Intended parents who have been struggling with infertility and other issues that were blocking their way to embarking on the parenthood journey, feel content that surrogacy can finally fulfill their dreams. Though the surrogacy journey is a boon to many intended parents worldwide, it brings along a few complications and diversification in surrogacy laws. While not all countries permit practicing any treatment associated with ART, if your country isn’t a surrogacy-friendly state do not lose hope, through international surrogacy arrangements you can begin your family efficiently.
Is surrogacy overseas as safe as surrogacy within the home country? Will insurance cover surrogacy cost of global surrogacy? Is there any difference in the surrogacy process and are there any legal hurdles with travelling abroad for surrogacy? We understand your concern, considering surrogacy itself can be an overwhelming decision for intended parents and if you need to travel abroad then these questions are bound to come across your mind.
The surrogacy process is quite similar all across the globe with gestational surrogacy, and yes it is safe to undergo the surrogacy journey in an international country but you need assistance and guidance from international surrogacy center like Global Star Surrogacy to support you throughout the uncertainties and process of different legal proceedings. Talking about surrogacy laws, it varies from country to country so the legal process, documentation, entry, and exit would differ depending on which country you select as your surrogacy destination.
Sounds confusing? International surrogacy arrangements can include tedious legal procedures and an overall time-consuming surrogacy journey but don’t worry this blog will walk you through the vital legal factors for beginning your parenthood journey overseas.
- What are international surrogacy arrangements?
- Why do intended parents travel abroad for surrogacy?
- Challenges with international surrogacy arrangements
- Legal factors to consider after international surrogacy arrangements
- A detailed step-by-step procedure to bring back your baby home
- Additional tips to travel back home as a complete family Bottom Line
What are international surrogacy arrangements?
International surrogacy arrangements involve a surrogate mother who lives in another country and carries a child for the intended parents to term. A reliable international surrogacy center would conduct the surrogacy process from finding donors (if needed) and performing screening procedures for surrogates and or donors to other medical and legal processes in the particular country.
Though there are a few factors you must understand before beginning a worldwide surrogacy.
- Determine the surrogacy laws of your country and in your destination country
- Seek legal advice for global surrogacy services from an international surrogacy lawyer
- Also, check the rules and regulations for bringing your infant back home to your home country after your newborn’s birth via surrogacy.
From making you aware about international surrogacy laws to every other proceeding involved in a surrogacy journey Global Star Surrogacy makes sure that intended parents are 100% informed about the process with its pros and cons, and complications.
Why do intended parents travel abroad for surrogacy?
The reason why intended parents travel abroad for surrogacy can vary for each individual. Despite a surrogacy journey overseas being a difficult process often, it includes shipping of genetic materials at remarkable cost, extended stay in a foreign country for intended parents, and a delayed timeline of surrogacy, yet intended parents choose foreign countries for surrogacy majorly because of restrictive surrogacy laws within the home country.
While few countries have restrictive surrogacy laws i.e. would allow only altruistic surrogacy, there are a few countries that have prohibited completely the practice of surrogacy within the country.
Though, you must be wondering if my home country supports altruistic surrogacy then why should I consider travelling abroad? You can consider altruistic surrogacy but the only drawback with this kind of surrogacy is since it allows only known surrogates i.e. from relatives, family, or friends it can create legal and emotional complications post-surrogacy. In addition, if the surrogate isn’t fit for your journey then finding the right match can get trickier.
Instead, a gestational or commercial surrogacy abroad through an international surrogacy center can assure you of a safe journey. Another reason that influences intended parents to travel to foreign countries is not all countries support surrogacy for gay couples and hopeful singles. For them, travelling overseas may be the only solution to experience conceiving a genetically linked healthy baby’s birth via surrogacy.
While the USA is considered to be the best surrogacy destination because of its advanced technology, fertility medicines, and other medical facilities. Even though, the intended parents from the USA considers moving abroad for an affordable surrogacy journey. The USA is known for offering the perfect surrogacy services the same time the surrogacy program’s cost increases widely. IPs who do not have a high budget would plan for worldwide surrogacy.
Often intended parents come to us with a concern – what are the viable country options for global surrogacy? While many countries are providing supportive surrogacy laws and services but Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, the USA, and Colombia can be your ideal countries for surrogacy.
Challenges with international surrogacy arrangements
International surrogacy arrangements may provide you with a safe method to conceive a biologically linked child but it comes along with a few challenges that intended parents must be aware of.
