--- title: "Before You Travel: 18-Point General Checklist" description: "Use this list before booking any treatment abroad. It applies to every procedure and is the single most useful sanity check we can give you." canonical: "https://www.cliniccheck.co.uk/checklists/general-pre-travel" format: "text/markdown alternate of the HTML page at canonical" updated: "2026-05" publisher: "cliniccheck — independent UK guide to treatment abroad; not a clinic, takes no bookings" sources: - "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice" - "https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/going-abroad-for-medical-treatment/" - "https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/treatment-abroad-checklist/" - "https://www.gmc-uk.org/" - "https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies" --- # Before You Travel: 18-Point General Checklist Use this list before booking any treatment abroad. It applies to every procedure and is the single most useful sanity check we can give you. ## When to use this checklist Use this checklist before booking any treatment abroad, regardless of category. It applies whether you are travelling for dental work in Budapest, hair restoration in Istanbul, or cardiac surgery in Chennai. Most procedure-specific issues stack on top of these universal ones; if you cannot tick the boxes here, the deeper clinical checks become irrelevant. ## How to use it Work through every item before paying any deposit. Print or save the checklist to take into your clinic consultation. Demand written answers to the verification items — verbal assurances over WhatsApp do not count. If a clinic resists any of these checks, treat that resistance as your answer. ## Verify the clinic and surgeon - **Confirm the clinic holds a current licence with the local Ministry of Health.** — Ask for the licence number and check it on the regulator's website. - **Identify the actual surgeon who will perform your procedure — by name.** — Not the clinic, not the "team". Demand a named surgeon in writing. - **Look the surgeon up on the local medical register.** — Most countries publish a public register. If their name isn't there, walk away. - **Check accreditations: JCI, ISO 9001, national hospital accreditation.** — Accreditation should be current. Ask for the certificate. ## Get everything in writing - **Itemised quote including all consumables, materials and follow-ups.** — "All-inclusive" rarely is. Ask what is excluded. - **Written treatment plan from a qualified clinician.** — Not from a sales coordinator. - **Complications and revision policy spelled out clearly.** — Who pays if you need revision surgery? Who treats you if complications appear back in the UK? - **Cancellation and refund terms.** — Deposits are often non-refundable. Read before you pay. ## Insurance and aftercare - **Travel insurance covering medical complications from elective surgery.** — Most standard travel insurance does NOT cover this. Specialist policies exist. - **Identify a UK GP or consultant who will see you after treatment.** — Have this in place before you fly. - **Plan follow-up appointments — in person or video.** — Six and twelve months are typical milestones. ## Logistics - **Build the recovery time into your travel plan.** — No procedure should require flying home the next day. DVT risk is real. - **Travel with a companion where possible.** — Especially for any procedure requiring general anaesthesia. - **Photograph everything: passports, paperwork, medication, receipts.** — You will need this if anything goes wrong. - **Note the British Embassy / Consulate contact for the country.** — gov.uk/world publishes this for every country. - **Tell your UK GP you are travelling for treatment.** — Continuity of care matters. Bring your records back. - **Re-read FCDO travel advice for the country 48 hours before you fly.** — Advice can change fast. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. - **Have a "stop" plan — what would make you cancel and come home?** — Decide in advance, not in the clinic waiting room. ## Red flags - No named surgeon on the quote. - Pressure to pay a large deposit within 24 hours. - Quote in only one currency, no itemisation. - "Free flights and hotel" baked into a single price. - No written aftercare plan. - Reviews appear only on the clinic's own website. ## Frequently asked questions **Q: When should I use this checklist?** A: Before paying any deposit, and before the procedure-specific checks. It applies to every category — dental work in Budapest, hair restoration in Istanbul, cardiac surgery in Chennai. Procedure-specific issues stack on top of these universal ones, so if you cannot tick these boxes the deeper clinical checks are irrelevant. **Q: What are the clearest red flags on any treatment quote?** A: No named surgeon on the quote; pressure to pay a large deposit within 24 hours; and a quote in a single currency with no itemisation. Each on its own is reason to slow down; together they describe an operation optimised for taking payment rather than for treating you. **Q: Do verbal assurances count?** A: No. Demand written answers to every verification item. A WhatsApp message saying the surgeon is experienced and the price is all-inclusive is not documentation, and it is not something you can hold anyone to later. **Q: What if a clinic resists these checks?** A: Treat the resistance as the answer. Every item here is information a legitimate clinic holds and can share in minutes. A clinic that finds them awkward is telling you something more reliable than anything on its website. ## Sources - [FCDO travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) - [NHS — Going abroad for medical treatment](https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/going-abroad-for-medical-treatment/) - [NHS — Treatment abroad checklist](https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/treatment-abroad-checklist/) - [General Medical Council](https://www.gmc-uk.org/) - [British Embassy locator](https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies)