Surrogacy in Colombia: What You Should Learn (Costs, Rights, and More)

1. 🩺 Why Surrogacy in Colombia?
2. 🤰 LGBT Surrogacy in Colombia
3. ⭐ Surrogate mother in Colombia: legal considerations
4. 💊 Low Cost Surrogacy Options in Colombia, prices

A strong argument in favor of Colombia in this regard are the legal guarantees for all participants in the reproductive program, enshrined in the Constitution. The country's legislation in this industry is close to Ukrainian legislation in the field of surrogate motherhood. Colombia surrogacy law has evolved to offer a supportive and secure environment for those seeking to grow their families through surrogacy.

Let us consider in more detail the prospects of future parents who decide to choose Colombia as the birthplace of their child. In this guide, we'll explore the key aspects of surrogacy in Colombia, from its legal status and associated costs to the requirements for surrogate mothers.

Why Surrogacy in Colombia?

The main reasons to choose surrogacy in Colombia boil down to four points:

1. Relatively low cost of reproductive programs involving a surrogate mother (about $60,000 for an all-inclusive package).
2. The legality of the procedure of surrogate motherhood fixed by the Constitutional Court.
3. A simple and reliable process of legalizing a child and returning home with him.
4. Absence of any discrimination: a single person of any gender, same-sex and heterosexual families or couples in a partnership can become a parent with the help of a surrogate mother. Local residents and foreigners also have equal rights in this area.

The low cost of medical services in Bogota does not mean that they are of low quality: Colombian hospitals are recognized as the best in Latin America according to América Economía.

One of the first questions that often comes to mind is, "Is surrogacy legal in Colombia?" The answer is yes. Colombia offers a secure legal framework for surrogacy.

Despite the fact that Colombia does not have a special law regulating the activities of surrogate mothers, the Constitutional Court issued a number of recommendations that ensure the reliability and safety of this service, recognized its legal status and excludes any discrimination against future parents. The surrogacy Colombia laws provide a clear framework, making it a preferred destination for those seeking surrogacy services.

The legalization process with the possibility of obtaining Colombian citizenship and a passport takes no more than 3-4 weeks.

In terms of accessibility of reproductive programs surrogacy for singles, gays, lesbians, locals and foreigners Colombia seems to be the perfect destination. The only strict requirement is that at least one of the parents has a genetic relationship with the child.

LGBT Surrogacy in Colombia

Important: in Colombia, the rights of LGBT families and the legality of their marriages are officially recognized. The laws of the country guarantee for gays and lesbians free access to assisted reproductive technologies on an equal basis with traditional families. Also, same-sex couples have all social guarantees, such as receiving a pension, health care, and others.

According to the Constitution, children born in or out of wedlock through assisted reproductive technology have the same rights as children born naturally. Every child has social guarantees, including the right to Colombian citizenship and state care in the event of the death of his parents.

Not the last role in the popularity of Bogota as a favorable place for the birth of a child is played by low cost of living, pleasant climate, exotic landscapes and safety of living. The number of crimes since the end of the civil war has decreased by 92%. If we compare Colombia with Miami on this indicator, it turns out that the number of crimes here is lower.

Important: Visiting certain countries in South America carries the risk of contracting the Zika virus. However, Bogotá, at 8,660 feet above sea level, is in the "low risk" group, so visiting it is not dangerous for the health of reproductive tourists.

Surrogate mother in Colombia: legal considerations

Columbia becomes a surrogate -friendly destination for intended parents. However, Only non-commercial surrogacy is allowed in Colombia. It is forbidden to pay a fee to a surrogate mother, but compensation for the expenses incurred is mandatory. Many intended parents are pleasantly surprised by the fact that there is no fixed amount when researching the surrogate mother cost in Colombia. But there are nuances. On the one hand, this is a plus: future parents can save money due to the lack of remuneration for the gestational carrier, on the other hand, this can greatly complicate the search for a woman who agrees on an altruistic basis to carry a child to strangers. Before becoming a surrogate in Colombia, women must meet specific eligibility criteria outlined in Colombia's surrogate requirements to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy for all parties involved. Finding a qualified surrogate mother in Colombia is a crucial step for intended parents embarking on their surrogacy journey.

For future parents, there is an opportunity to make it easier for themselves to find a suitable candidate. Feskov Human Reproduction has guaranteed programs with travel of a Ukrainian surrogate mother to any country at the request of future parents. We have a huge database of proven, reliable surrogate mothers with experience who are ready to bear you a healthy baby. The price of the program is comparable to the price in Bogotá (a surrogate mother's fee is included in the package price), a 100% birth of a healthy child is guaranteed on the principle of “result without repeated payments”, and extended services are offered for demanding clients.

General requirements for future parents and surrogate mothers to participate in reproductive programs:

• Medical indications (diagnosis "infertility") for assisted reproductive technologies or physiological inability to conceive a child naturally;
• In the case of using donor eggs, it is not allowed to use the surrogate mother's own oocytes;
• A surrogate mother carries a child on a non-commercial basis;
• A woman carrying a child for biological parents has reached the age of majority (usually the time frame is from 21 to 37 years old), has given birth to at least one of her children in a natural way, has no medical and psychological contraindications to the role of a surrogate mother;
• Before the start of the program, the surrogate mother undergoes a comprehensive medical and psychological examination;
• An IVF-transferred embryo is created from the genetic material of at least one of the parents.
• After the occurence of pregnancy, the surrogate mother does not have the right to refuse delivery in favor of the biological parents;
• Termination of a surrogate mother's pregnancy is possible only on strict medical grounds;
• After delivery, contact between the surrogate mother and the child is possible only if the parents allowed this possibility, having discussed it in advance with the doctors;
• Future parents do not have the opportunity to abandon the child, regardless of any reasons;
• In the event of the death of the biological parents, the child has the right to state protection.

