Most of the documents can be prepared at home, weeks before you leave. There is only one aspect that really depends on your family circumstances: the form of consent.
Administrative paperwork is rarely what prevents an embryo transfer, but it is often what delays it: a name that does not match from one document to another, an out-of-date serology test, or a notarised document that is only discovered the day before. Here is what Greek law requires, and what clinics ask for in practice. The clinic will always send you its own list: this is the one that takes precedence.
The Greek Civil Code lays down a simple rule: any medically assisted reproduction procedure must be carried out with the written consent of the people wishing to have a child. What varies depending on your situation is the form:
| Situation | Form of consent |
|---|---|
| Married couple | written consent, on the clinic’s forms |
| Unmarried couple living together | a notarised document, signed by the woman and the man with whom she lives |
| Single woman | a notarised document, signed by her |
| Partners in a Greek civil partnership | the law does not expressly state; the Greek public health insurance organisation applies the rules for married couples, but please ask the clinic what it requires |
The notarised deed is the document that surprises patients from abroad the most. The simplest option is often to sign it at a notary’s office in Greece whilst you are there, with an interpreter, and many clinics will help arrange this appointment. If you are considering having it drawn up elsewhere, at a consulate or with a notary in your own country, ask the clinic in advance whether it will be accepted, and in what form.
For female couples, the 2024 law on marriage equality has not changed the rules on assisted reproduction; the situation is explained in the dedicated article. For single women, see assisted reproduction as a single woman.
Before treatment begins, the team must provide you with information, and you will sign a series of forms, the content of which is regulated by the National Authority for Assisted Reproduction. Depending on your specific circumstances, these forms cover:
Consent may be withdrawn up until the transfer, in the same written form. The clinic must also inform you, if you live abroad, that the legal framework in your country may differ. Take the time to read these documents before the big day; ask for them in advance, in English if you do not read Greek. The most commonly overlooked issue – what happens to the embryos – is detailed in the article on storage.
The clinic determines the list and validity period of the medical examinations it accepts. These almost always include:
The complete list, organised by day of the cycle, is contained in the fertility assessment. A report in English makes everything easier; I arrange for any necessary translations.
A single digital file, shared with the clinic, and a hard copy in your hand luggage. Each document is named in the same way, dated, and checked three weeks before departure. The documents for the journey itself are in the packing list. If you’d like me to check your file before sending it to the clinic, do write to me.
Yes, for unmarried couples and single women: the Greek Civil Code requires that their consent be given via a notarised document. For a married couple, written consent is sufficient.
The simplest option is often to do so at a notary’s office in Greece whilst you are there, with an interpreter. If you wish to have it drawn up elsewhere, first ask the clinic whether it will be accepted.
Generally, serology tests for both partners, a hormonal profile including AMH, an ultrasound scan, a recent semen analysis and blood group. The clinic determines the list of tests and their validity period.
Yes. The freezing of embryos and their subsequent handling require the written consent of both partners. To freeze eggs or sperm, the consent of the person concerned is sufficient.
Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/ivf-greece-documents-checklist/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on
Triada Baloukoudis
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