In this guide
Key takeaways
- Treat the deposit as a checkpoint: no money moves until the key answers are in writing.
- Start with oversight. Ask which regulator licenses the clinic and which laws apply, because the HFEA and similar regulators at home have no power over clinics abroad.
- Ask for a personal, costed treatment plan that includes how many trips you will need and what happens if the plan changes.
- Check how success rates are calculated, the clinic's embryo transfer policy and the evidence behind any add-ons it recommends.
- Secure your records and your exit: copies of all results, the refund terms and the complaints route if something goes wrong.
By the time a clinic asks for a deposit, you have probably had a friendly video call, received a price and started picturing the trip. That is exactly why the deposit is the right moment to pause. Once money changes hands, switching clinics gets harder and more expensive, and you are more likely to accept vague answers. This guide gives you the questions to ask in that window, organised by what each one protects, along with the answers that should reassure you and the ones that should make you slow down. It ends with a checklist you can paste straight into an email.
For a broader set of questions to use while you are still shortlisting, see Questions to Ask Any IVF Clinic Before You Book and How to Vet an IVF Clinic Abroad. This guide is narrower. It covers the last checks before you commit money.
Why the deposit is the decision point
The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reminds patients that it has no powers over clinics abroad and cannot take complaints about treatment overseas. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) lists unclear pricing, language barriers and the difficulty of legal recourse across borders among the main risks of cross-border fertility care, and ESHRE notes that patients treated abroad can be lost to follow-up. Put together, that means your protection comes mostly from what you check and what you get in writing before you pay.
A good clinic will not mind these questions. Clinics that treat international patients regularly hear them every week. How a clinic responds to careful questions is itself useful information.
Ask your questions by email, even if you also discuss them on a call. Written answers create a record you can refer back to, and they are easier to translate if language is a barrier.
Oversight and accountability
These questions tell you who is watching the clinic and where you can turn if something goes wrong.
- Which national or regional body licenses or regulates this clinic, and which laws apply to my treatment? The HFEA notes that some countries have little or no oversight, so a clear answer matters.
- Is the clinic or its laboratory accredited, and by whom? Ask for the name of the body so you can check it yourself.
- Who is the doctor responsible for my care, and will that person do my retrieval and transfer?
- How do you handle complaints, and is my contract enforceable where I live? The HFEA suggests finding out how complaints work in advance and considering legal advice on the contract.
Your treatment plan and travel
A deposit should buy a plan that is specific to you, not a generic package.
- Can you send a written, personalised treatment plan based on my records? It should name the treatment type and protocol.
- How many times will I need to travel, at which stages, and for how long? This is one of the HFEA's recommended questions. Our trip planner helps you check the answer.
- Which tests and monitoring can I do at home, and will you accept local results?
- What happens if the plan changes, for example if a fresh transfer becomes a freeze-all?
- Is the treatment I need legal and available here for someone in my situation? The HFEA notes that some countries restrict treatment for single women or same-sex couples, and some allow donor sperm but not donor eggs.
Money: the full cost and your exit
These answers protect you from both surprise costs and stuck deposits.
- Can I have an itemised quote showing what is included and excluded? The HFEA warns that low quoted prices can exclude medication, blood tests or even the first consultation. Use our package inclusion checklist.
- Is this deposit refundable, and under what conditions? Ask what happens if you cancel, if the clinic cancels, or if a medical reason stops treatment.
- What do you charge if my cycle is cancelled or there is no embryo to transfer?
- What currency, payment methods and fees apply, and how long is this price valid? See Paying an IVF Clinic Abroad Safely for payment red flags.
- If complications happen, what care is provided and what is billed?
Be wary of pressure to pay quickly to “hold” a price, slot or donor, especially through informal payment channels. A reputable clinic can explain its terms and give you time to read them.
Results and medical practice
These questions tell you whether the clinic's claims and recommendations are grounded in evidence.
- How are your success rates calculated? The HFEA advises checking whether figures are live births or pregnancies, which age groups they cover and whether they apply to patients like you. See IVF Success Rates Abroad: What the Numbers Actually Mean.
- How many embryos do you usually transfer for someone like me, and what is your multiple-birth rate? The HFEA calls multiple births the biggest single health risk of fertility treatment, ESHRE's cross-border care guidance flags the number of embryos transferred as a safety concern, and ASRM says clinics should discuss multiple-pregnancy risk with every patient.
- Which add-ons are you recommending for me, why, and what evidence supports them? The HFEA's traffic-light ratings find that many add-ons do not improve live birth rates for most patients.
- How long are embryos stored, at what cost, and what happens to them if we separate or one of us changes our mind?
Donor and laboratory questions
If your plan involves donor eggs, sperm or embryos, add these. The HFEA and ASRM both highlight donor screening and donor information as areas to check carefully abroad.
