Medical certificates for visa and travel

A fit to fly certificate and a medical certificate for a visa are not the same document, and neither one covers the other. The right starting point is always the exact written requirement of the organisation asking, because consulates, airlines and insurers all want different things.

One phrase, several different documents

People use medical certificate loosely, but at least 6 different documents sit behind the phrase, and mixing them up causes refused applications and missed flights.

A visa medical certificate is required by a consulate as part of a visa application, and its wording is fixed by that consulate. A fit to fly or medical clearance document is requested by an airline, usually after recent illness, surgery, or in later pregnancy. A letter about medicines or medical equipment confirms what you carry and why. A general summary of medical history is just that, a summary. A vaccination or infectious disease certificate records immunisations or test results. And insurers, employers, schools and tour operators sometimes ask for their own certificates with their own forms.

The practical rule is simple: before booking any assessment, get the requesting organisation’s requirements in writing, including any official form, the exact wording, and the deadline.

Visa certificates and fit to fly: the 2 most common

For visas, every country sets its own requirements and they differ widely. Some consulates ask for a medical certificate with exact prescribed wording, sometimes based on the International Health Regulations of 2005. Others ask for a doctor’s letter, specific tests, a certificate issued within a fixed number of months before the application, legalisation such as a Hague apostille, or a sworn translation into the country’s language. These details change over time, and the only reliable source is the destination country’s own consulate or embassy guidance for your specific visa category.

That is why every visa certificate at Clinique Alpa starts with due diligence on the country you are travelling to. Patients travel to every part of the world, and no two destinations ask for exactly the same thing. Dr Parmar checks the current requirements of your destination country’s consulate or embassy carefully, confirms the exact wording, the validity window and any legalisation or translation steps, and then carries out the necessary steps for that country, supported by the right evidence from your medical history, your records and any examination or tests the certificate requires. Where a requirement cannot be met, we tell you plainly before you commit.

For airlines, fit to fly requests most often arise in later pregnancy, commonly from around 28 weeks, after recent surgery, or after a significant recent illness. Each airline sets its own rules, its own forms and its own deadlines, and some use a formal medical clearance process for complex cases. The GP can only complete what your history, records and any necessary examination support, so check the airline’s own medical pages first and bring their form to the assessment.

What the GP will need from you

The smoother your preparation, the more likely a single consultation is enough. Bring the official form or required wording, your visa category if relevant, your destination country, the airline or consulate’s written requirements, and your proposed travel dates. Bring your relevant medical records, a list of your current medicines, and any recent test results. If the document relates to medical equipment or assistance during travel, bring those details too, along with photo identification where identity must be confirmed.

Some certificates need more than a conversation. A consulate may require a physical examination, specific tests, an original wet ink signature, or a photograph attached to the certificate. Legalisation and translation, where required, are separate steps after the GP signs: the apostille comes from the UK authorities, and the sworn translation from an approved translator, so allow time for both.

What we cannot do or promise

We cannot promise that a video consultation alone will be enough. Clinique Alpa is currently a virtual first clinic, with in person appointments expected to resume from 24 August 2026, and some certificates simply cannot be completed remotely because they need an examination or tests. Where that is the case, we tell you plainly and direct you appropriately rather than issuing something the consulate will reject.

We cannot guarantee a certificate, a visa outcome or airline clearance. The fee covers the assessment, and a document follows only where the assessment supports it. A GP also cannot stretch the facts to fit a form: if the honest answer does not match the required wording, the certificate cannot be written as asked.

Frequently asked questions

Who can issue a medical certificate for a visa?

A doctor registered with the appropriate professional body, which for UK applications means a GMC registered doctor. Some consulates specify additional requirements, such as the certificate being recent, legalised with an apostille or translated by a sworn translator, so check the consulate’s current guidance for your visa category first.

Do I need a medical certificate for the country I am travelling to?

It depends entirely on the country and the visa category. Some destinations require a medical certificate for certain visas, with prescribed wording, legalisation or a sworn translation, while others ask for nothing at all. Requirements change, so generic lists on the internet are often out of date. As part of your assessment, Dr Parmar carries out due diligence on your destination country’s current official requirements, so any certificate is prepared carefully, with the evidence that country expects.

What does a fit to fly certificate include?

It confirms that, in the GP’s opinion after assessment, you are fit to travel by air, and it usually covers your relevant condition, any recent treatment or surgery, your travel dates, and anything the airline specifically asks about, such as oxygen needs or medical equipment. Airlines decide their own formats, so their form or written requirements come first.

Can a GP provide a fit to fly letter for anxiety?

Where an assessment supports it, a GP can write a letter confirming relevant history and current stability for an airline that requests one. What a GP cannot do is guarantee an airline’s decision, because medical clearance always belongs to the airline. Anxiety about flying itself is a separate question, and we have set out what a GP assessment for flight anxiety involves.

Can I get a visa medical certificate by video consultation?

Sometimes, where the requirement is a declaration based on history and records. Many visa certificates, however, require a physical examination or tests, in which case a remote assessment is not sufficient and we will say so before you spend money on the wrong route.

How to arrange an assessment

Start by sending us the exact written requirements: the form, the wording, the visa category or airline, your destination country, and your deadline. We will tell you honestly whether your document can be assessed by secure video now, or whether it needs an in person examination, which is expected to resume at Clinique Alpa from 24 August 2026. Visa medical certificates are priced from £250, depending on what the document involves, and the fee is confirmed before any work begins.

Begin with our sick notes and medical letters page, or book an online GP consultation to talk through the requirements first. You can also call 020 8882 8088.

Dr Mitesh Parmar, Principal GP and Clinical Director at Clinique Alpa. MBBS MRCGP, GMC number 6113670.