Documents for treatment abroad: a complete checklist, stage by stage

How to use this checklist

Families most often make one of two mistakes: either they collect everything at once and the certificates go out of date before submission, or they respond to each new request separately and visit the same clinic three times. Below, the documents are divided into six stages and then brought together in a single table at the end.

Each document can have three layers: a translation into the recipient's language, notarisation, which officially confirms that the translation or copy is accurate, and an apostille or legalisation, which confirms the signature and seal on a Georgian document for another country. The recipient decides which layer is needed. If you do not intend to do this work yourself, we prepare the whole package through our medical document package service; this page is for those who collect the documents themselves.

Stage 1: before contacting clinics

The aim of this stage is for the foreign clinic or reviewing doctor to see your case in full. You need:

• the latest discharge summary and any important earlier ones;
• imaging reports and the images themselves in DICOM format;
• the histology report, if a biopsy was done;
• the latest laboratory test results;
• a list of current medicines;
• a copy of your passport, so that your name and surname are spelt the same way in every translation.

At this stage an ordinary translation without certification is enough. How to request records from a clinic is explained in the guide to obtaining your medical records, and if you would first like an independent assessment, the second opinion guide will help.

Stage 2: for the cost estimate and treatment plan

A clinic can produce an accurate cost estimate only when it knows your current condition. So at this stage clinics often ask for:

• new laboratory test results and, if needed, a repeat scan;
• Form 100 or a certificate from the treating doctor with a recommendation;
• data on coexisting conditions, for example heart, kidney disease or diabetes, because they affect anaesthesia planning and the length of the hospital stay;
• a list of allergies and previous operations.

The cost estimate you receive becomes a document in its own right: the embassy, a foundation, a state programme and sometimes a bank will ask for it. If you are looking for sources of funding for treatment, first read the guide to state funding for treatment abroad, because a foreign document is submitted to Georgian authorities in Georgian and with certification.

Stage 3: for a visa, if the destination country requires one

Not every destination or length of stay requires a visa; when one is necessary is explained on the medical visa page. If you need a visa, the package also includes:

• an invitation from the clinic or confirmation of admission with a date;
• the cost estimate and proof of advance payment, if the embassy or clinic requires it;
• proof of financial means: a bank statement, a salary certificate or a sponsor's documents;
• medical insurance on the terms set by the embassy;
• a certificate proving kinship for the accompanying person.

The specific requirements, including the language of translation and the form of certification, are set out in the embassy's information sheet and vary from destination to destination, so check the latest version before you apply.

Stage 4: for the journey

• a passport that remains valid for long enough after the expected end of treatment;
• a letter from the clinic with the admission date, to explain the purpose of travel at the border;
• Form 100 or the discharge summary in English in your hand luggage, in case you need medical help on the way;
• the airline's medical form (MEDIF), if the patient needs a wheelchair, oxygen or an escort;
• a translated prescription and a doctor's letter for your medicines;
• the other parent's notarised consent, if a child is travelling with one parent and the destination country or airline requires it;
• a travel insurance policy.

The rules for carrying medicines, including controlled substances, are in the medicines guide, and details of tickets and the airline form are on the air travel page.

Stage 5: at the clinic

• the originals and translations of all documents in one folder, with digital copies;
• payment receipts and correspondence with the clinic stating the price and the scope of services;
• copies of the informed consent forms you sign;
• a power of attorney, if a family member deals with the clinic, payments or authorities on your behalf.

A consent form should be signed only when its content is fully understood, and this is exactly when a family most needs a medical interpreter; this format is described on the interpreter page.

Stage 6: after you return

On the day of discharge, before you leave the clinic, ask for:

• the discharge summary in English or in the clinic's language, with the operation report;
• the discharge prescriptions and the follow-up plan;
• the histology report, if it is prepared after discharge, and how it will be sent to you;
• the final itemised bill and payment documents;
• the implant passport or card, if an implant was fitted.

In Georgia these documents are translated into Georgian: your local doctor needs an ordinary translation, while for reimbursement of costs through a state programme, an insurance company or a court a notarised translation is usually required. If a foreign document is to be officially submitted to a Georgian authority, it may also need an apostille affixed in the issuing country; it is best to find this out before you leave that country.

Summary table: document, issuer, translation, certification

The table shows typical requirements. The word "often" means that the requirement depends on the recipient and must be checked before submission.

Notary or apostille: how do you decide?

An apostille is a certificate established by the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention that replaces consular legalisation between the countries party to the convention. Under the rules in force in Georgia, an apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature on a document, the authority of the person who signed it and the authenticity of the seal. It does not check the content of the document: a certificate with errors remains wrong even after it has been apostilled.

Under the same rules, documents certified with an apostille include, among others, documents issued by medical institutions within their powers, notarial acts and court documents. In practice the route is set by the recipient: some require an apostille on the medical document itself, others on the notarised translation. Ask three questions before deciding:

1. Who is the recipient: a clinic that only needs the information, or a state authority, embassy or court?
2. Is the recipient's country a party to the Apostille Convention, or does it require consular legalisation? The "Apostille or legalisation?" tool will show you.
3. What order does the recipient require: an apostille on the original and then a translation, or a notarised translation and an apostille on the notary's signature?

Frequently asked questions about treatment documents