International surrogacy


Building your family through surrogacy is life changing. Legal advice is essential to properly understand how to secure your legal parentage under UK law and understand issues relating to citizenship.

People living in, or from the UK, may choose to enter into surrogacy arrangements abroad for many reasons including more favourable surrogacy laws and greater availability of surrogates. 

For those undertaking surrogacy overseas, steps will need to be taken in the UK in order for you to be legally recognised as a parent and, in some cases, for the child to become a British citizen. 

What you need to know

  • Around 50% of parental orders made by the family courts in England and Wales each year are as a result of international surrogacy arrangements. 
  • Surrogacy laws vary considerably around the world and some countries have become known as international surrogacy hotspots for intended parents from countries with more restrictive surrogacy laws. 
  • If you are living in the UK or are living overseas but have a strong connection to the UK, it is important that you are aware that UK parentage laws may mean that you are not the legal parent(s) of your child born through surrogacy overseas, even if the child’s birth certificate issued in the country of their birth records you as a parent. 
  • We are one of the few firms in the UK that can offer a fully joined up service for the UK legal issues that arise in international surrogacy arrangements. We also have a large network of global lawyers and will work as a team to best meet your interests.  

What should you consider when thinking about choosing international destinations? 

The cost of surrogacy overseas can vary significantly between destinations. The USA is a popular destination for international surrogacy but many people can’t afford the cost of surrogacy in the USA.  Costs in the US vary but it’s not uncommon for the overall cost of a surrogacy arrangement to be $200,000 to $250,000. 

Surrogacy destinations often emerge in countries which have no laws relating to surrogacy. There have been cases where surrogacy laws have been implemented in these countries at short notice, leaving people with surrogacy arrangements underway in a state of limbo. 

Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine was a very popular destination for international surrogacy (although only available to married heterosexual couples). Emerging destinations for surrogacy include Colombia and Mexico as well as some African countries including Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. 

Whilst cost will be a significant factor to consider, it’s important to think about the ethical issues around surrogacy in the country concerned. What motivates women to be surrogates, will you be able to meet them, what will they be paid? 

Much of the legal process in the UK will be post birth so it’s important to ensure that there’s an ongoing line of communication with the surrogate as well as transparency in terms of what the surrogate is receiving by way of payments.

Children born through surrogacy will often be curious about their surrogate as they grow older, and so the ability to communicate/keep in touch with their surrogate might be an important consideration. 

Get in touch

Our team of legal experts are here to support you.
Contact one of our lawyers today.

Our family lawyers

Our fertility lawyers are internationally recognised as some of the leading lawyers globally for issues relating to international surrogacy. We are regularly instructed by intended parents who undertake surrogacy arrangements overseas and have experience of surrogacy arrangements undertaken in USA, Canada, Ukraine, India, Iran, Uganda, Colombia, Mexico, Cyprus, Russia, South Africa, Nepal and Thailand.

The team has appeared in some of the leading cases in this highly specialised area. They are committed to campaigning to update the law to better protect children and families created through surrogacy at both the national level through to our work with the UK Law Commission and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Surrogacy, and at the international level through to work with the International Surrogacy Forum, as well as overseas and international legal associations. 

Who do we work for?

We work with a huge range of clients from a variety of backgrounds, including:

  • Business owners, entrepreneurs and their partners
  • Farming families
  • High net worth and ultra-high net worth families
  • International families
  • Medical professionals
  • Professional and family trustees
  • People with a high profile in the entertainment industry
  • Senior management and other professionals
  • Sports people

Why choose surrogacy lawyers from Mills & Reeve?

  • We strive to offer an unrivalled client experience, keeping our values at the centre of our decision-making at all times.
  • We have a wealth of experience and expertise to provide you with practical advice relating to your case.
  • You'll find our offices in seven major cities across England, including London, Birmingham and Manchester.
  • We're recognised by prestigious legal bodies, including Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
  • Our family lawyers are members of Resolution, a national family justice organisation committed to finding non-confrontational methods of dealing with family law issues. Our work with them helps us to provide you with a conscientious, constructive, and cost-effective service. This defines our approach to everything we do.

We understand how important it is for you to realise the dream of having a child, which is why we want to help you get the legal proceedings right. By choosing fertility lawyers from Mills & Reeve, you'll be sure to experience a smooth and professional process and be taken care of by our expert team.

Resources

Explaining family law podcast

Facing a family law issue and not sure what's involved? Our podcast is the right place to start.

Family and children blog

Our family and children law blog provides practical advice and insight on a wide range of topics by our family and children lawyers.

Navigating separation survey

Explore key findings from our YouGov survey on married individuals' views on family law issues and dispute resolution.

What our clients say about us?

“Mills & Reeve have expertise in every area of children law.”

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“Zoe is widely acknowledged as the best of children lawyers in her generation”

Chambers 2024

“They have a very strong reputation and are well able to deal with complex cases.”

Chambers 2024

“What Colin doesn't know about international children law isn't worth knowing.”

Chambers 2024

“Zoe Fleetwood is a strong name in the children sphere and has a justified reputation as being a calm and effective advocate for her clients.”

Legal 500

“An excellent stand-out team who regularly deal with the most difficult of cases.”

Legal 500

FAQs

In many countries where international surrogacy regularly occurs, it is common for them to be able to register the birth with the intended parents named on the birth certificate. However UK law does not recognise this and UK law will consider the legal parent to be the surrogate. If she is married (or in a civil partnership), in most cases the spouse or civil partner will be the second legal parent.  A parental order made in the UK secures your legal parentage for all purposes under UK law.

There are several reasons why you may not be eligible for a parental order (for example you may not be domiciled in the UK or the embryo was created using donor egg and donor sperm). In most cases there are alternative orders you can obtain and which should not prevent you from undertaking surrogacy. It is best to get the advice before you start your journey so you know what to expect.

UK law does not strictly permit commercial surrogacy and there are restrictions (and some criminal offences) relating to commercial surrogacy in the UK. If you are applying for a parental order, you will need to set out to the court what payments have been made. The courts will have to authorise any payments made over and above reasonable expenses. It is important that there is a record of what payments have been made.