Our surrogacy program in Colombia was only added in 2020, in the middle of the COVID19 pandemic. The program is offered through two clinics in two different cities – Bogota and Bucaramanga.
★★★★★ 5/5
★★★★★ 5/5
★★★★★ 4/5
About
All of our programs in Colombia are fixed price package programs. We remain reluctant to offer guarantee programs because they can attract unethical clinics who undertake the process in a hidden way with little interaction with the intended parents. We have taken some time to assess Colombia as a jurisdiction and the clinics we work with. After comprehensive, face to face discussions with the owners of the Colombian clinics and a review of their facilities we have now established a staffed office in Colombia from which we can personally guide intended parents through the process. All clinics have been established for many years and are Colombian owned and operated.
WARNING: Colombian law requires egg donation to be anonymous and does not allow for photographs to be published of egg donors. Beware the presentation of many egg donor profiles with photographs looking like models or beauty pageant contestants. Challenge the provider of these profiles to set up a video conference with the egg donor.
If you are an intended parent (IP) considering international surrogacy, it’s likely that you’re already aware that different locations and territories offer different approaches to the process and follow a diverse array of legislation.
Here, we discuss what to expect when you opt for surrogacy programs in Colombia.
The Program
Colombia is one of the most recent additions to the Global Surrogacy family – joining our range of options in 2020 during unprecedented times globally.
Opting for surrogacy in Colombia can be highly beneficial in a number of ways. Firstly, it is significantly more affordable than in the US. Secondly, the list of IPs considered “eligible” in Colombia is larger than in many other countries, incorporating gay couples and single men or women.
“Commercial surrogacy” is not permitted in Colombia, but surrogate mothers can be compensated for certain expenses. Only gestational surrogacy is permitted, which means that the surrogate cannot use her own eggs.
Following the birth, the surrogate will not be permitted contact with the baby unless this occurs at a meeting approved and attended by IPs. At this point, it is possible to apply to the Colombian court to have the surrogate mother’s name removed from the birth certificate and replaced by those of the IPs.
Any baby delivered via surrogate in Colombia has automatic Colombian citizenship and is eligible for a Colombian passport, allowing IPs to return home with the child and transfer citizenship in the comfort of their own residence.
Criteria
Surrogacy in Colombia – as in all of our other programs – all surrogate mothers go through a rigorous screening process before they may take part in the program. They are required to be between 19 and 35 years old to qualify.
Their physical and psychological health is checked via numerous in-depth tests. If the medical specialists employed by our chosen surrogacy clinics are satisfied, they will go ahead and match a suitable surrogate with the right applicant IPs.
After the implantation of the embryo, Colombian surrogate mothers undergo regular physical and psychological health checks to ensure they and the baby remain safe and comfortable. These include blood tests, ultrasound scans and physical examinations.
Services
Global Surrogacy offers programs in two Colombian locations: Bucaramanga and Bogota. All of our programs offer a package arrangement – 4 embryo transfers and a change of surrogate as part of the package price. The programs are carefully managed by our specialist team, including staff on the ground in Colombia.
We support all of our IPs from consultation stages to ensuring their safe return – along with their child – to their country of residence. Our team can provide support and information regarding everything from legal matters to accommodation. We remain totally transparent throughout, providing clear, regular updates.
What’s next?
To find out more about the services and support provided by Global Surrogacy in Colombia, simply contact our team of friendly experts today.
Please note that we provide similar programs around the world including surrogacy in Mexico, surrogacy in Greece, surrogacy in Ukraine and surrogacy in Georgia – we would be more than happy to answer all of your questions and explain a little more about our process.
Our establishment of a Colombia program was in large part driven by the shrinking number of options for same sex couples or single parents to undertake surrogacy. Although all family types can continue to access programs in the United States the cost differential between Colombia and USA is very significant. Colombia can be up to $100,000 cheaper and it is a packaged program. From our experience we recognise how much IPs value cost certainty in surrogacy programs.
The most important feature of our program is that our surrogates undergo extensive psychological and medical screening before they are presented to an IP couple as a potential surrogate mother and they are subsequently supported through the entire surrogacy program and beyond to facilitate long term employment or life changes for them. Ethical and transparent surrogacy is our primary objective. Our involvement in the lives of our surrogates does not end with the birth of the child of IPs. OUR SURROGATES WILL NEVER BE ACCOMMODATED IN ANY FORM OF BOARDING HOUSE OR LODGING WITH MULTIPLE OTHER SURROGATES. This is an important feature that distinguishes our program from others. Ask your prospective agency about this and also ask them for the contact details of their staff on the ground in Colombia if they have any.
