IVF in Goa from London: how do you plan the flights, the stay and the steps?

Medically reviewed by our consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist (MBBS, MS OBG). Last reviewed: 9 November 2026.

Hounslow, Southall, Wembley and the Heathrow side of Hillingdon all have well-known Goan communities. Some couples there would rather have IVF in Goa, close to parents and the family home. The treatment itself is explained on our IVF centre in Goa page.

What does the NHS fund for IVF in England?

In England, NHS funding for IVF is decided by local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). A Progress Educational Trust tracker (February 2026) found that 29 of England's 42 ICBs fund only one NHS IVF cycle. NICE, the national guideline body, recommends three full cycles for eligible women under 40. Each ICB also sets its own conditions, such as age, weight, smoking and existing children. Ask your GP about your ICB's current policy.

Couples who have used their NHS cycle, or do not qualify, then look at private treatment, and some Goan couples choose to have it in Goa. This page does not compare health systems; it only explains the trip.

Which flights connect London and Goa?

London and Goa have no scheduled non-stop flight at present. From Heathrow or Gatwick, the usual routes are:

• Through a Gulf hub, such as Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The Gulf-to-Goa leg may be direct or one stop; schedules changed in 2026, so check current flights.
• Through Mumbai or Delhi, then a domestic flight. Mumbai to Goa is about an hour and a half.
• A winter holiday charter. Seasonal holiday charters have flown non-stop from Gatwick to Mopa in winter, sold mainly as holiday packages. Check this winter's schedule before you plan around one.

Allow roughly ten to eleven hours in the air, plus the wait at the connecting airport. Of Goa's two airports, Dabolim (GOI) is about 4 km from Pai Hospital. Mopa (GOX), in North Goa, is about 65 km away, around an hour and a half by road. If your ticket gives you a choice, land at Dabolim.

While the UK is on GMT, from late October to late March, Goa is five and a half hours ahead. In British Summer Time the gap narrows to four and a half hours. A WhatsApp sent in your morning reaches us in our afternoon. Most one-stop journeys from London reach Goa the next day; rest a day before your first scan.

Which steps can you finish in London first?

1. Send your reports on WhatsApp: semen analysis, AMH and hormone tests, scans, a tubal test (HSG) if done, and a summary of any earlier IUI or IVF cycle.
2. Have the first consultation by phone or WhatsApp. The doctor reviews your reports, tells you whether IVF looks right, and lists anything still needed. No treatment or medicine is given over the phone.
3. Fill the gaps. If a test is missing or old, the doctor tells you whether to do it in London or in Goa on arrival.
4. Time the trip to your cycle. IVF starts with a scan on day two of your period, here in Goa, so plan to land a few days before your period is due. That leaves time to meet the doctor in person before the cycle begins. The doctor confirms the timing first.

How much annual leave does one IVF cycle take?

For a fresh cycle, plan on about three weeks. Our IVF timeline has the detail; in short:

• Day two of your period: the baseline scan and the first injection. A nurse shows you how to continue the injections.
• Over roughly ten to fourteen days: daily injections and a short scan every day or two.
• Egg collection: a day-care procedure under light anaesthesia. You go home the same day. The husband gives his semen sample that day.
• Embryo transfer: three or five days later, a few minutes, usually without anaesthesia.
• A spare day or two before the flight back. Your consultant tells you when it is sensible to fly.
• Back in London: the pregnancy blood test, about two weeks after the transfer. The doctor gives you the day and tells you how to have it done in London; the result comes to us on WhatsApp. See the beta-hCG blood test.

Two separate stays are also possible: the good embryos are frozen, and one is transferred in a later cycle, usually after one or two periods. The doctor decides if this is safe for you. Read about frozen embryo transfer.

If the husband cannot stay for the whole cycle, tell us early. His sample can often be frozen in advance as a backup: see sperm freezing in Goa.

Do ICSI or IUI change the length of the trip?

ICSI is a step inside an IVF cycle, used when the sperm are too few or too weak (see IVF with ICSI for a low sperm count), so the trip is the same length. IUI is simpler: a handful of scans around ovulation, then a procedure of a few minutes. If the doctor feels IUI suits you, one cycle can fit inside a holiday at home in Goa. See IUI treatment in Goa.

Where do couples from London stay while in Goa?

If your family has a home in Goa, you can stay there. Pai Hospital is at Vaddem, Vasco-da-Gama. For scans and procedure days, the hospital sends a car to your home anywhere in Goa and brings you back, at zero cost to the patient. Pick-up by car can also be arranged from either airport.

If the family home is far away, a hotel or guest house in Vasco may be easier from the trigger injection to the transfer. Winter is Goa's busy holiday season, with many visitors from the UK, so book early for those months. After the transfer, normal light activity is fine, and so is air travel; see care after embryo transfer. Call the hospital at once if, in the days after egg collection, you have severe tummy pain or swelling, vomiting, breathlessness, or pass very little urine.

Portuguese, British or Indian passport: which papers do you need?

• Passport. An Indian citizen living in London needs only the Indian passport. If either of you holds a foreign passport, such as a Portuguese or British one, that partner needs an OCI card or an Indian visa. Check current visa rules on the official Indian government visa portal before you book.
• Reports: clear copies of everything you sent us, and any new results.
• Medicines: a list of what you take regularly, and any allergies or past operations.

Both partners sign written consent forms before IVF, as Indian law requires. Tell us which passport each of you holds, and we will tell you what to bring.

What does one IVF cycle cost in rupees?

IVF costs ₹1,60,000 for one full cycle. It covers the egg-growing injections, egg collection, theatre and anaesthesia, hospital stay, doctor, laboratory and embryology fees, blastocyst culture and up to six months of embryo freezing. A frozen embryo transfer costs ₹40,000, for thawing and transferring the blastocyst. Your plan and price are confirmed in writing before anything is scheduled. Flights, your stay and visa fees are separate. See IVF cost in Goa.

Price list: October 2026.

EMI available, including 0% EMI for eligible couples*

*Pai Hospital does not lend money or process EMI. EMI is arranged through our banking and finance partners. Their finance team checks your credit (including CIBIL score) with your consent and decides whether you get 0% EMI, EMI at an interest rate, or no EMI. Any processing fee or charges will be told to you by the partner before you sign. Ask our billing desk to connect you.

Can your family in Goa follow the treatment?

Our doctor explains treatment in English, Konkani and Hindi, and our Konkani fertility videos help parents follow each step. Back in London, questions and reports can come on WhatsApp.

To start, call our fertility reception on +91 95459 20817, or send your reports on WhatsApp to +91 95185 02773. Every visit is by appointment. Living elsewhere abroad? See treatment in Goa for Goans living abroad.

This guide is by the Pai Hospital Team. It is for education only, not personal medical advice.

Or call +91 95185 02773

This page is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your own examination and reports, so please speak to a doctor about your situation. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind.