Some patients start IVF and only later realize surrogacy is needed. Others already know from the beginning that both treatments will be required. Either way, the challenge is the same: finding a country where everything, including medical, legal, and logistical steps, can be done together.
This is harder than it sounds. In many places, the laws that govern IVF don’t match those for surrogacy. Even countries where both are technically allowed often require separate clinics, separate contracts, and even separate legal processes. Costs rise, risks multiply, and time is lost.
So where can international patients complete both IVF and surrogacy in one legal and medical system without complications?
The Criteria That Actually Matter
The real answer starts with understanding what patients need beyond a medical procedure. The best country for combined treatment must offer:
- Legal recognition of parenthood from birth
- Surrogacy access for foreigners
- Local IVF capability, including donor gametes and genetic testing
- One clinic to handle everything
- No requirement for post-birth court processes
Most countries fall short on at least one of these. Some ban surrogacy altogether. Others offer it only to locals. Many require intended parents to go through a court process after the child is born. Some don’t allow donor material. And almost none offer all-inclusive packages under one roof.
Why Georgia Remains the Most Practical Option
For married heterosexual couples, SILK Medical in Georgia continues to be the most efficient and secure choice. Surrogacy has been legal there since 1997. The law is clear: intended parents are recognized as legal parents from the moment of birth. No surrogate consent is needed afterward, and no court process is involved.
Embryo creation, donor cycles, genetic testing, transfers, and monitoring: all steps can be done within a single clinic. This means no repeated screenings, no chain-of-custody risks when shipping embryos, and no split responsibilities across countries.
SILK Medical’s surrogates are primarily from Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, and Central Asia – countries with cultural familiarity and legal flexibility. Many fly in for the embryo transfer and return home until later stages of pregnancy, unless full relocation is required.
Costs are predictable. An IVF cycle with own material is priced at $6,500 and includes medication, stimulation, PGT-A testing (up to 5 embryos), and freezing. Surrogacy programs begin at $38,900 for patients with ready embryos, and start from $51,000 when donor eggs are included. A guaranteed live birth option exists at $70,000.
All programs follow a clear three-stage payment structure: contract, mid-pregnancy, and delivery. Additional options like priority surrogate matching, extra embryo transfers, or donor upgrades are also available.
When Armenia Becomes the Better Fit
Not every patient qualifies for Georgian programs. Singles are excluded. So are unmarried couples without proof of cohabitation for at least a year.
In those cases, Armenia offers a legal workaround. Surrogacy is available to both single men and single women. SILK Medical clinics’ operations are nearly identical. IVF cycles can include egg or sperm donors. Surrogates are still foreign nationals as Armenian citizens are not used for international cases. Embryos can be shipped in, or created locally. Program timelines and structure mirror those in Georgia, though biological materials shipping sometimes requires local adaptation due to ministry-level procedural nuances.
Why Other Countries Often Fail to Deliver
The United States offers excellent care but at enormous cost. IVF with surrogacy can exceed $150,000. Legal parenthood often requires a pre-birth or post-birth court order, depending on the state. And each piece, IVF, surrogacy agency, legal work, is usually billed separately.
Mexico and Colombia have emerged as lower-cost options, but surrogacy laws vary by region. In many cases, court approval is required. Programs often involve coordination between multiple parties, not a single clinic. Legal recognition of foreign intended parents isn’t always immediate or guaranteed.
Cyprus and Greece allow IVF, but surrogacy access is restricted. In Greece, for example, patients must undergo a court procedure after birth. Donor gametes are available, but the pace of final registration is slower. For many, it adds months.
Ukraine, once a hub for surrogacy, is no longer viable due to war. India, Thailand, and Nepal have all closed international surrogacy in recent years.
The Simplest Path Is Still the Most Overlooked
For international patients who need IVF and surrogacy either with their own embryos or with donor material, the most stable and efficient setup is still in the Caucasus.
Georgia remains the best choice for married couples, offering fast documentation, legal parenthood from birth, and full treatment integration.
Armenia remains the best choice for single patients or those needing legal flexibility.
SILK Medical, having clinics in both countries, allow international patients to complete the entire process under one roof, with one legal framework, and without having to restart halfway through.
That’s the difference between access and predictability.
English