Global Surrogacy, whether it be our staff on the ground in Colombia or our management in Hong Kong, will be the single point of contact for you but naturally we will arrange for FaceTime, Signal, Skype or face-to-face meetings with the doctor, embryologist or surrogate as required throughout your journey. We will always support and facilitate your decision to have greater contact with your surrogate during the pregnancy.
Our surrogacy programs in Colombia are directly and closely supervised with the assistance of our local team members on the ground in Bucaramanga and Bogota. The program is open to married couples (heterosexual or same sex) and single men and women. The surrogate is permitted to be compensated provided there is a properly executed Gestational Carrier Agreement and our support of them continues until they have established a financially and emotionally stable pathway for life after the delivery of your baby.
We provide a total solution – recruitment, screening and management of surrogates, all medical services, including prenatal check-ups, births and paediatric services, in-country legal services, administration and coordination of travel and accommodation, registered birth certificate and applications for citizenship and passport for the Child based on IPs nationality. The all-inclusive package will make your journey less stressful. Our program offers an affordable price at a fixed cost. The program includes all medical costs, multiple embryo transfers and a change of surrogates at your choice as part of our package, and all the Child’s medical treatment at no extra cost.
Our clinic will in almost all cases only transfer one embryo at a time. Our ethical program through its doctors is based on the firm view that a transparent and ethical surrogacy program should never plan for a multiples pregnancy due to the significantly increased risk of pregnancy complications and premature birth. Due to the package nature of our program positions in the program are limited so the first step is for us to confirm that we can offer the program to you. This will involve a Skype of FaceTime chat with our doctor and the review of other basic information about your circumstances. By following this procedure we can ensure that there are both egg donors and surrogates available for you immediately you start the program.
As soon as you are confirmed in the program and you have completed all documentation we will need to arrange for your blood tests and for sperm to be collected and shipped to Colombia. Due to COVID19 travel restrictions this is the most likely course however, if you can travel to Colombia and accept any necessary quarantine regulations then that is also possible. As soon as we have confirmation that your sperm, or you in person, is booked to Colombia we can start to offer you egg donors. Again because of the nature of our fixed fee program we will offer you an egg donor who best meets your requirements.
All women applying to be a gestational carrier are rigorously screened to assess their psychological, uterine and basic overall health. The surrogates need to have at least one child and the age range varies from 19-35. Only gestational surrogacy (where the surrogate mother does not use her eggs) is permitted. At least one of the intended parents MUST have a biological link to any child.
Article 43 of the National Constitution of Colombia provides for equal rights for men and women and prohibits discrimination based on gender. The Colombian Constitutional Court has relied upon that provision and expressly ruled that excluding same sex parents from adoption would be discriminatory and in breach of the Constitution and further the Court ruled that same sex marriage was likewise legal based on those Constitutional rights.
IPs will complete a profile and biography and a FaceTime or Signal video conference will be held with our team members and the clinic doctors before they are matched with a surrogate. IPs will be asked questions regarding their needs and requirements and we will explain the different financial, legal and administrative aspects of the surrogacy process. Some of the documentation which must be produced and signed needs to be notarised and/or apostilled. We will assist and guide you through that process to ensure the documentation is right the first time.
Due to the nature of our program it is in the interests of the clinic to have a successful pregnancy as soon as possible. We therefore offer to IPs women as surrogates whom we and the doctors believe will offer the best prospects of a successful pregnancy. The process is that we offer you a surrogate and you have the final decision as to whether or not you accept her. If you reject her on reasonable grounds then we will offer an alternative surrogate within days.
Once you have agreed on your surrogate and your embryos have been created or the IVF is scheduled, then your surrogate will be scheduled for medical appointments and a stimulation protocol will commence. The embryo transfer can occur very quickly after your surrogacy agreement has been signed because we only accept into the program the number of IPs for whom we can offer egg donors and surrogates. Twelve to fourteen days after the transfer, a blood test will be carried out to determine whether or not the surrogate is pregnant. In case of a negative test result, we will continue to transfer embryos, one at the time, into the same surrogate until it leads to a positive test result. In certain circumstances, based on medical advice, we will offer you a new surrogate if you have had an unsuccessful embryo transfer.
