Transporting frozen embryos or eggs between Greece and another country

This question often arises after an initial attempt: there are frozen embryos remaining in Thessaloniki, and the patient would like to have them transferred closer to home. Or the reverse: eggs vitrified years ago in another country, which she would like to use in Greece. In both cases, the answer is yes, subject to certain conditions. Here are the details.

What Greek law stipulates

• Only authorised establishments may dispatch or receive gametes and embryos: assisted reproduction units and cryopreservation banks that hold a specific authorisation from the National Authority for Assisted Reproduction. A private individual may not collect their own embryos to transport them themselves.
• Within the European Union, there is free movement between authorised establishments.
• To or from a country outside the EU, authorisation is required from the National Authority, which takes into account quality and safety controls as well as the legislation of both countries.
• Traceability is mandatory throughout the entire process: every sample must be traceable right up to its use, and both clinics and cryopreservation banks must record every movement in a register.

These rules are based on European legislation on human tissues and cells. Since 2017, a 2015 European directive has also regulated imports from third countries: these must go through authorised importing establishments, including for one-off imports intended for a specific patient. A new European regulation on substances of human origin will apply from August 2027 and may lead to changes in these procedures.

The law of the country of destination is equally important

Embryos arrive within a different legal framework, and it is this framework that will govern their use. Here are a few examples of questions that may arise:

• Does the country of destination authorise the transfer at your age?
• If the embryos were conceived using a donor, are that country’s rules on donor identity compatible with the donation made in Greece?
• Does the receiving clinic accept embryos conceived abroad, and under what conditions?

The Greek clinic is, moreover, required to inform patients residing abroad that the legal framework in their country may differ. Ask the receiving clinic these questions before committing to anything. The differences between countries are summarised in the comparison of European laws.

The steps, in order

1. Written approval from the receiving clinic before any action is taken.
2. Consent from both partners for embryos, or from the person concerned for eggs or sperm.
3. The laboratory’s records: date and method of freezing, stage of the embryos, number of straws, type of storage medium, thawing protocol.
4. Authorisation from the national authority if either country is outside the European Union.
5. Transport by a specialist company, in a liquid nitrogen container that maintains the temperature for several days, with monitoring.
6. Receipt and verification by the receiving laboratory, which confirms the condition of the straws.

The technical pitfall: laboratory compatibility

There are several vitrification systems, each using different media and solutions. A laboratory must be able to thaw embryos vitrified using a system other than its own; most are able to do so, but this must be verified before dispatch. For older embryos, frozen using the slow-freezing method employed before vitrification became widespread, this issue is even more critical. See how long an embryo can remain frozen.

Cost and turnaround times

Allow several weeks between the initial request and receipt; longer if authorisation is required. The cost covers the preparation of the dossier by the sending laboratory, specialised transport and any handling on arrival. Ask both clinics and the carrier for written quotes. In the meantime, storage fees will continue to accrue at the clinic of origin: see the article on storage.

What if it were simpler to come here?

Before arranging transport, do the maths. A frozen embryo transfer in Greece requires a stay of two to four nights, often partly organised from home, without the risks of transport or the hassle of transfers between laboratories. For many patients, this is the simplest solution; for others, health, work or family commitments make travelling impossible, and transport is justified. If you’re unsure, do write to me: I can ask the clinic what a shipment would actually involve in your case.

Frequently asked questions

Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/shipping-embryos-eggs-abroad/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on

Triada Baloukoudis
Independent IVF patient coordinator in Thessaloniki, with 24 years of experience supporting patients travelling from abroad. More · Contact · Facebook