Diversification in surrogacy laws
Whatever may be your reason to choose international surrogacy, intended parents must consider the rules and laws of their surrogacy destination. For instance, if a foreign country permits single men or gay couples to undergo a surrogacy process then what about their parental rights, or will their infant get citizenship of their home country if yes then what is the procedure?
In addition, you must determine the after-surrogacy process i.e entry and exit from the country, and also check the process for the visa of your child so that you can legally travel back to your home country as soon as possible.
A matter of trust
Intended parents may find it difficult to trust surrogate mothers from different countries. We can understand your struggles, in situations like this an international surrogacy center would help both parties connect through video or audio calls at times to get to know each other and get to know their personality.
Furthermore, communication might be the major concern during the surrogate’s pregnancy due to the gap in the time zone. However, an international surrogacy center ensures that intended parents are informed about the updates and that communication is managed effectively. Without the assistance of a surrogacy professional, one may find it overwhelming to handle everything by themselves.
Legal factors to consider after international surrogacy arrangements
As you reach the end of the surrogacy journey, it is time to be excited and welcome your baby home. Though, worldwide surrogacy involves additional legal steps, with the guidance and expertise of our international surrogacy lawyer you can be assured of experiencing a hassle-free journey. For your better understanding, we have listed below a few essential legal factors.
Registering citizenship of your infant
To register for your child’s citizenship within your country you need your (intended parent’s) citizenship and your genetic or biological relationship with your child. For this procedure, you may require to undergo a DNA test and supporting documents like the birth certificate of your infant for which you need to apply for another legal process ( we will be discussing the same later on).
Showcasing proof that the surrogate isn’t biologically related to your child
Intended parents must have proof in a document that the surrogate mother has willingly terminated her parental rights over the baby. This process is mandatory to allow intended parents to travel back to their home country with the baby and can change the citizenship of the infant effectively. In addition, the court may ask for legal documents like pre or post-birth orders for the same.
Apply for the baby’s passport or travel surrogacy documents
To travel back to your home country, you need to apply for a few travel documents and the passport of your newborn. Usually, this procedure may take around 2-3 weeks in most countries but depending on the legal proceedings it may take more time in a few countries.
Obtaining legal parental rights
This procedure requires second-parent adoption in the case of gay parents for the partner who isn’t biologically connected with the child. By submitting a surrogacy contract to the court of the surrogacy destination country, the intended parents can prove that they are the biological and legal parents of the child.
In addition, following the child’s birth certificate and a document where the surrogate signs with the consent stating that she has no parental right over the infant after the surrogacy journey. This procedure requires an expert who is well-versed with the foreign country’s rules, regulations, and laws, our international surrogacy lawyer or attorney can help you surpass this procedure.
A detailed step-by-step procedure to bring back your baby home
After years of struggles with conceiving a baby, when surrogacy finally brings you an opportunity to begin your parenthood journey you wouldn’t want to make the journey complex by mistaking any legal step.
Although an international surrogacy lawyer would guide you on how to successfully travel back after your infant’s birth via surrogacy you must have an overview of the process before committing to the journey. Let’s explore a few steps that play a vital role in entry and exit with worldwide surrogacy.
Surrogacy contract
This is the must-have document for your entire surrogacy journey, and before the intended parents begin the medical process with the donor or surrogate surrogacy contract must be formed and signed by both parties i.e. surrogate mother and intended parents with consent.
The contract entails – essential surrogacy factors, parental rights, compensation for the surrogate, roles, and responsibilities of both parties during and after the surrogacy journey. In addition, a surrogacy contract can be a savior post-surrogacy as proof that the intended parents are biological and legal parents of the child. And, to obtain a pre or post-birth order surrogacy contract is needed.
The global surrogacy journey can be difficult, especially with the differences in surrogacy laws and legalities but you can successfully conceive a baby and travel back to your home country after your baby’s birth via surrogacy only when you have formed a strong surrogacy contract with the assistance of an experienced attorney.
Parentage order
In most countries, after the child’s birth via surrogacy, the state would automatically place the child’s parents’ names on the birth certificate – the surrogate and her spouse’s (if applicable) names. To change the parents’ names on the birth certificate, the intended parents will have to apply in the courts.
This process is called a parentage order, it can be either pre-birth order ( procedure conducted before the delivery of the baby around 2nd or 3rd trimester) only if the country’s law permits the process. Or else the intended parents would have to wait till their child’s birth via surrogacy. The same process begins after the birth of the child (post-birth order) for which the intended parents would have to stay in that country.
