Everything About Surrogacy in Georgia: Systems, Procedures, and Realities in a Country Where the Couple's Names Appear on the Birth Certificate
A comprehensive guide to surrogacy in Georgia. Covering the legal system in place since 1997, eligibility requirements (legal marriage or common-law marriage of at least one year plus medical necessity), the three documents required for birth registration, estimated costs, and the current situation surrounding the 2023 bill.
Thank you for waiting. Starting with this installment, we will dive deep into individual countries. The first is the country that has appeared many times in this series: Georgia.
Why do so many couples consider this country first? The reason can be summarized in one sentence.
It is because it is a country where, from the moment of birth, the child begins as yours on paper.
The foundation of a legal system spanning nearly 30 years
Surrogacy in Georgia is not a new, impulsive business. It is a system with a history of nearly 30 years, rooted in the 1997 Law on Health Care.
The framework of the system is as follows: The intended couple is recognized as the legal parents from the beginning, and no parental rights are granted to the surrogate mother. The names of the intended couple are directly recorded on the birth certificate, and the surrogate mother's name is not included. No local adoption or court procedures are required.
Recall the discussion about methods from the previous installment. Georgia only permits the host mother method. It is forbidden for the surrogate mother to also be the egg donor. The design to prevent ambiguity in the parent-child relationship is built into the legal level.
The shape of the keyhole: Do you meet the criteria?
In the first installment of this series, I wrote that choosing a country is like the relationship between a key and a keyhole. Georgia's keyhole has a distinct shape.
Must be a male-female couple
Must be legally married or in a common-law marriage of at least one year (must be able to prove cohabitation and shared livelihood)
Must have a medical reason why the wife cannot carry or give birth to a child herself (uterine disease, recurrent miscarriage, multiple failed IVF attempts, etc.)
At least one of the couple must have a genetic connection to the child
I would like you to pay attention to the second point. Georgia opens its doors not only to legally married couples but also to provable common-law couples. This means that for couples who say, 'We aren't legally married but have been together for many years,' there is a path depending on the conditions.
The three documents required for birth registration
The documents required to be registered as parents locally are actually simple.
Surrogacy agreement
Clinic certificate proving that embryo transfer was performed
Maternity hospital certificate proving the birth
If these three points are met, a birth certificate will be issued naming the intended parents. Conversely, having accurate contracts and medical records in place is the foundation for everything. Whether or not the agency has planned the documentation from the very beginning is where their true competence is shown.
Estimated Costs
As mentioned in the installment on costs, the total cost in Georgia ranges from approximately $40,000 to $80,000. This range depends on whether egg donation is involved, the number of embryo transfers, and whether it is a guaranteed program. Note that compensation for the surrogate mother accounts for up to $30,000 of this total. Please refer to the cost installment for the breakdown of these figures.
Writing Honestly: Regarding the 2023 Bill
This is the part that many referral sites only mention in fine print.
In 2023, the Georgian government announced a bill to ban commercial surrogacy for foreigners. At the time, it was reported that it would be implemented starting in 2024, which caused tension in the industry.
What happened after that? As of 2026, this bill has not been passed. It has been reported that it was withdrawn from committee deliberation, and programs for foreign couples are still operating legally.
However, the discussion itself has not disappeared. In other words, Georgia is a country where the door is open, but discussions to close it are ongoing.
That is precisely why we place such importance on the "legal amendment clause" when signing contracts. What happens if the law changes while the process is underway? How will refunds, transitions to alternative countries, or the transfer of embryos be handled? Explicitly stating these in the contract is the way to turn unchangeable political risk into manageable contractual risk.
Another Misconception: Georgian Documents Are Not the "Final Product"
Finally, a review of what we discussed in the installment on family registers.
Even if the couple's names appear on the Georgian birth certificate, that does not mean they will automatically appear on a Japanese family register. Furthermore, since Georgia does not automatically grant citizenship to children born there, travel document procedures at the Japanese Embassy are required, and you should expect to stay in the country for several weeks to several months before departure.
If you encounter an agency that uses the phrase "completed locally," please remember this article. What is completed is the local registration. The final stage, the Japanese family register, begins after you return home.
Today's Conclusion
Georgia has a legal system with nearly 30 years of history, and the couple's names appear directly on the birth certificate.
The conditions are: a male-female couple + legal marriage or common-law marriage of one year or more + medical necessity + genetic connection.
The 2023 ban bill has not been passed, but discussions are ongoing. Contract design that includes legal amendment clauses is a lifeline.
Local documents are not the final product; a blueprint leading to the Japanese family register is necessary.
Next Time Preview
Next time, we will talk about another major country. A country that has one of the world's largest track records but is currently at war—Ukraine. I will explain, based on facts rather than emotion, why programs are still running, the reality of clinics equipped with shelters, and how to minimize travel.
Please follow us and stay tuned.