Frequently asked questions

NOTE IVF clinics do not provide surrogate mother match and surrogacy services, they provide only medical services. Surrogacy agency coordinates your process, prepares all legal forms, agreements and surrogacy contracts, controls the surrogate, suprevises your surrogacy process. You can choose an egg donor and a surrogate mother in our agency and we can also arrange a meeting between the candidates if you wish. We always try to provide the best services to our clients.

A few tips about surrogate

The database is ours but the candidates aren’t our «property» and they go to different clinics and agencies, this is their right. In any case if the surrogate filled out the file it doesn’t mean she will be approved. From 10-15 candidates only 1 passes all the screening. The tests are valid for 1 or 3 months (depends on the tests) and it doesn’t mean that the surrogate will be approved again with old tests if she was tested a year ago for example. Before every IVF we screen them again and we may have surprises so not even all our recommended surrogates will pass the next screening. It doesn’t mean they are bad people, the thing that the screening is very detailed and the surrogate must be completely healthy, that’s why it’s very hard to find a completely healthy person.

Anyway we will send you the recommendations, we’ll search for «cheaper» options but the prices that were a year ago absolutely not valid this year, it’s very hard to find a good surrogate for 12,000 USD close to Kiev. I forgot to mention that we prefer Kiev region or close to Kiev more because the surrogate must be here every week during the first trimester and it’s hard to travel from remote towns. Surrogates from Kiev region or close to Kiev are more expensive of course but there is less risk to a baby.

Yes, commercial surrogacy is officially legal and regulated by the Article 123, Part 2 of the Family Code of Ukraine which says:

"In case of embryo implantation to another woman, the spouses shall be the parents of the child if the embryo was conceived by them."

Only Gestational surrogacy is allowed in Ukraine, traditional surrogacy is illegal.

• Gestational surrogacy, which involves in vitro fertilization, is the reproductive technique in which egg is fertilized artificially and then the embryo is transferred to the surrogate mother’s uterus. In this case, the child has no genetic relation to his surrogate mother. This procedure is absolutely legal in the country.
• Traditional surrogacy involves surrogate's eggs and father's sperm which means the baby will be genetically related to the gestational carrier. This type of surrogacy is illegal.

Surrogacy in Ukraine can be done for married couples only. Single men, women, heterosexual partners, same-sex marriages cannot have surrogacy process in Ukraine.

Yes, there are restrictions. You need to be officially married and have fertility problems to start the process in Ukraine. The length of marriage isn't important.

Indications for surrogacy process in Ukraine are the following reasons:

• absence of uterus (congenital or acquired)
• deformation of the uterus making pregnancy and carrying a baby impossible
• uterine synechiae (adhesions or scar tissue that form inside the cavity of the uterus) that cannot be treated
• a physical illness under which pregnancy threatens a woman's life or health even if a baby may not be in danger
• minimum 4 unsuccessful IVF attempts with obtaining the embryos of high quality.

A surrogate mother screening includes the following:

1Medical Screening:

This involves testing for blood type, infectious diseases, drug use and general health.

2Genetic Screening:

Family history will be evaluated to raise awareness of possible hereditary diseases or genetic disorders.

3Psychological Screening:

The surrogate will be asked to speak with a psychologist to make sure she fully understands the benefits and risks of surrogacy process, and has proper motivations for becoming a surrogate mother.

At New Hope we choose surrogate mothers for our programs based on our strict criterias and demands.

Surrogate Mother Requirements at New Hope:

• Between the ages of 20 and 30
• Physically healthy
• Psychologically healthy
• Have a healthy child
• Non-Smoker
• No current use of drugs
• No history of substance abuse
• No family history of inheritable genetic disorders
• Dependable, mature and reliable

Egg donor screening includes the following:

1Fertility Screening:

A donor's ovaries will be examined for the ability to produce eggs through a physical/pelvic exam, and blood tests.

2Medical Screening:

This involves testing for blood type, infectious diseases, drug use and general health.

3Genetic Screening:

Family history will be evaluated to raise awareness of possible hereditary diseases or genetic disorders.

4Psychological Screening:

The donor will be asked to speak with a psychologist to make sure she fully understands the benefits and risks of egg donation, and has proper motivations for becoming a donor.

Tests:

• HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia
• Full chromosome analysis (karyotype)
• Genetic diseases
• Fertility evaluation including hormone testing and ultrasound evaluation of the ovaries

A potential egg donor should be:

• Between the ages of 18 and 30
• Physically healthy
• Psychologically healthy
• Non-Smoker
• Have regular, monthly menstrual periods
• Have both ovaries
• No current use of drugs
• No history of substance abuse
• No family history of inheritable genetic disorders
• Dependable, mature and reliable

Yes, it is fully allowed. Gender selection isn’t allowed unless you don’t have genetic diseases that you don’t want to be passed to your children (you need to provide a doctor's report in this case).

