Legislative Milestone in Virginia’s Surrogacy Landscape:
The state's approach mandates altruistic surrogacy, disallowing any form of compensation beyond medical and ancillary expenses for Surrogates.
Surrogacy Contracts
While surrogacy contracts are legally permissible, they must meet detailed conditions and receive court approval before any medical procedures begin. The contracts are expected to cover health standards, previous pregnancy history of the Surrogate, infertility or health risks of the Intended Mother, and genetic connection to the child, among other factors.
Parental Rights
Virginia allows for the filing of surrogacy parentage orders post-birth, facilitating the issuance of a new birth certificate under the Intended Parents' names. This process is limited to married couples with at least one partner genetically related to the child. Otherwise, intended parents might need to pursue adoption post-birth to establish legal parentage.
Legal Rights of Surrogates:
Compensated surrogacy is prohibited in Virginia, with the law explicitly banning the provision of base compensation to surrogates. Surrogates can only be reimbursed for medical and related expenses.
Who Can Benefit from Surrogacy in VA?
Heterosexual married couples with a genetic link to a child
Surrogacy Environment in Virginia:
In Virginia, surrogacy is a legal family-building process, albeit with a series of strict rules and regulations, particularly favoring married Intended Parents who have a genetic connection to the child.
Advantages of Surrogacy in VA
Gestational surrogacy is permitted under Virginia’s Assisted Conception Statute, tailored to married couples and incorporating a comprehensive set of regulations. This includes pre-surrogacy counseling, fitness assessments for Intended Parents and Surrogates, and medical justifications for opting for surrogacy.
