Recognition of a foreign medical diploma in Georgia: education, certificate and the right to practise

What is recognised: the diploma or the right to work as a doctor?

In Georgia, "diploma recognition" covers two separate questions, and mixing them up is the most common reason people turn to the wrong authority. The first is recognition of education: what level and type of education your foreign diploma corresponds to in the Georgian system. This is determined by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE), a public body within the Ministry of Education system. The second is the right to practise medicine: whether you may treat patients in Georgia, and with what status. This is governed by the Law of Georgia on Medical Practice and the acts of the Ministry of Health.

Under Article 8 of the law, a foreign national or stateless person who obtained higher medical education abroad and whose diploma is recognised in Georgia is granted the right to independent medical practice in the manner set by that same law. In other words, a recognised diploma is a prerequisite, but it does not by itself give you the right to practise: for that you also need a state certificate in your specialty, and we describe how to obtain it below.

How does NCEQE recognise education obtained abroad?

According to the Center's official page, recognition covers general, vocational and higher education. It does not cover preschool education, education obtained through exchange programmes of Georgian institutions or, most importantly for doctors, residency, that is, postgraduate medical training. So NCEQE reviews your medical school diploma, while the question of your residency certificate is decided within the healthcare system.

The application must include the application form, an identity document, the education document (diploma, supplement or transcript) with a notarised Georgian translation, a power of attorney where needed and proof of payment of the fee. For education obtained in Ukraine, a consent form for the transfer of personal data must also be completed. The Center stresses that the Georgian translation of every foreign-language document must be notarised.

Fees are taken from the Center's official page as at 12 October 2026; delivery of the decision by post costs an extra GEL 5. Some categories, for example persons with disabilities, are entitled to a reduced fee. The administrative proceedings start on the second working day after the application is filed.

When do you get a Georgian certificate without an exam?

Article 9 of the law provides that if you obtained a state licence confirming your right to independent medical practice in a country on the Ministry's list, you are granted a Georgian state certificate in the same specialty without sitting an exam, whether you are a Georgian citizen or a foreign national. Those who completed only postgraduate training in a listed country sit the state certification exam.

The country lists are approved by Order No. 01-42/n of the Minister of Health of 28 June 2017 (the latest consolidated version is dated 24 November 2023). The order divides countries into two groups:

The list follows the text of the order and may change; before applying, check the version of the order currently in force on matsne.gov.ge.

If your country is on neither list, this route to recognition without an exam does not apply to you. In that case you need another route to a specialty certificate, which has to be assessed individually on the basis of your education and experience; a legal consultation will help with that assessment.

How is residency completed abroad recognised?

The same order also sets out the rules for recognising postgraduate education obtained abroad. According to the text of the order, the procedure is carried out by a legal entity of public law under the Ministry of Health, the State Regulation Agency for Medical Activities. Before you apply, check the current name and address of the body that performs this function, as the Ministry's structure has changed since 2017.

The order requires:

• A document confirming your postgraduate education, apostilled or legalised.
• The curriculum or a detailed training programme, showing what the training covered, with a notarised translation.
• A copy of your identity document, notarised.
• A document from the foreign regulator confirming that the institution or programme is recognised under the laws of that country, with a Georgian translation.

A decision is made within one month of submitting the documents; where necessary, this period can be extended to up to three months. What usually takes longest is obtaining the curriculum and translating it, since it is often a document of many pages that the foreign clinic or university issues only on a separate request.

Can you work in Georgia temporarily?

Article 11 of the law gives a foreign specialist two options: temporary independent medical practice and a one-off medical service, in both cases on the basis of an invitation. Under the law, the right to temporary independent practice is granted only once and for no more than one year, while an invitation for a one-off service requires the written consent of the relevant medical institution.

This route is useful, for example, when a foreign surgeon comes for a specific operation or a teaching visit, or when you have a project in Georgia lasting several months. It does not replace permanent recognition. Bear in mind also that your migration status for working in Georgia has to be arranged separately.

How to prepare your documents in your own country

Georgian authorities usually require an apostille or legalisation on a foreign document, and both are done in the country that issued the document. So plan this stage before you leave for Georgia:

1. Collect the originals

   Diploma, supplement, residency certificate, specialty licence and proof of work experience. Ask your university or clinic for the curriculum with teaching hours well in advance.

2. Apostille or legalisation

   If your country is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, the apostille is affixed by the competent authority there; if not, legalisation goes through the Georgian consulate. Our tool shows which one you need.

3. Confirmation from the regulator

   To have postgraduate education recognised, you need a document from your country's regulator confirming that the institution or programme is recognised there. It takes time to issue, so request it early.

4. Georgian translation

   The translation and notarisation are done in Georgia, including the text of the apostille. Your name is rendered the same way in every document, following your passport.

We translate medical diplomas, supplements and curricula as part of our education document translation service, and arrange certification through our notarisation service. If you yourself need an apostille on a document issued in Georgia for a Georgian organisation, this is handled by our apostille service. For the opposite direction, if you want to work abroad with a Georgian medical diploma, see our separate guide to Germany.

Common mistakes in the recognition process

• Submitting the residency certificate to NCEQE. The Center does not recognise residency; postgraduate training is a matter for the healthcare system agency.
• Bringing a diploma without an apostille. Only the country that issued the document can affix the apostille or legalise it, so this cannot be sorted out from Georgia and you will have to send the document back.
• No curriculum. The order requires a detailed programme; the diploma and certificate cannot take its place.
• Insufficient proof of experience. Countries on the second list require five years of work experience. The certificate must clearly show the period, the position and the specialty.
• Different transliterations of your name. If your name is spelt differently in your diploma, passport and certificate, the translation must explain the difference, not hide it.

Frequently asked questions about recognition of a foreign medical diploma