No, it's not possible for the surrogate to have a genetic link with your baby. This is a traditional surrogacy and it's illegal in Ukraine.

The baby should have a genetic link to at least one of the parents.

Ukrainian surrogacy laws are the most favorable in the world because the surrogate mother isn't considered a mother to the baby; the Intended Parents names will be in the birth certificate. No matter if you used an egg donor or not your wife's name will be in the birth cetificate and husband's name.

Ukraine has one of the best surrogacy laws in the world while it offers affordable costs for surrogacy process.

The legal advantages are the following:

• Surrogacy procedure is allowed
• Commercial surrogacy is legal
• No Court Decree is required
• No further adoption procedure required
• Birth certificate is issued in the name of the intended parents after the child’s birth
• You don't need to establish your parental rights, under Ukrainian laws you are the parents of the baby born by a surrogate mother
• Gestational mother has no legal right to be considered as a legal mother of a baby delivered by her. Only intended parents are considered to be the legal parents of the child born by the gestational carrier.

Unfortunately not. Ukraine allows only heterosexual married couples to proceed with surrogacy process.

Unfortunately, it's not possible to do surrogacy process in Ukraine for gay/lesbian marriages or couples. Ukraine recognizes heterosexual marriage only.

Minimum one visit to Kiev is required. We try to minimize your expenses and visits to Ukraine and offer to prepare a Power of Attorney to our staff so that we could sign all agreements and contracts related to surrogacy process on your behalf. Please, note, the Power of Attorney is issued for surrogacy purposes only.

In case of egg donation you can come once in the beginning to have medical evaluation in our partner clinic. If your sperm quality is good you can freeze your sample and the doctor will use it for fertilization of donor eggs. In this case 2 days visit is enough.

In case of using own eggs, you need to come twice. First time to do all tests in the IVF clinic (1-2 days), second time for stimulation (10-12 days).

Your last visit will be before the baby is born and it can take 3-4 weeks in country. We will get the birth certificate in 5-7 days after the baby is born, prepare all the documents for the Embassy and approximately in 1 week after the baby birth you'll have an appointment at the Embassy. The US Embassy is very quick and you can expect to go back home with your child within 10-12 days after the appointment.

No, you pay for the program in 5 installments. We will prepare a Contract for you and payment schedule will be indicated in our Contract.

No, under our laws the surrogate doesn't have any parental rights in relation to your baby. She doesn't have any genetic link to the baby and she isn't considered as a mother even if she delivered the baby. The Intended Mother is the only legal mother of the baby even if donor eggs were used in the program.

No, she can't. Under our laws she isn't considered as a mother of a child, therefore she has no legal or parental rights for the baby. Also we prepare a surrogacy arrangement between the parents and surrogate and under this arrangement she confirms that she doesn't have any rights for the child. Besides she doesn't receive her compensation after the delivery until we get a legal document about her consent to indicate you as parents, certified by a Notary.

But if for any reason the surrogate becomes out of her mind and decides to keep the baby, we will apply to Court and take the baby back. It can take time of course but the good thing is that we have contacts in all Courts in Ukraine. We complete many adoptions all over Ukraine and Court Decree is always required in adoption process.

Please search and rent an apartment around (Baseynaya street (ulitsa)). You may rent the apartment in 2-6 blocks from this mark or nearby. Downtown is the most popular and best place for foreigns citizens to stay in Kiev, in the city center there are many cafes, McDonalds etc. Cost of apartment is 50-90 per night, and cost of hotels 90-200 per night. There is no sense to rent apartments or hotels in other places of the city to save money because you will spend more for transportation, also cost of apartment in distant areas of Kiev is not much cheaper than in the downtown.

Preferably don't pay for your apartment beforehand, only when you come. We had a case when a family booked an apartment and it wasn't available so we had to find another one.

