Prospective surrogates can choose intended parents they are comfortable with, and this may include intended parents who are interested in completing a surrogacy overseas.
If you are interested in completing an international surrogacy journey for intended parents who live overseas, you should seek out an international surrogacy agency that understands the international surrogacy process.
While international surrogacy programs can answer every detailed question you have about this process (you can contact us today if you want to learn more about international surrogacy pros and cons), you can find some of the basic information you need to know here.
How Does International Surrogacy Work?
Just as many Americans wish to become parents through surrogacy, there are also intended parents in other countries. Many of these intended parents live in countries where surrogacy is illegal, so if they want to have a child through surrogacy, they must look to countries where surrogacy is legal.
Many states in the U.S. offer safe legal environments to complete a surrogacy abroad. This is why some foreign intended parents come to the U.S. to complete their families.
Why People Choose International Surrogacy Programs in the United States
In many ways, the process of international surrogacy works the same as domestic surrogacy — you just might have less contact with the intended parents. Each surrogacy will be different, but, in general, an international surrogacy may involve the following steps.
- Step 1: Once you determine you are open to carrying for international intended parents, your surrogacy professional will show you profiles of intended parents to help you choose the family that’s right for you.
- Step 2: To solidify this match, you will usually have a phone conversation with them, mediated by your surrogacy professional and a translator, if necessary.
- Step 3: Your surrogacy contract will be completed by your lawyer and the intended parents’ lawyer. Negotiations will likely take place through documents that are shared back and forth.
- Step 4: The intended parents will typically arrive in the U.S. for the embryo transfer, and you’ll meet them in person if they haven’t visited before.
- Step 5: After your pregnancy is confirmed, you’ll keep in contact with the intended parents. Like any surrogacy with a long-distance intended parent, you will stay in touch with international intended parents through phone calls, emails, and other communication methods.
- Step 6: The intended parents will travel back to the U.S. for your delivery. They will be there during your hospital stay, complete any necessary parentage orders, and then take their child back to their home country.
Your surrogacy agency and surrogacy lawyer will help ensure all the necessary steps are taken care of if you decide to participate in an international surrogacy. They will help make your surrogacy journey as easy as possible for you and your intended parents.
International Surrogacy Pros and Cons
Surrogacy professionals who run international surrogacy programs can give you the information you need to choose an appropriate surrogacy path.
The following are some of the general international surrogacy pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
- By becoming a surrogate for international intended parents, you are helping them complete a process usually outlawed in their home country.
- You will be protected by U.S. surrogacy laws rather than the intended parents’ country’s surrogacy laws (which can be few or even restrictive).
- Your American surrogacy agency will guide you through the international surrogacy process to make it as smooth as possible.
Cons:
- Your relationship with the international intended parents will be long-distance as they complete a surrogacy abroad. You may only get to communicate through emails, and they may require a translator, which could complicate communication.
- If there is a language barrier, you may not get to know the intended parents as well before the match or develop as strong a relationship.
- If there is a hiccup in the surrogacy process, the intended parents will not be able to get to you as quickly as if they lived in the U.S.
Choosing to carry a baby for international intended parents is a personal decision. It’s not right for everyone, so if you’re considering international surrogacy as an American surrogate, it’s important to do diligent research to determine whether it’s the right path.
Next Steps Toward International Surrogacy
Carrying a child for international parents is just as rewarding as working with American parents, but some unique challenges and joys are associated with doing so.
To learn more about becoming a surrogate for international parents, consider contacting an international surrogacy agency that offers international surrogacy programs or reaching out to us today.
