US travel reopens for surrogacy for UK intended parents

The US has been a popular destination for surrogacy for many years. The pandemic and restrictions on travel have meant that many considering surrogacy in the US have put their family building plans on hold. Now that restrictions for those that are fully vaccinated are being lifted, options around travel have returned. The next question for those considering surrogacy in the US is now where do I start?

How travel to the US for surrogacy works now and will work with reopening

It is a welcome and significant change for fully vaccinated people to have the option to travel to the US.

During the pandemic it has still been possible to start a US surrogacy journey, and Brilliant Beginnings and NGA Law have helped a number of families coordinate export of sperm, and embryos. All of our intended parents have gained travel exemptions to go to the US for the birth of their baby, and we also ensured that whilst there were difficulties obtaining US passports, we secured emergency travel documents for these new families to come home.

The reopening of borders and the US passport system means that many of the worries for intended parents around getting to the US will disappear. Positive developments over the past couple of years, such as the option to bank/export sperm and embryos will remain, but for those wishing to travel to their US clinic for treatment, or tests this is now a reality. 

Meeting and getting to know a surrogate has mostly happened ‘remotely’ (like so much during the pandemic), and whilst this has worked well and everyone has embraced this new normal, the idea of meeting a surrogate for the first time in person days before she gives birth has been one that many have found awkward to say the least.

The opportunities to travel and meet with a surrogate before or during a pregnancy are going to be welcome ones for intended parents for this and other reasons. There is also great value in being able to travel to where a surrogate lives in advance of the birth, to scope out accommodation, the hospital she will give birth in, and also where the nearest Walmart is for nappy supplies.

Most importantly the opportunity to give that brilliant lady a big hug, and tell her she is doing something truly amazing, is priceless and likely also an emotional and memorable moment!

Need support getting started with your US surrogacy journey?

The options in the US for surrogacy are vast, and it is important to think about your budget, timings and the type of relationship you would like with both your surrogate and her family and the organisations that help you.

For those considering surrogacy Brilliant Beginnings offers an Options Review Meeting. In this meeting one of our experienced client managers will talk through your individual circumstances, and explain the surrogacy options available and what to expect..

For those ready to embark on a surrogacy journey in the US, Brilliant Beginnings and NGA Law offer a US Surrogacy Pathway which provides support both practically and legally from the very start of your journey to the start of your life as a new family. This service starts with a meeting to discuss your hopes and expectations, as well as your budget and timescales, and is followed with a bespoke set of trusted and tested US partners, including your surrogacy agency, clinic and attorney.

Our years of experience supporting intended parents in the US, alongside the professional relationships we have developed with the best organisations helping them, means that we are in a unique position to advise you on the right choices for your unique circumstances. We do not rely on referral fees from others, rather our focus is that intended parents are set up with the right people.

Once you start on your journey, our team, including those with lived experience of surrogacy, will continue to support you until after birth. The integrated approach of Brilliant Beginnings and NGA Law working together to support you on our US Surrogacy Pathway ensures that nothing is missed on the legal or practical side, and your journey is the smoothest it can be.

You can read our blog to learn more about our US pathway.