When pregnancy is achieved, the medical team will monitor the progress of the surrogate and keep you updated every step of the way. There is no need for you to fly over to Colombia to check up on the progress of the pregnancy, but of course you are welcome to do so at anytime on reasonable notice. We take care of everything for you. We will update you regularly, all test results and scans will be sent to you and we will organize video conferences with the surrogate with a translator. If you want to fly over to visit our team or your surrogate you will be welcomed by the local team / case manager. We will assist you and make your stay as stress-free and comfortable as possible.
The surrogates do not generally work during the pregnancy and will be compensated during their time off. They will spend their time at home but they will receive weekly visits, or more if necessary, from the nurse and your case manager. All surrogates live independantly close to the clinic and the hospital proposed for delivery.
As your journey approaches its conclusion the doctor will give you an updated Estimated Date of Delivery (“EDD“) and we will coordinate your arrival in Bogota or Bucaramanga. It is important to know that deliveries cannot be calculated with 100% certainty. If the doctor has scheduled a caesarean delivery then you will know exactly when the baby will be delivered. We will have a driver collect you from the airport and take you to your accommodation and thereafter drive you between the accommodation and hospital as required.
After the birth of your child, we will assist you with finding a fully furnished apartment for one month. This will allow you to adapt to your new status as a parent. As long as you remain in Colombia, we will ensure you are being taken care of.
If you are requiring an egg donor, the total services necessary to create your embryos are provided by our team.
The egg donors go through an extensive medical screening. They will be tested for STDs, genetic conditions, immunohaematology and haematology. They will also be questioned about family medical history, education, specific talents and interests. Most donors have previously given birth to a healthy child and are aged between 18 and 32. The information that will be available to you is the following: eye and hair colour, height, weight, age, blood type and Rh factor. The donor may disclose additional information such as work experience, interests and talents and educational background. Based on their profile, you will be able to make an informed decision and find the most suitable donor. You start the process by completing our “Donor Characteristics Form” so that we can offer you suitable egg donor profiles to consider.
Throughout your journey, all communication is with us and our nominated team members in Colombia. We will be the “project managers” for your journey.
All instalments in the program will be the subject of an invoice from GloSurr HK Limited, in accordance with the payment schedule we provide to you which is incorporated into your agreement. All invoices will be issued in US dollars. We will only accept bank transfers but may accept credit cards with the application of a surcharge.
At around month 7 of the pregnancy we will start talking to you about your travel plans and prepare your citizenship and passport applications.
Immediately after the birth of your child we will assist you in obtaining your birth certificate and will help you to prepare your citizenship application, application for DNA testing and passport applications. You will be given detailed and complete instructions on how to prepare all documentation and the steps you must take.
One of the benefits of the Colombia program is that your child will be conferred with Colombian citizenship and will be able to obtain a Colombian passport fairly quickly. This will mean that you can depart Colombia on that passport within weeks of the birth and make your home country citizenship and passport applications within your own country. Alternatively, if you wish to undertake the process within Colombia then we can assist you to do that. Please note that not all countries will have an embassy in Bogota and passport applications will in most cases need to be lodged in person by the IPs at their closest embassy.
Why choose Colombia?
Since 2015Colombia has had legal surrogacy for some time but it has only developed and become available for same sex couples more recently in line with political stability and the need for such services.
Eligible IPsThe IPs may be a married or unmarried couple (heterosexual or same sex) or a single man or woman and under 55yo.
Court ApprovalThe surrogate mother’s parentage can be removed after the birth by a straightforward legal proceeding in Colombia. IPs can return home with their child before this is done.
Colombian CitizenshipThe child will be automatically conferred with Colombian citizenship and entitled to a Colombian passport. This enables IPs to travel home before acquiring their home country citizenship for the child.
Same Sex IPs Since 2016Since 2016 surrogacy in Colombia has become available to same sex couples by reason of Colombian Court interpretations of the Constitution.
Altruistic SurrogacyAlthough the law provides that surrogacy is to be altruistic it allows for the compensation and educational and economic support that we provide to our surrogates.
