Deposits and payment for LASIK abroad: cards, wires, transfers and what to ask for

Paying a clinic in another country is routine and mostly boring. The parts that go wrong are predictable: a card declined for a foreign transaction, a wire that arrives short after bank fees, a deposit sent before the refund terms were clear. Here is how it usually works and how to keep it boring.

The sequence

1. Quote accepted. The clinic sends payment instructions with the deposit amount.
2. Deposit paid. Typically a fixed amount or a percentage of the total. This holds the exam and surgery slots.
3. Exam day. The provisional quote becomes final. If the procedure changes, the balance changes; the deposit stays.
4. Surgery day. Balance paid before or immediately after the procedure, depending on the clinic.
5. Invoice. Itemised, in the currency you paid, with the clinic's registration details.

Payment methods, and what they cost you

Credit or debit card

Simplest for the deposit and, if the clinic accepts it, for the balance. Two things to check with your bank before you travel: whether the card charges a foreign transaction fee (some do not), and that Colombia is flagged as an expected travel destination so the charge is not blocked. A card also gives you dispute rights, which matter more for the deposit than the balance. Some clinics add a surcharge for card payments to cover their processing costs; ask.

Bank wire

Reliable and slow. A SWIFT wire from a US or European bank to a Colombian one can take several business days and pass through an intermediary bank that deducts a fee on the way. Send a little more than the amount due or agree with the clinic that you will cover the shortfall on arrival. Confirm the beneficiary name and account with the clinic by a second channel (a phone call, not the same email thread) before sending; invoice-fraud emails targeting medical travellers exist.

Transfer services

Services that convert at or near the mid-market rate and charge a transparent fee are often the cheapest way to send a balance to a Colombian account, and faster than a wire. Wise is one that supports transfers to Colombia; check that the clinic can receive to the account type the service pays out to, and that your sending limits cover the amount. If you use that link we may earn a small referral fee; it does not change your cost.

Cash

Some clinics accept pesos or dollars and a few offer a small discount for it. The practical limits are ATM daily caps and fees, and the risk of carrying a large sum. Cash works for extras and small balances, not for the whole procedure for most people.

What to get in writing before paying the deposit

• Deposit amount and what it holds. Exam date, surgery date, and the quoted price for the stated validity period.
• Refund if you are not a candidate. Full refund, refund minus the exam fee, or carried to another procedure. Any of these can be fair; not knowing is not.
• Refund or transfer if you postpone. How far ahead you must notify, and whether the deposit moves to the new date.
• Refund if you cancel. Usually partial or none inside a notice window; know the window.
• What happens if the clinic postpones. Surgeon illness, equipment, weather: if the clinic moves the date, your deposit and your price should hold.
• Balance timing and accepted methods. So you arrive with the right card or the transfer already sent.

Practical details for the trip

• Tell your bank the travel dates and destination for every card you might use.
• Bring two cards from different networks in case one is declined.
• Keep the payment confirmation for the deposit on your phone and printed.
• Ask for the invoice before you leave the clinic on surgery day, not by email afterwards.
• If you are paying the balance by transfer, send it a few days before surgery and bring the confirmation.

Money is the last step before dates become fixed. How far ahead to book covers the lead times from first message to deposit to flight.

Quick answers

Is it normal to pay a deposit before the exam?

Yes, a deposit to hold the surgery slot is standard. Paying the full amount before anyone has confirmed you are a candidate is not. Deposit before, balance on surgery day.

Can I pay cash in pesos?

Often, and some clinics prefer it. Withdrawal limits and ATM fees make it impractical for the full balance for most travellers, and carrying that much cash is its own risk. A transfer or card for most of it, cash for small extras, is the usual pattern.

Can I get a receipt for my insurance or HSA?

Ask for an itemised invoice in English with the clinic's tax ID. Whether your insurer or HSA accepts foreign elective surgery is a question for them, but the invoice is what they will ask for.