Surrogacy in Israel is governed by the Embryo Carrying Agreements Law (1996) and a whole bunch of legal acts and norms, making it one of the first legislations worldwide to regulate surrogacy comprehensively. Surrogacy is available to a wide range of Intended Parents, including:
Applicants must meet several criteria:
The Surrogate Mother must be of the same religion as the Intended Parents, at least one of them. Only non-Jewish IPs may claim for exceptions with approval from the Committee. And here we come to a very important body in the whole process — the government-appointed surrogacy Approval Committee. This Committee reviews and approves all surrogacy agreements. While this adds an extra step to the process, it’s intended to uphold ethical practices and protect all involved.
The Embryo Carrying Agreements Law, complemented with other Legal Acts, outlines key legal requirements:
1. Eligibility: Intended Parents must meet the criteria listed above, and Surrogates must meet the following conditions:
2. Approval Process: Before the agreement is approved by the government committee, both the intended parents and the surrogate undergo detailed medical, psychological, and social evaluations.
3. Reimbursement: Surrogates in Israel receive compensation for medical and pregnancy-related expenses but are not paid beyond this, as the country operates under an altruistic surrogacy model.
While the legal framework is robust, the process can be time-consuming, with approval often taking several months.
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