Previous
Next
The Process
The practical step-by-step process of surrogacy in Colombia is as follows:
Partner Clinics
Global Surrogacy works with Grupo inSer Institute De Fertilidad Humana in Colombia. Bogota, a city of 10.7 million people, is the capital of Colombia and has an elevation of 2,640m which could mean some altitude sickness for IPs. Our fixed price package programs are offered by Reprotec and Fertivida Clinic.
Fixed Fee Programs
Our Colombia surrogacy programs are for practical purposes FIXED FEE programs. We will discuss your particular circumstances with you and then provide you with a total package price set out as a payment schedule. We will include any options that you have selected and apart from contingencies (eg: twins) there will be no additional costs. All of our packages include the transfer of at least 4 embryos created from your egg donor or own cycle as is necessary to achieve a healthy birth. The only additional costs you will incur will be for additional egg donor cycles or additional surrogate monthly living fees as the duration of your agreement with the surrogate extends beyond 12 months. The total price includes all fees payable to the surrogate, egg donors, lawyers, agencies and the Clinic.
For an egg donor program the total package price for a Colombia Surrogacy Program is affordable. If you want to undergo IVF with your own gametes or ship frozen embryos then we can offer you the pay as you go package and we will calculate the fixed price when we know your particular circumstances. The fixed price program package price includes all medication and hospital or clinic costs. The only possible additional costs are for medical fees if we must engage external medical specialists. Our Agreement also includes a comprehensive price list for optional (eg: PGT) and contingency services (eg: twins). These packages include unlimited embryo transfers using all the embryos you have or can provide and there are no additional fees for medication.
Generally the child will be entitled to citizenship of its intended parents and then a passport. Your child will be permitted to travel internationally on airlines only after 2 weeks of age. Should you decide to remain in Colombia until your child has its citizenship and passport for your home country then you should allow for a period of 4 to 6 weeks in Colombia. The exact time depends on the nationality of your citizenship and the requirements of your embassy.
Your child will upon birth be a Colombian citizen and therefore entitled to a Colombian passport. This process should be relatively quick so many parents choose to return home with the child on its Colombian passport and make arrangements for their own citizenship and passport upon their return home.
Knowing the legal process and being fully prepared before the birth of your child will mean you spend the minimum amount of time in Colombia.
Under Colombian law the citizenship of a child is determined by the citizenship of its mother. At birth the child takes Colombian citizenship because the child is considered a child of the surrogate mother.
The Civil Registry responsible for issuing birth certificates will issue a birth certificate with the biological father as husband and the surrogate as the mother of the child. We will take all the steps to obtain your birth certificate as soon as possible. The birth certificate is a prerequisite for the next steps of obtaining citizenship.
Some commentators have suggested that the authorities from the IPs’ home country may not even be aware that the birth was through a surrogacy arrangement. We caution you not to underestimate the relevant authorities of your country. In some cases the citizenship application has an express question – “was the child born through surrogacy”. You must answer this question honestly. It can be quite apparent to authorities that the Intended Mother did not give birth to the child if she travelled to Greece a few days before the birth.
Colombia law does not provide for any degree of anonymity for the surrogate mother. In the event that the child born through a surrogacy arrangement in Colombia in the future wants to identify the surrogate mother then the child is entitled to oblige the clinic to reveal her identity.
The surrogate mother also enjoys the right to privacy under Colombian law and these two considerations would be in conflict here and the outcome would be determined on the facts of the particular case.
Laws
The legal basis for surrogacy in Colombia is founded on the National Constitution of Colombia in particular Art 42-6 which provides: “Children born in or out of wedlock, adopted and procreated naturally or with scientific assistance, have the same rights and duties.” By a judgment of the Constitutional Court of the Supreme Court T968 of 2009 further stated: “In the Colombian legal system there is no express prohibition for the realisation of such agreements. However, with regard to assisted reproduction techniques, within which the surrogate or surrogate mother is found, the doctrine has deemed that they are legally legitimised, in accordance with Art 42-6.“
In Colombia altruistic surrogacy is legal and somewhat regulated. Importantly surrogacy is available to single men, single women and same sex couples in addition to married and unmarried heterosexual couples.
The Court has helpfully set out the essential requirements for IPs to avail themselves of a surrogacy program in Colombia which include:
Our achievement in the journey depicted in numbers
