What do you need to know about bringing baby home after surrogacy?

After your baby is born, you are likely excited to return home with your child. However, you must follow several steps when bringing baby home after surrogacy. From establishing your child’s citizenship to securing your parental rights, our Las Vegas surrogacy experts explain what you need to know to safely return home.

The steps for bringing baby home after surrogacy

Bringing baby home after surrogacy is an exciting time, but this process involves several steps. Our Las Vegas surrogacy experts have compiled a list of the steps you must take to return home with your new bundle of joy. Almost all countries require some variation of the following process.

• Register your baby as a citizen. To do this, you must prove your citizenship and your baby’s genetic relationship to you. This may require a DNA test and supporting documents, including a birth certificate. Your surrogacy agency can help you complete your child’s petition for citizenship.
• Prove the surrogate has waived her parental rights. You must have proof that the surrogate has relinquished her parental rights, allowing you to leave the country with the child and apply for a change in citizenship. Legal documents such as a pre-birth order in Nevada can meet this requirement.
• Apply for a passport or travel documents. You will need to apply for a passport or other travel documents for your child. This process takes two to three weeks for most countries, but it may be expedited in cases of hardship.
• Establish you and your partner as the legal parents. This process requires adoption or a similar procedure in your home country. It is important because it also terminates the parental rights of your surrogate in the eyes of your country. You will want to hire a local attorney to help with this process as you petition the courts in your country.

Understanding the rules of your embassy

Each embassy has its own requirements, and they may change over time. Our Las Vegas surrogacy experts recommend that you or your attorney call your embassy to ask about their requirements. This is the only way to be certain that you are doing everything necessary when bringing baby home after surrogacy.

If you have any questions about building your family using surrogacy in the U.S., please contact us. The experienced team at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas is here to guide you.