- How are donors recruited and screened, including infectious disease tests and genetic history?
- Is donation anonymous or identifiable, and what information will my child be able to access? See our guide to egg donation rules by country.
- How many families can one donor help, and is this tracked?
- Will the donor have any legal rights or responsibilities toward the child?
- Is counselling about donor conception available before treatment?
- How does the lab label and track eggs, sperm and embryos to prevent mix-ups? ASRM notes that weak oversight can make gamete and embryo security less reliable.
Records, aftercare and support
- Will I receive copies of all medical and lab records, in a language my doctor at home can read? ASRM recommends obtaining full records so care can continue safely after you return. The HFEA suggests sharing them with your GP. Our guide to fertility records covers what to send and what to bring back.
- Who do I contact after I fly home, and how quickly will they respond?
- If I need embryos shipped home later, will you help, and what will it cost? See shipping frozen embryos internationally.
- Can you put me in touch with former international patients? The HFEA suggests asking.
How to read the answers
| Topic | Reassuring answer | Slow down if… |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | Names a specific licensing body and accreditation you can look up. | The answer is vague, or “we follow international standards” with nothing named. |
| Costs | Itemised quote with exclusions, scenario terms and validity dates. | One headline number with “everything included” and no detail. |
| Success rates | Explains the measure and age group, and gives figures for patients like you. | One very high number with no definition. |
| Embryo transfer | Discusses single embryo transfer and multiple-pregnancy risk openly. | Routinely recommends transferring several embryos to “improve chances.” |
| Add-ons | Explains why each is suggested for you and accepts a “no.” | Add-ons are bundled and cannot be removed. |
| Deposit | Written refund terms, normal payment methods, time to decide. | Urgent deadlines, informal transfers or refusal to put terms in writing. |
Pre-deposit checklist
Copy this into an email to the clinic. Do not pay the deposit until every line has a written answer you are comfortable with.
- Name of the licensing or regulatory body, and any accreditation
- Name of the responsible doctor
- Personalised written treatment plan, including protocol
- Number of trips, at which stages, and expected length of each stay
- Tests and monitoring that can be done at home
- Confirmation that I am eligible for this treatment under local law
- Itemised quote with inclusions, exclusions, currency and validity
- Medication: included, capped or excluded, with a realistic range
- Written deposit and refund terms, including medical cancellation
- Policy for cancelled cycles, no transfer, or freeze-all
- Complication care and how it is billed
- How success rates are calculated, and figures for patients like me
- Embryo transfer policy and multiple-birth rate
- Add-ons recommended, with reasons, evidence and separate prices
- Embryo storage terms, fees, and consent if circumstances change
- Donor screening, anonymity, family limits and counselling (if relevant)
- Copies of all records, in a language my home doctor can read
- Aftercare contact and complaints process
Once everything checks out, read our guide to deposits, refunds and cancellation terms for the fine print in the contract itself.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay a deposit before having a consultation with an IVF clinic abroad?
Generally it is wiser not to. A consultation and a written, personalised treatment plan should come first, so you know what you are paying for. If a clinic requires a fee for the consultation, ask whether it is credited toward treatment.
What is the most important question to ask a foreign IVF clinic?
Start with oversight: which body licenses the clinic and which laws apply. Regulators at home, such as the UK's HFEA, have no power over clinics abroad, so local regulation and your written contract are your main protections.
Is an IVF deposit abroad refundable?
It depends on the clinic's written terms. Some deposits are refundable if a medical reason stops treatment, while others are credited toward a future cycle or kept. Get the conditions in writing before paying.
How can I tell if a clinic's success rates are trustworthy?
Ask whether the figures are live births or pregnancies, which age groups and treatments they cover, and whether they reflect patients like you. Clinics treating younger patients will tend to show higher rates.
What records should a foreign IVF clinic give me?
Ask for copies of all test results, your stimulation and monitoring notes, lab and embryo reports, the procedure notes and any discharge instructions, in a language your doctor at home can read. ASRM recommends keeping full records for continuity of care.
Want a second pair of eyes before you pay?
Share the clinic's answers and terms with us. We will help you spot gaps and decide what still needs confirming, with no obligation.
Request a free consultation →Sources
- Fertility treatment abroad — Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
- Cross-border reproductive care: an Ethics Committee opinion (2022) — American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
- Treatment add-ons with HFEA ratings — Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
- Cross-border reproductive care: fact sheet — European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)
This article is for general information only and is not medical or legal advice. Fertility treatment decisions should be made with a qualified fertility specialist who knows your history, and legal questions should go to a lawyer qualified in the relevant country. Laws, clinic policies and prices change, so confirm current details directly with any clinic before you commit. IVF Abroad is an independent guide and does not provide medical care.