Colombia
Available programs
- Live birth egg donation surrogacy
- Own egg surrogacy
- Frozen embryo shipped surrogacy
- Double-journey surrogacy (program with 2 surrogates)
- HIV patient possible but has an extra charge
Legal framework
- The National Constitution of Colombia states in articles 42-6: “Children born in or out of wedlock adopted and procreated naturally or with scientific assistance, have the same rights and duties. The law will regulate responsible offspring.”
- The legal precedent for including surrogacy proceedings as defined by the Supreme Court Ruling and its Constitutional Court T 968 of 2009 which states:
- “In the Colombian legal system, there is no express prohibition for the realization of such agreements. However, regarding assisted reproduction techniques, within which the surrogate mother is involved, the doctrine has considered that they are legally legitimized, under articles 42-6 of the Constitution.
- Colombia’s constitution does not allow discrimination, so all singles, heterosexual couples, and same-sex couples can participate in the surrogacy process as long as there is a genetic link with the baby.
- This was recognized by the Colombian Constitutional Court in a landmark decision in 2015 that ruled that excluding same-sex parents as potential adopters was a limitation of the right of children to have a family and not be separated from it.
- Equal rights also extend to foreigners in Article 100 of the Constitution which grants foreigners in Colombia the same civil rights and guarantees as those granted to citizens, so this includes international surrogacy.
Eligibility
- Single parent (male, female)
- Same-sex married Intended parents
- Married heterosexual intended parents
Birth Certificate
- The surrogate mother’s name is listed on the birth certificate. If she is married or has a partner, their name will also appear. If she is single, the intended father’s name (or the intended parent’s husband) will be included.
- The surrogate’s name can be changed or removed from the birth certificate through court proceedings. This process may take up to one year, during which the intended parents do not need to remain in Colombia.
- The birth certificate is issued within four days.
Exit procedure timelines
- After obtaining the birth certificate, the next step is to apply for a visa or citizenship in the intended parents’ home country. Processing times and requirements vary depending on each country’s embassy or consulate.
Egg Donation (Anonymous/Non-Anonymous)
- Anonymous
- Latin American girls have mostly black hair and black eyes.
Insurance
- POS Health Insurance is part of Colombian social security.
- Insurance covers costs associated with delivery and NICU (up to one month)
- SURA is life insurance.
Surrogate matching period
- The doctor chooses the surrogate for each IP.
- It takes 2-3 months for the doctor to prepare the surrogates.
Useful hints (Questions to ask before starting)
- What are the success rates?
- How well is the law regulated?
- Is insurance available for surrogates and newborn babies?
- Is the medical team multi-language?
- Is the destination safe?
- Is it affordable?
- What is the feedback from IPs?
- What embassies are in Bogota?