Surrogacy Laws UK & International Surrogacy

Growing numbers of people are embracing surrogacy. If you are considering surrogacy in the UK or abroad, you should find out how surrogacy law in the UK will affect your family building plans -whatever your personal situation (single, married, cohabiting or in a same-sex relationship or civil partnership).

Surrogacy law in the UK is complex and there are many legal issues to navigate. Surrogacy arrangements are not legally enforceable and criminal sanctions restrict advertising and prohibit commercial surrogacy organisations in the UK.

There is no international harmonisation of surrogacy law. Foreign birth certificates and foreign parentage orders in respect of surrogate born children will not be automatically recognised in the UK and you will need to secure your family’s legal status under English law. International surrogacy can also create complex citizenship, nationality and immigration law issues governing travel papers and safe passage home to the UK with your child.

Click the links below to read our surrogacy law pages and find out more about surrogacy law, including:

How we can help

Surrogacy law in the UK is complex and there are many potential pitfalls and difficulties. The right expert legal advice can help you proactively and efficiently manage the legal issues and protect your family.

Louisa Ghevaert is internationally recognised as a leading expert in both international and UK surrogacy law. She has pioneered the practice of surrogacy law in the UK having litigated a series of landmark English High Court international surrogacy cases, including Re IJ (a child) 2011, Re L (a minor) 2010 and Re X and Y (foreign surrogacy) 2008. She has a wealth of surrogacy law experience on an international scale and can provide invaluable help and support for your family no matter where in the world you conceive through surrogacy.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your personal situation in more detail or you would like advice about the following:

UK surrogacy law (including legal parenthood, parental responsibility, birth certificates, specialist Wills, parental order eligibility and court process and regulation of UK surrogacy)
International surrogacy law (including citizenship and nationality issues and entry into the UK with your surrogate born child, acquisition of legal status to protect your family in the UK and expert support for families with a multi-national character)
An application to the English court for a parental order or acquisition of other legal status (ranging from limited help to enable you to represent yourself to full representation in complex cases)
What to do in the event of a dispute (potential or actual) between intended parents and a surrogate mother and expert representation in court proceedings
Specialist Wills in surrogacy cases