Please, put down our address and telephone numbers and keep close to you. If you have problems with luggage or it is lost, or there are delays with arrival, give this address and cell phone numbers to the airport delivery service or your air company where you book tickets. Also send us a text in case your flight is delayed or cancelled. A link of our address and cell phones numbers is HERE - access clients only

Cash

• Read here - Official Ukrainian Customs Procedures
• The amount of cash an individual is carrying must be declared at customs
• Any one individual may carry up to and including 10K in cash without needing a special permit from the Ukrainian National Bank
• This would mean any one couple could together bring in up to and including 20K in cash without needing a special permit from the Ukrainian National Bank
• If more than 10K (i.e. 10,001 or more) is carried into Ukraine by any one individual then upon declaration of that cash at customs, customs will withhold the cash until the individual has completed, submitted and received back from the Ukrainian National Bank a special permit to bring that amount into Ukraine * Typically this means the cash will be delayed at customs for approximately 3 days. I think this info necessary not only for Ukrainian customs but for American customs too.
• The bills should be nominals of 100 and some of 50 for us. For you - of 100, 50 and some of 20. You may bring all of 100.

Credit cards

It is possible to withdraw money from your credit cards but there is a limit per day (around $200). If you take cash (which is desirable), the banknotes should be after 1990, not shabby and torn.

You can pay with your credit card in stores, hotels, clinics and restaurants and you’ll have to use ATM to have some cash in grivnas. But mostly you'll need to have $ in cash and you can always exchange the money.

Travelers checks

Unfortunately the Travelers checks don't work in Ukraine

• are new (at least 1990 year issue)
• are not scratched
• are not torn
• do not have blots
• do not have any color stamp
• do not look old

NOTEThe bills should be nominals of 100 and some of 50 for us. For you - of 100, 50 and some of 20. You may bring all of 100.

• Be sure to declare your money at US customs. We didn't...and they made us count it out in the hetway in Detroit, with all boarding passengers passing by. They gave us the money back, but they searched all our bags, and made us sign a statement, stating how much money we had on us. We felt rather violated. There is no law against carrying a large sum of money, you just have to tell them if you have more than 10K per family
• I was very nervous about carrying this much cash. After a while you almost forget it's there. Carry it under your clothes and never get money out in public. Go to a restroom. Once you're comfortable with your apartment or hotel, you can leave it there. Never tell someone you have cash. Even people that know you're surrogacy trip, don't know you have cash on you. For all they know you could've paid your fee in advance. Personally, I hid it where an intruder wouldn't look, or even get lucky. For example, don't hide your money in your laptop bag. They steal your laptop...they get you money too. Put it in a regular plastic bag, and store it with your groceries or so
• We each had a waist security pouch and a neck belt so that if anything ever should happen, it would not be a "winner take all" situation. So we had 4 hiding spaces on our bodies. We never left it anywhere (in the apartments or rooms) when we went out
• We used the VIP service and no one even looked twice at us. The VIP guy helped us fill out our customs slips/declaration and went through the line with us. At the time, the limit in US cash was $10,000 per person. We had mostly $100's and $50's and a few $20's
• Be sure to get clarification on what is and what is not included in your fee, and also how much the fee will be. Just re-state your understanding to Oleg or Julia, or to your translator before you leave. This will make sure there are no misunderstandings.

• Surrogate mother compensation after the surrogacy process is finalized.
• Agency fees (last part), after the surrogacy process is finalized.
• Maternity hospital fee.
• Children's documents legalization (if needed) (from 300$ to 500$ per child)
• US Embassy requires cash but we had cases when a family spent all their cash money at the end of the process and the Embassy accepted the credit card.

WARNINGWhen you end of the surrogacy process please call to the US Embassy in Kiev in 3-5 days before the birth certificate come, for making appointment!

NOTEIf one parent or both parent will come back to America after birth call or emailed to US Embassy too, for filling all the necessary forms up, pls keep in mind this tip.

You can use Vitalcheck for ordering all our stuff. You can get your vital records (birth, marriage, death,or divorce) from any state through them. They're FAST and they send you a certified, notarized "original" that's ready to be apostilled.

• Where to obtain Birth & Marriage certificates - cdc.gov
• Fingerprinting Information
• Applying for your passport - travel.state.gov
• USCIS website - USCIS

If you want fast passage of customs at the airport (Boryspol, Kiev), you can use the service a meeting of the very important person (VIP) Rowland Enterprises, Lonnie Rowland emails: / / Phone - (615) 5669085

Reviews

We used the VIP service and no one even looked twice at us. The VIP guy helped us fill out our customs slips/declaration and went through the line with us. At the time, the limit in US cash was $10,000 per person. We had mostly $100's and $50's and a few $20's

Please do not indicate full value/cost for the package

Please, state low value of your package up to $150 (or free) without having to pay additional import duty. In case you stated full value of the package (or higher than it's allowed by Ukrainian law), we will not be able to pick your package.

• Ukrainian Information
• The Official Site of Ukrainian Government
• The Day (Ukrainian Online Newspaper)
• Book about Ukraine