As can be seen from the list of conditions, the state is trying to ensure proper protection of the interests of all participants in the process. In particular, the surrogate mother will live at her place of residence, regularly maintaining contact with future parents. She will also be visited by a social worker.

As for the possibility of choosing the sex of the future child, there are no clearly defined restrictions. Program hospitals do not offer a specific gender-selected birth guarantee service. But in the course of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of embryos, gender is also determined. Fertility specialists often allow parents to choose which sex they wish to transfer.

Egg donation in Colombia is anonymous, and the law does not require parents to disclose to their adult children the circumstances of their birth. Also, after the birth of a child, it is possible to issue through the court the removal of information about the surrogate mother from the birth certificate and other documents.

Low Cost Surrogacy Options in Colombia, prices

Affordability is a significant factor that draws many individuals and couples to Colombia for surrogacy. The Colombia surrogacy cost is relatively lower compared to other countries offering similar services. Colombia's favorable reproductive technology legislation provides opportunities to lower the cost of childbearing. Future parents have the following options:

• IVF with your surrogate mother;
• Transfer of own cryo-frozen embryos;
• Remote programs without the arrival of parents.

In the first case, you can independently provide living conditions and cover the expenses of your surrogate mother, the absence of a fee under the laws of Colombia increases the savings. Thus, the program can cost about $48,000.

In the second case, subject to the conditions of transportation and initially available embryos of good quality, there is no need to pay for medical services for their creation. The cost of the program in this case can vary around $55,000.

The third case involves the absence of expenses for accommodation, food and other things associated with the presence in a foreign country. All you need to do is organize the transport of your genetic materials or cryo-frozen embryos in cooperation with the clinic, as well as select a surrogate mother. In particular, such programs are implemented by Feskov Human Reproduction Group, often supplementing them with the departure of a surrogate mother to the country desired by clients. A basic set of services, including a guarantee of the birth of a healthy child, will be comparable in price to Colombian programs. However, you will get a number of benefits:

• Possibility to choose a surrogate mother from the huge base of the clinic, arrange an acquaintance with her via video link;
• No waiting list: we can start preparing a surrogate mother for pregnancy immediately after the conclusion of the contract;
• Possibility to choose an egg donor with any phenotype, including exotic ones;
• Additional services: for example, "Human Genomics" - the exclusion of the baby even predisposition to more than 500 hereditary diseases, including oncology, hemophilia, spinal muscular atrophy and others.

Like most respectable clinics in Colombia, we implement guaranteed programs: this means that future parents pay for the selected package of services they need and wait for the birth of their baby. If IVF is unsuccessful or the pregnancy is terminated at any time, we will re-sell the entire range of services you have chosen at our own expense. The number of repeated cycles is not limited: the program is considered completed only after the birth of a healthy baby.

So, Colombia surrogate compensation could varies depending on several factors, including the specific arrangement chosen by intended parents. Like most respectable clinics in Colombia, we implement guaranteed programs: this means that future parents pay for the selected package of services they need and wait for the birth of their baby. If IVF is unsuccessful or the pregnancy is terminated at any time, we will re-sell the entire range of services you have chosen at our own expense. The number of repeated cycles is not limited: the program is considered completed only after the birth of a healthy baby. To get a clear picture of the cost for surrogacy in Colombia, it's advisable for intended parents to consult with experienced specialists Feskov Human Reproduction Group that can provide detailed cost breakdowns and financial planning assistance.

If you choose a remote program, we have a service for transporting cryo-frozen embryos and genetic materials. We organize the whole process on our own.

Important: we have the opportunity to choose the gender of your child. Therefore, if you have always dreamed of a daughter or son, we will fulfill your dream.

During the pregnancy of a surrogate mother, you do not have to worry about compensation for her expenses - the employees of Feskov Human Reproduction Group will take care of this. You can also be sure that the surrogate mother follows the recommendations of doctors: the entire pregnancy is supervised by our doctors, our specialists always remind you of scheduled examinations and provide the surrogate mother with comprehensive assistance and support.

If you have chosen a program with the birth of a surrogate mother in the country of your choice, our lawyers will draw up all the necessary documents for her reproductive journey. Accommodation, meals, medical supervision and delivery will be provided by our accompanying staff.

After the birth of your child, the lawyers of Feskov Human Reproduction Group will start processing the documents for the legalization of the newborn. Our lawyers work with cases of any complexity, including the legalization of children in countries that prohibit surrogacy abroad for their citizens. This may be especially true for Spanish residents who wish to become parents in Colombia.

Understanding the Colombia surrogacy cost is a crucial step in the journey towards parenthood for many international couples. Contact the managers on our website and tell us what you expect from your reproductive journey - we will prepare the optimal package of services necessary for your individual case.

Authors, contributors:

Anna Salnikova
Lawyer on Reproductive Rights and Policies in the Reproductive Area

published: 13 March 2023
updated   : 13 January 2024

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