Cosmetic and plastic surgery in Georgia: candidacy, recovery, flying and complications

Who decides whether you are a candidate for surgery?

The surgeon. An answer given remotely, even one based on photos and test results, is only a preliminary assessment. The doctor makes the final decision after examining you in person and after the tests done on site, and at that point may change the scope of the intervention, postpone the operation or decline it altogether. This is normal and works in your favour: a surgeon who takes candidacy seriously is protecting the patient.

In the assessment, the doctor usually considers your general health, any chronic conditions, your medicines, previous operations, smoking and what you expect from the result. Realistic expectations are part of candidacy, so answer every question honestly, even if you think the answer may lead to the operation being postponed.

If the surgeon says no on site

For an international patient this is the hardest scenario, because the ticket, the accommodation and the time off work have already been spent. That is why we ask the clinic in advance, in writing, what happens in this case: whether the deposit is refunded, whether the consultation and test fees are credited, and whether the operation can be moved to another date. At that point we do not try to persuade the doctor: we accept their assessment as part of keeping you safe and change the practical arrangements, including the return ticket.

What are your rights at the consultation and when signing consent?

The Law of Georgia on Patient Rights also applies to foreigners treated in Georgia. For a surgical intervention it requires written informed consent, and before you sign it gives you the right to information about the planned service, its cost, the expected risks, the alternatives and the qualifications of the treating doctor. You also have the right to turn to another doctor or facility for a second opinion.

The law does not expressly provide for a right to an interpreter, so the language question has to be settled in advance. Do not sign a form in Georgian or English unless you fully understand what you are agreeing to. We book a medical interpreter for the consultation and for going through the consent form, and our patient rights guide gives a detailed overview of your rights.

Questions to take to the consultation: what exactly will be done and what will not; what anaesthesia is planned; how long you will stay in the clinic; who will look after you after discharge; when the follow-up visits are; which signs mean you should call immediately, and whom.

What should you send the clinic, and what will you get back?

• Photos, if the clinic asks for them, following its instructions. They are particularly sensitive data, so they are passed only to the clinic whose name you have confirmed in writing.
• Health history: chronic conditions, allergies, previous operations and any past experience with anaesthesia.
• Medicines with the active substance and dose, including dietary supplements; the doctor will tell you which to stop and when.
• Recent test results and imaging, if you have them; the clinic will decide which need repeating.

In return, we ask the clinic for a written plan: which operation is planned, who will perform it, how many nights you will stay in the clinic, which tests are done before the operation, how many follow-up visits are included and how long the surgeon recommends you stay in Georgia. That last point is the basis for planning your tickets. Are your records in a language a Georgian doctor cannot read? We translate them as part of our discharge summary translation service.

How do we organise it with you?

1. Records and clinics

   We check that your file is complete and send it to the clinics you have approved. How we request and compare quotes is described on the clinic selection page.

2. Plan and tickets

   We plan your ticket around the length of stay the surgeon recommends, with spare days and a changeable date.

3. Operation and discharge

   Your coordinator arranges transfers, the interpreter, accommodation and the schedule of visits, and after discharge, if needed, a nurse and a caregiver too.

4. Follow-up visit and departure

   The surgeon confirms your departure date, and we translate your records for your own doctor.

How do you plan your recovery realistically?

The first days after an operation often bring pain, swelling, limited movement and dependence on others: sometimes even getting dressed needs help. The surgeon will tell you how long recovery takes for your operation, but on the practical side a few rules apply in every case:

• Spare days. Plan a stay a few days longer than the surgeon recommends, and buy a ticket whose date can be changed.
• Accommodation close to the clinic. With a lift, in a quiet place where you can rest and easily get to your follow-up visit.
• A companion. Very helpful in the first days; if you are coming alone, we plan visits from a caregiver or nurse in advance through our care after surgery service.
• No busy schedule. Do not plan excursions, meetings or remote work for your recovery days.

Bear your entry rules in mind as well. If you enter on an e-visa, for some countries it is valid for 30 days, and a short-term visa cannot be extended while you are in Georgia, so your plan must fit comfortably within that period. We check this as part of our visa service.

When can you fly home?

The surgeon decides, not the date printed on your ticket. Flight safety depends on the type and length of the operation, the anaesthesia, your health and the length of the flight, so there is no single general rule. We confirm the ticket date only after the doctor has cleared you to travel at the follow-up visit.

Some airlines ask passengers who have had surgery for a doctor's certificate confirming that they are fit to fly. Check this in advance in your airline's rules, and ask the surgeon for the certificate in English. When you fly, carry your discharge report, a list of your medicines and the clinic's contact details. How we plan the journey itself, including with an escort, is described on the return home service page.

Complications and insurance: what to find out before the operation

Every operation carries a risk of complications, and discussing it is a normal part of a consultation with the surgeon. On the practical side, what matters is that you know in advance, in writing, what will happen if something does not go as planned.

Since 2026, entry to Georgia has required health and accident insurance with a sum insured of at least GEL 30,000, in Georgian or English. It meets the entry requirement, but costs related to an elective operation are usually not included. If you are considering an additional policy that covers complications of a planned operation, read its terms in full before you buy it; there is more in our insurance guide. In an emergency in Georgia, call 112 and then let the clinic and your coordinator know.

How do you check the clinic and the surgeon?

If you spend the night in the clinic after the operation, you are dealing with an inpatient facility, which needs a permit in Georgia. The surgeon, in turn, must hold a state certificate for independent medical practice. We ask the clinic for both documents, because we have not found a public online register where a patient could check them themselves. We also check that the operation is performed by the doctor named in the plan.

"Before and after" photos published on social media are not proof of a surgeon's qualifications, and we treat a claim of international accreditation as the clinic's own statement until we have seen the certificate. You request a copy of your records from the clinic in writing, and you should receive it within ten working days, so send the request before discharge. The documents you need for going home are prepared by our documents service.

Frequently asked questions about cosmetic surgery in Georgia