Surrogacy Process for International Clients

The financial aspect of surrogacy is generally the first and primary concern for most couples embarking on this journey. The following is an overview of the surrogacy process for parents that reside outside of the United States.

Initially, you will be asked to complete paperwork for West Coast Surrogacy in order for us to find your ideal match. West Coast Surrogacy has no upfront fee for evaluating surrogate profiles, and you are given the opportunity to review profiles of available surrogates as well as speak with a candidate via phone or email if you are interested. Once you have selected a surrogate that you would like to meet, an initial agency retainer fee is paid.

You will be asked to come to the United States to meet with your surrogate, the director of West Coast Surrogacy, your IVF physician, as well as the counselor and attorney that will be representing you.

A meeting will be arranged with your surrogate and her spouse, as well as the director of West Coast Surrogacy, to discuss the entire process. Any particular concerns you may have will be addressed, and you will have the opportunity to spend time getting to know each other. After the meeting you will have time to decide whether you want to move forward with this surrogate. If so, your surrogate will be medically evaluated by your IVF physician in preparation for the process. These fees will be paid by you directly to the IVF center and can vary from center to center.

Ellen Winters Miller, our psychologist, will meet with your surrogate for an evaluation and testing. It is preferred that you attend this meeting with Ellen and your surrogate if you are available. Ellen is available to you, the intended parent, and the surrogate throughout the entire pregnancy via phone and email. Your surrogate will be in contact with Ellen every two weeks throughout the pregnancy and will have access to speak with her at anytime.
The surrogate receives a payment from West Coast Surrogacy once the screening and testing process is complete, and you will later receive an invoice to reimburse the agency.
Provided is a recommended attorney to draft your legal contract. You will pay the attorney the initial retainer fee which varies depending upon the attorney. Once you retain the attorney, a trust fund is established in your name for the surrogacy process. Once the trust fund is established, all future payments to the surrogate, the attorneys, the psychologist, and the agency will be paid by this account.

Once the surrogate has completed her medical and psychological testing , the legal contracts will be finalized and the embryo transfer cycle may begin. This process generally takes 4-6 weeks. In your absence, our director (or a representative from West Coast Surrogacy) will attend appointments with your surrogate. We will also attend visits with her to the obstetrician once pregnancy has begun. We will continue to stay in close contact with your surrogate during the entire pregnancy and relay any information to you as needed. In addition to you, we will be available to her for support throughout the process. The director is easily reached by phone or email as much as needed and has a commitment to be accessible 7 days a week.

Once the surrogate is pregnant, she will begin to receive monthly payments as outlined in the Surrogate Benefits Package. The terms of these payments will be specified in your legal contract drafted by your attorney. The attorney who drafts your contract will also manage your trust fund. No payments will be paid unless both the attorney and the agency approve such requests. If the payment falls outside the terms of the legal agreement, you will be personally contacted and asked for your approval.

It is preferable for you come to the United States once or twice to visit your surrogate during the pregnancy and attend physician appointments with her. These will provide you an opportunity to see your baby/babies by ultrasound and allow you to spend time bonding with your surrogate.

After the birth of your baby/babies, you will be required to stay in the United States for approximately 4-8 weeks while a birth certificate for your child/children is obtained. West Coast Surrogacy will assist you with hotel/lodging arrangements as needed during this time.
Completing the necessary paperwork to begin the matching process is the first step to the surrogacy process, and you can be on your way to meeting your surrogate and bringing home your baby/babies!