Repatriation: bringing a patient home and returning remains

Who this is for

Foreigners who fell ill or were injured in Georgia and need to get home under medical supervision.

And families who have lost someone close and want their remains returned home.

Our role

We connect the clinic, insurer, airline, embassy and funeral service, interpret and keep the documents in order.

You or your insurer pay every provider directly, and we never hold your money. We take no commission from them, and our own fee is agreed separately.

What repatriation means

Medical repatriation means bringing a patient home when ordinary travel is not possible.

Repatriation of remains means returning the deceased to their home country, with special documents and rules.

Each process has its own timelines and parties, so we describe them separately.

We are not doctors

Medical decisions are made by the treating doctor and the insurer's medical team.

We do not judge whether a patient can fly, and we do not advise on treatment.

Our work is communication, interpreting and logistics.

Insurance first

Travel insurance often covers medical repatriation and the return of remains.

So the first call should be to the insurer's emergency line, before anything is booked.

The family should also know the policy number and the hotline.

Assistance companies

Most insurers arrange repatriation through a specialist assistance company.

That company exchanges medical information with the clinic and chooses the type of transport.

With your consent, we become its eyes and ears on the ground.

Prior approval

An insurer usually covers the cost only if the repatriation was agreed in advance.

A ticket you bought yourself or an ambulance you ordered on your own may not be reimbursed.

Ask for approval in writing and keep it.

Without insurance

If you have no insurance or it does not cover this case, the family pays the costs.

We then ask several providers for quotes and compare the terms with you.

The family makes the decision, taking the doctor's report into account.

Fitness to fly

Before a flight, the treating doctor writes a report on whether the patient can fly and under what conditions.

Airlines often also require their own medical form to be completed.

We arrange for the clinic to complete and send the form.

Medical records

The discharge summary, test results and list of current treatment should travel with the patient.

Copies are sent in advance to the family and to the receiving hospital.

Imaging is often handed over on a disc or by a link.

Translating the medical report

A Georgian medical report often needs translating into English or the patient's language.

The translation is done by a specialist translator who knows medical terminology.

You pay the translator directly; we take no commission from them.

Scheduled flights with an escort

A stable patient often flies home on a scheduled flight, escorted by a doctor or nurse.

Sometimes an extra seat or business class is booked for comfort.

The insurer or the family buys the tickets.

A stretcher on a scheduled flight

Some airlines can install a stretcher in the cabin in place of several seats.

This must be arranged in advance, often several days ahead.

Not every flight or every aircraft offers this option.

Air ambulances

In a serious condition an air ambulance is used, with special equipment and a medical team.

Such a flight can be arranged quickly but is the most expensive option.

Doctors and the insurer choose the type of flight.

Oxygen and equipment

If the patient needs oxygen or other equipment in flight, the airline's permission is essential.

Many airlines supply their own oxygen or accept only approved portable devices.

We confirm the equipment details before the flight.

Wheelchairs and airport assistance

Wheelchair service at the airport and help to the aircraft are booked in advance.

The same service must also be booked at any transit airport.

We meet you at the door of Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi airport.

A family member travelling along

Often one family member can fly with the patient.

Some policies cover the companion's ticket too, others do not.

Space on an air ambulance is limited, and we check this in advance.

The patient's consent

A conscious patient gives consent to repatriation themselves.

If the patient cannot, the family decides together with the doctors, in line with the law.

We always respect the patient's wishes.

Claiming costs back

If you paid first, getting the money back from your insurer requires receipts and reports.

Keep every receipt and invoice as an original or a good-quality scan.

We help gather and translate the claim pack.

Discharge from the clinic

Before discharge the clinic has to settle its bill and prepare the final summary.

The insurer pays the bill directly or the family covers it, as agreed.

We match the discharge time to the flight so the patient does not wait longer than necessary.

Transfer to the airport

From the clinic to the airport, a patient often travels by ambulance or an adapted vehicle.

We plan the transfer with plenty of time before check-in.

Luggage goes in a separate vehicle if needed.

Repatriation by road

Returning to a neighbouring country is sometimes done by road, in medical transport.

The border documents and the receiving side have to be ready in advance.

A long journey is tiring for a patient, and the doctor weighs this up.

Repatriating a child

When a child is transferred, a parent or legal guardian always goes with them.

The child's documents are needed and sometimes the other parent's consent.

A familiar toy or object makes the flight easier for a child.

Older patients

An older patient often needs extra rest and a careful transfer.

A supply of regular medicines should last longer than the whole journey.

Where possible, we avoid transits.

Mental health crises

Returning home after a mental health crisis often needs a specialist escort.

The airline asks for a doctor's report for such a flight.

We agree every detail discreetly with the family and the clinic.

Arrival at the destination

On arrival, an ambulance or the family should meet the patient, as arranged beforehand.

The receiving hospital should get the medical report before the plane lands.

The insurer or we check this link.

When someone dies

Losing someone close abroad is especially hard: unfamiliar procedures are added to grief.

Our aim is for the family to know at every step what is happening and what comes next.

We do everything calmly and with respect.

First steps

First inform the insurer, if there is a policy, and the embassy.

Do not sign or pay anything until the terms are clear.

