Georgia

Legal status

Georgia was an early adopter of commercial surrogacy, grounded in the 1997 Law on Health Care (Articles 141, 143, 144) and civil-registration rules. It is open to married heterosexual couples (including de-facto couples who can prove ≥1 year of cohabitation), and foreigners enjoy the same terms as citizens.

Georgia's key advantage is stable parentage: courts can issue a pre-birth parentage order, the birth certificate lists the intended parents (no mention of the surrogate), and parents can usually leave with the child within days of delivery.

The 2023 "ban for foreigners" episode

In June 2023 the then-PM announced a plan to ban foreign commercial surrogacy, intended to take effect 1 January 2024, citing trafficking and exploitation concerns. The bill failed its third reading and was withdrawn in early 2024; as of mid-2026 no new law is in force.

Note: policy is uncertain. A tightening has been attempted before and could recur — intended parents should monitor legal developments.

Eligibility

| Group | Surrogacy allowed | | --- | --- | | Married heterosexual couples | Yes | | Single individuals | No (IVF/IUI allowed) | | Same-sex couples | No (explicitly excluded) |

Key risks (please read)

Georgia's surrogacy sector has seen serious scandals recently, reflecting a regulatory vacuum and weak protection of surrogates:

• Kinderly fraud & bankruptcy (2025): 30+ surrogates went unpaid, some evicted; the director was arrested in October 2025 (alleged misappropriation of $670k+).
• BabyCam forced egg-harvesting / trafficking (2025): a Chinese-run operation lured Thai women with fake job ads, confiscated passports and harvested eggs; 3 were rescued in January 2025 via international cooperation.
• Several surrogates were officially recognized as trafficking victims; investigations continue.

All facts are cited (see "Sources"). Law and prices can change; rely on the verification date. This page is not medical or legal advice.