It includes a chest X-ray and tests for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis, and Bahrain’s Ministry of Health states that HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C positive expatriates are unfit to work.
Qatar
- Qatar runs Qatar Visa Centres (QVC) in India — New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi — where the medical examination, biometrics and contract signing are done for work visas.
- Qatar still appears on the WAFID booking form, so follow the instructions in your Qatar visa process and confirm with your employer which route applies.
UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates)
- For a UAE residence visa, the medical fitness test is done inside the UAE, through Dubai Health in Dubai, SEHA in Abu Dhabi and EHS in the other emirates. It screens for HIV and TB.
- The UAE also appears on the WAFID booking form. Whether you need a pre-departure WAFID medical in India depends on your visa and employer, so confirm before you book.
- For TB, the official u.ae portal says people found with scars or active TB are given a conditional fitness certificate and a one-year visa, with treatment in the UAE.
The medical after you arrive
Passing the medical in India is not the end. Most GCC countries test again for the residence permit, mainly for infectious diseases and TB. A permanent condition such as HIV or hepatitis B will usually be found again. That is why it is important to know your real health status before you travel, not to try to get around the rules.
Going to any Gulf country? Check first — ₹4,999, same-day report
Our GAMCA / WAFID pre-medical test at Raghubir Nagar, West Delhi runs the same core GCC panel — chest X-ray, HIV, hepatitis B and C, VDRL, CBC, malaria, sugar, liver and kidney tests, urine and stool. Your report is given only to you. We are not a GAMCA / WAFID-approved centre, and our report is not a visa certificate.
How to prepare, whichever country you are going to
- Get a pre-check a few weeks before booking the official medical.
- Keep diabetes and blood pressure under control with your doctor; do not stop your medicines.
- If you ever had TB, get your chest X-ray reviewed first — see our guide to the GAMCA chest X-ray and TB scars.
- Fast 8–10 hours before the blood tests and sleep well the night before.
- After the medical, check your result only on wafid.com — here is how to check your WAFID medical status.
Seedhi baat: kis desh ke liye kaunsa medical
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman aur Bahrain ke work visa ke liye India me WAFID (GAMCA) approved centre par medical hota hai, jiski booking wafid.com par hoti hai. Qatar ke liye aam taur par medical Qatar Visa Centre (New Delhi samet 7 shehar) par hota hai. UAE ke residence visa ka medical UAE pahunch kar hota hai — apne employer se zaroor poochein.
Lagbhag har Gulf desh me pahunchne ke baad bhi ek medical hota hai. Isliye jaane se pehle apni sehat check karwa lena sabse samajhdaari ka kaam hai.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries need the WAFID (GAMCA) medical from India?
The WAFID booking form lists Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Yemen. In practice, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain work visas use the WAFID medical; Qatar usually uses Qatar Visa Centres, and the UAE residence medical is done in the UAE. Confirm with your employer.
Is the Saudi visa medical the same as the GAMCA medical?
Yes. The Saudi work visa medical from India is the GCC (WAFID, formerly GAMCA) medical, and another medical is done in Saudi Arabia for the iqama.
What changed in the Kuwait medical in 2026?
Kuwait put the updated Gulf Health Council regulation into force in May 2026, with stricter accreditation, updated lab, X-ray and vaccination standards, inspections, penalties for centres, and a second examination after arrival.
Where is the Qatar visa medical done in India?
At Qatar Visa Centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi, where the medical, biometrics and contract signing are done.
Do I need a medical in India for a Dubai work visa?
The UAE residence-visa medical is done in the UAE. Whether a pre-departure WAFID medical is also needed depends on your visa and employer, so confirm before booking.
Is there a medical test after reaching the Gulf?
Yes. Most GCC countries do a medical after arrival for the residence permit, mainly for infectious diseases and TB.
Saudi ya Kuwait ke visa ke liye medical kahan hota hai?
India me WAFID (GAMCA) approved centre par, jiski booking wafid.com par hoti hai. Gulf pahunchne ke baad wahan bhi ek medical hota hai.
The bottom line
The Gulf visa medical is mostly one system — WAFID — with country-specific steps before and after travel. Whichever country you are going to, the safest plan is the same: check your health first, treat what can be treated, book the official medical on wafid.com, and keep your documents ready for the medical after arrival.
Written by the medical team at Edge Imaging & Diagnostics, West Delhi. Last reviewed: October 2026. Sources: wafid.com, Kuwait Times, Arab Times, KPMG, MRRORS, Gulf News, Gulf Times, Oman Observer, Times of Oman, Oman Ministry of Health, Bahrain LMRA and Ministry of Health, and u.ae.
Disclaimer: this article is general information as of October 2026 and is not immigration advice. Visa medical requirements can change and can differ by visa type; always confirm with your employer, recruiter or the embassy. Edge Imaging & Diagnostics is not a GAMCA / WAFID-approved medical centre.