Check if your home country accepts the parentage rights from your destination country
This step must be followed before beginning the procedure so that you don’t face any hurdles in midst of the journey. Even though your international surrogacy country would grant you legal parentage order but you need to ensure that your home country accepts the parentage order of your surrogacy destination country.
Although, establishing the parentage order in the home country is pretty much similar to the destination country. While few intended parents will be asked to undergo adoption or second-parent adoption for a partner who is not biologically linked with the baby i.e heterosexual couple who have used an egg or sperm donor or gay intended parents. If your destination country is the USA then your legal paperwork or proceeding may shorten as most countries accept the parentage declaration of the USA.
Will insurance cover surrogacy cost?
While deciding global surrogacy journey most of the intended parents have a common concern – will insurance cover surrogacy cost? It depends on your insurance package.
For every international intended parent, having insurance right after his or her child’s birth via surrogacy is quite essential as the child won’t be placed on the surrogate or intended parent’s insurance policy. If you avoid obtaining insurance for your child at the right time, you may have to face the hefty medical cost all by yourself.
While there are various cost-effective insurance alternatives available, few must be purchased 2 months before the embryo transfer procedure. A few insurance companies would ask you to apply before embryo transfer and activate the policy with the confirmation of pregnancy of surrogacy. And others can be applied during the 2nd trimester of the surrogate’s pregnancy.
Though, the timing of applying for the insurance policy depends on the plan that you have selected. Hence, consulting an insurance expert at the beginning of the process is vital so that you have multiple options available to you.
To give a short answer to your concern – will insurance cover surrogacy cost? Yes, most of the policies would cover your surrogacy journey cost. If not the entire cost, few insurance policies would cover the medical cost i.e embryo transfer, fertility medicines, screening of donor and surrogate, and surrogate’s medicines during pregnancy.
Preparing to travel abroad for the delivery of the baby
Once you have prepared all the legal paperwork, and the delivery date is around the corner it is the final and exciting stage for the intended parents. The cost of travelling and accommodation will be the responsibility of the intended parents, the agency’s fees do not include travel expenses in most cases. Intended parents must book the tickets and their stay before time.
How can intended parents plan their accommodations?
The moment you see your child right in front of you is one of the magical moments for every intended parent. Delivery doesn’t mean that you can travel back immediately. As we discussed above, the legal process after the delivery takes time depending on the legislation of the country.
You can expect a minimum of 2-6 weeks at least. Though, you can consider a few factors while planning accommodation, including:
Select a place that is nearby from the delivery place or the surrogate’s hospital Assessing the location, nearby services and goods like food and co-working space Determining the transportation mode between arrival, commuting, and the birthplace of your baby.
Additional tips to travel back home as a complete family
The entire Global Star Surrogacy journey can be a combination of exciting and overwhelming. Apart from the legal procedure, there are a few additional factors that intended parents must consider to safely travel back home with their children.
Expect uncertainty or unexpected
The surrogacy process involves medical and legal steps, and things may not occur as expected especially in worldwide surrogacy. When you consult a prospective surrogacy agency you must ask as many questions as you have, and determine their method of working in uncertainties.
As an intended parent, you must be prepared for a delay in the medical process or an unusual situation. The best part is you have a surrogacy professional by your side so that you don’t have to face everything by yourself.
Re-check COVID regulations, flight forms, and related factors
Re-entry fees for intended parents, COVID regulations, and flight forms vary from country to country. To experience stress-free travelling, ensure that you follow each regulation and surpass each stage by submitting the correct documents on time. Depending on the laws of your home country, you may have to show the documents that state the usage of breastmilk or a surrogate or formula that you would carry along.
Be prepared to travel with your newborn baby
Your newborn needs extra care and support especially when you are travelling back to your home country. To make sure you meet every need, we have listed below a few items that you must carry with you.
- Ensure you have all the crucial documents with you kept in a safe place.
- You must have baby’s care items with you as the journey will be long.
- Check prior whether you need to purchase or book an extra seat for your child.
Bottom Line
Surrogacy can feel daunting, though with correct planning, preparation, and guidance you can complete worldwide surrogacy services safely. Global Star Surrogacy has been assisting international intended parents with secure, and hassle-free surrogacy programs.
Whether you are a single, gay or heterosexual couple we would very happy to help you expand your family efficiently. To know more about surrogacy, visit our website or book our consultation call.
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