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
NGA quoted in the Guardian: Unregistered surrogate-born children creating legal timebomb, warns judge
Today's Guardian has reported comments made by High Court judge Mrs Justice Theis at a conference last week about her concerns for children born through international surrogacy whose parents have not applied to properly resolve their legal status in the UK. ...
International surrogacy: UK High Court awards parenthood to couple living in France
In its latest published international surrogacy decision, the High Court has awarded a British-French couple living in France a parental order in respect of their son born through international surrogacy. The case makes clear that you don’t need to live in the UK to...
New Foreign Office guidance for parents planning international surrogacy
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has today published updated guidance for parents planning international surrogacy arrangements. We have been working with the FCO on this new guidance as part of our campaigning and policy work and are proud to have helped with...
High Court judge warns ‘loud and clear’: international surrogacy parents need a UK court order
In a High Court ruling published today (a case in which we represented the parents), Mrs Justice Theis has warned parents of children born through international surrogacy that they must apply to court in the UK if they want to be the legal parents of their children....
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.