Surrogacy in Europe
Guidance, law and latest news on surrogacy in Europe
– from the UK’s leading surrogacy lawyers
Explore our Europe surrogacy hub
We often get asked by British parents where in Europe they can go for surrogacy but, with a few narrow exceptions, surrogacy is not an option in Europe. Spain, France and Germany all prohibit surrogacy. In Italy the law now criminalises Italian citizens who have a child through surrogacy, even if they go overseas. Other countries either restrict surrogacy or make no provision for it.
Within Europe, only Greece and the UK have legal frameworks which support surrogacy in limited circumstances, although neither is a destination for foreign intended parents. What this means is that Europe is therefore not generally a place where parents go to have a child through surrogacy. It is instead a source of intended parents looking to conceive children through surrogacy elsewhere.
In one exception to this rule, the last few years have seen Northern Cyprus emerge as a new hub from which surrogacy services are being offered, often involving surrogates from other countries. There have been some very problematic cases involving a form of surrogacy which is unsafe, unethical and/or illegal. Parents from the UK considering surrogacy involving Northern Cyprus should exercise extreme caution.
What’s the UK legal process for surrogacy abroad?
International surrogacy and UK law
Why do you need to think about UK law if you are going abroad for surrogacy? Find out what to ask at the planning stages, how to bring your baby home and what you need to do to become a family under UK law
Parental orders
UK parents who have a child through surrogacy overseas are expected to apply for a UK parental order after their child is born. Find out why you need one, what the court is assessing and how the process works
Latest news about surrogacy in Europe
Will my child through surrogacy be born British? And how do I apply for a British Passport?
If you are expecting a child through surrogacy, one of your top questions may be how you get a British passport for your baby, particularly if they are born outside the UK. British nationality can be complicated in surrogacy cases, and what you need to do depends on...
Travelling home with your baby born through international surrogacy – the options
UK immigration law around surrogacy is complex. There’s no single process that fits all, and the best route home will depend on your personal situation and the country where your baby is born.
Three High Court judgments warn of risky surrogacy practices in Cyprus and urge intended parents to exercise caution
Three important recent High Court judgments have highlighted the risks with multi-jurisdictional surrogacy arrangements in Cyprus.
What does Italy’s criminalisation of overseas surrogacy mean for Italian parents living in the UK?
We were saddened to hear the news last week that the Italian Parliament has extended Italy’s criminalisation of surrogacy to cover those going overseas.
Numbers talk – NGA Law and statistics on international surrogacy
CAFCASS data reveals the evolving landscape of surrogacy for UK parents, highlighting the popularity of the US as a destination and the ethical considerations involved. With over a decade of insights, NGA Law provides expert guidance on navigating surrogacy both domestically and internationally.
Concerning shifts in the shrinking world of global surrogacy – Article published in Bionews
Kelly has written a comment piece in this week’s Bionews about the changing landscape of international surrogacy as a result of the war in Ukraine, the announcement that surrogacy is to be prohibited in Georgia, and the recent scandal involving a clinic in Greece. ...
NGA Law in BBC – ‘The state says our kids don’t exist’ – how LGBT life is changing in Italy
The BBC has published an in-depth piece about Italy's new controversial surrogacy law, which is causing concern among LGBT families. This controversial bill is part of the socially conservative agenda led by Italy's first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, who...
International Surrogacy Forum in Copenhagen
Natalie was delighted to attend an important international conference on surrogacy that took place in Copenhagen in June 2023.
NGA speaks at ESHRE 2022 conference in Italy
Natalie was delighted to speak at the Future Directions in Surrogacy Law conference at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London on 30 November.
Natalie gives evidence to the Irish Parliament on international surrogacy
The Irish Parliament has been hearing evidence from a range of expert witnesses on the issue of surrogacy law reform, and Natalie was delighted to be invited as a leading expert on UK law, together with academic lawyer Dr Kirsty Horsey. After each giving a five minute...
How we can help you with surrogacy law
Advice for those planning surrogacy
With decades of experience, we routinely advise intended parents planning surrogacy to help them weigh the risks, timescales, costs and ethics of the different international surrogacy options they may be considering. We also work with other European lawyers to provide integrated legal plans.
Top tier legal representation
We support intended parents living in the UK and overseas to navigate UK law successfully, including applicaitons for British nationality and UK passports for surrogate babies, High Court parental order (or other family law) applications, wills and more.
Still have questions?
If you need legal advice or want to make an appointment, feel free to get in touch. We offer meetings in-person in London or in the New Forest, as well as online.
We are here to help however we can.