With your consent, we make first contact with the clinic and the police on the family's behalf.

Informing the embassy

The embassy officially informs the family and issues the document needed to return the remains.

Some embassies also give the family a list of funeral services.

The embassy does not usually cover the costs.

Registering the death

A death in Georgia is registered with the civil registry, which issues a death certificate.

To be used at home, the certificate often needs an apostille and a translation.

Registration is usually handled by the funeral service or the family's representative.

The medical certificate

A doctor or clinic issues a medical certificate stating the cause of death.

This certificate is needed for registration and for transport.

Its translation also matters for the family and the insurer.

Forensic examination

In an unnatural or unclear death, the law often requires a forensic examination.

The release of the body then depends on permission from the investigating authority.

This lengthens the timeline, and we explain it to the family in advance.

Funeral services

Preparing and returning the remains is arranged by a funeral service with international experience.

We ask several services for quotes and let the family compare them.

The family pays the service directly; we take no commission from it.

Embalming

For international transport, remains often need to be embalmed.

The funeral service issues a certificate confirming this.

Some faiths restrict embalming, and we clarify this with the family in advance.

A special coffin

Air transport requires a hermetically sealed coffin that meets international requirements.

An official certificate of sealing is also issued.

The coffin's outer packaging is set by the airline's rules.

Permission to transport

Taking remains out of the country requires official permission.

Often the embassy also issues a document that travels with the remains.

The funeral service and the embassy draw up the full list of documents together.

Airlines and cargo

Remains usually travel in the cargo hold, through the airline's special service.

Not every airline or route offers this service.

A family member can fly on the same flight if they wish.

Cremation

Some families choose cremation, which makes transport simpler.

We confirm in advance whether cremation is available and on what terms.

The decision rests with the family and the wishes of the deceased.

Carrying an urn

An urn is often carried in hand luggage or checked baggage, according to the airline's rules.

Carry the cremation certificate and a copy of the death certificate.

We confirm the airline's rules before the flight.

Burial in Georgia

Some families choose to bury their loved one in Georgia.

We then arrange the cemetery, the ceremony and the documents locally.

We also arrange an interpreter for the family at the ceremony.

Religious requirements

In some faiths burial should take place as soon as possible.

In such cases we work with the relevant religious community and the funeral service.

Even so, an examination or paperwork may lengthen the timeline, and we say so honestly.

Timelines

Returning remains usually takes several days, sometimes longer.

The timeline depends on any examination, the documents, public holidays and flights.

At every stage we tell the family what is done and what remains.

Translations and apostilles

Georgian documents often need a notarised translation to be used at home.

The apostille is added by the authorised body in Georgia.

We connect you with a proper bureau, and you pay it directly.

Personal belongings

The family's representative collects the deceased's belongings from the hotel or clinic.

A list of the items and a handover record are drawn up.

We arrange sending the belongings home separately.

If the family comes to Georgia

If the family travels to Georgia, we meet them at the airport and arrange accommodation.

We go with them to every meeting, with an interpreter.

We try to make sure the family spends its strength only on the steps that matter.

If the family cannot come

The family does not always need to come: many steps can be done remotely, under a power of attorney.

The power of attorney must be notarised and often apostilled.

We send the family regular updates with photos and copies of documents.

Insurance after a death

Many travel policies cover the return of remains, sometimes up to a limit.

Insurers often use their own funeral partner.

Ask for the insurer's approval before choosing a different service.

Paying the costs

You pay the funeral service, airline and bureau directly, against an official invoice.

Keep every receipt for the insurance claim.

We neither accept nor carry money.

Getting home in a crisis

In a natural disaster, mass flight cancellations or another crisis, getting home becomes harder.

At such times we follow embassy information, airlines' alternatives and overland routes.

We gather the realistic options for you, and the decision is yours.

Groups

When someone in a group falls ill or has an accident, the rest of the group's route changes too.

We manage the patient's repatriation and the group's plan in parallel.

We keep one channel of communication with the group leader.

Business visitors

On a business trip the employer often has its own assistance service and policy.

We work with the company's HR team and assistance service.

We share confidential medical information only with consent.

Living here longer

A foreigner living in Georgia should choose a policy that covers repatriation.

The family should know the policy number and your wishes.

We write about relocation in a separate section.

The emotional side

Formalities weigh especially heavily in times of grief or fear.

We try to give the family one clear plan and one contact person.

If needed, we connect you with a psychologist or a member of the clergy.

Communicating with the family

We choose one family member to receive every update.

We send updates daily or as needed, at an agreed time.

We give bad news tactfully and only once it is confirmed.

What we do not do

We give no medical advice and cannot promise timelines.

We never make or forge documents, and never offer bribes or ways around procedures.

We take no commission from providers.

Common mistakes

Booking a ticket or an ambulance on your own before the insurer approves it.

Losing receipts and medical reports.

Signing a contract with a funeral service without comparing terms.

What we need from you

The name, citizenship and location of the patient or the deceased.

The insurance policy number and hotline, if there is one.

The family's contact person and the family's wishes.

Cost

You or your insurer pay the clinic, airline, funeral service and bureau directly.

We take no commission from them and add nothing to their prices.

Our fee for coordination is separate and agreed as soon as the situation allows.