Where Is Surrogacy Carried Out? A Tbilisi Batumi Guide

Where Surrogacy Is Carried Out Around The World

A Patchwork Of Laws

There is no single global rule for surrogacy. Some countries allow it only when the surrogate is not paid beyond reasonable expenses, which is often called altruistic surrogacy. Some permit it with compensation under regulated conditions. Others restrict it to their own citizens, and many prohibit it completely or leave it in a legal grey area. Rules can differ even inside one country, because regions or states may regulate the matter in different ways.

Why Families Travel Abroad

Families go abroad for several reasons. Their home country may prohibit surrogacy, the waiting list for local altruistic arrangements may be long, the local legal process may be uncertain or the programme may be unaffordable. A destination that offers a clear medical and legal route, experienced clinics and modern hospitals can look attractive. At the same time, travelling for surrogacy brings legal risks, since the rules of the destination and the rules of the home country must both work together.

The Risk Of Changing Rules

Destinations that were once popular have sometimes limited foreign access, tightened conditions or changed their laws. For that reason, an article written today can be outdated tomorrow. Always look for the latest information from a qualified lawyer, and be careful with any provider who says the law will never change.

What Makes A Destination Suitable

A suitable destination usually offers a legal framework that recognises the intended parents, medical facilities that meet good standards, transparent contracts, protection for the surrogate and a practical route for the baby to travel to the parents' home country. No destination is perfect, so each family should weigh the advantages and risks of the available options.

Where Surrogacy Is Carried Out In Georgia

The Legal Basis As Reported

A legal guide published in October 2026 by a Georgian law firm says that surrogacy and IVF are legal in Georgia. It states that the law currently makes no distinction between citizens and foreigners and that a 2023 bill to limit the services to Georgian citizens was reported as not adopted. It describes eligible intended parents as a man and a woman who are married or have lived together for at least a year, and it says that surrogacy is permitted where the woman has no uterus. This is a single source, so confirm every point with a Georgian lawyer.

Which Parts Happen In Georgia

For families who use a Georgian programme, most of the medical and legal steps take place in the country. The consultation may start online, but embryo creation, the transfer, antenatal care and delivery take place in Georgian medical facilities. The notarial deed and contract signing also take place locally, and the surrogate must appear in person according to the same legal guide.

Who Is Registered As Parent

According to the guide, the intended parents are registered as the parents, while the surrogate and donors never are. Donor details may still appear on certain registry certificates connected with the IVF procedure. This legal outcome is one reason why some families look at Georgia, but they should still obtain legal advice about the documents that will be issued.

Step By Step Locations Inside A Georgian Programme

The Clinic

The fertility clinic is the main place of treatment. It holds the consultations, the ultrasound monitoring, the stimulation cycle for the egg provider, egg retrieval, the embryology laboratory and the embryo transfer. A Georgia IVF center normally keeps its own laboratory on site, which reduces the need to move eggs or embryos between buildings.

The Embryology Laboratory

Inside the clinic, the laboratory is where eggs and sperm meet and embryos develop. Temperature, air quality and handling procedures are tightly controlled. Embryos can be frozen and stored here for later transfer. Ask the clinic to describe its laboratory standards and how it identifies and tracks every sample.

The Notary Office

The legal stage involves a notary, where the notarial deed is signed. The legal guide notes that the surrogate must appear in person and that the contract needs to be signed before embryo creation. Your lawyer will explain the documents and accompany you.

The Surrogate Residence

During the pregnancy the surrogate normally lives in her own home or in accommodation arranged under the programme, depending on the contract. Ask the clinic where the surrogate lives, how she is supported and how medical appointments are organised.

The Hospital

The hospital is where the baby is born. Many private hospitals in Tbilisi and Batumi offer maternity units, and some have neonatal intensive care. Ask which hospital the clinic works with, who the obstetrician is and how the clinic and hospital share information.

The Registry And Embassy Offices

After birth, the family registers the baby and prepares travel documents. This involves the civil registry, your embassy or consulate and, in some cases, courts or offices in your home country. Ask your lawyer for the exact list of offices and documents.

Tbilisi As A Place For Surrogacy

Why The Capital Is Chosen

Tbilisi is the largest city in Georgia and the main centre for medicine and law. It has many private clinics, laboratories, notary offices, translators, embassies and the main international airport. Families who need several appointments, document checks and consular visits often find it practical because everything is located in one city.

Hospitals And Maternity Care

Many private hospitals in Tbilisi have modern maternity units and neonatal services. When you compare options, ask about the delivery rooms, the experience of the obstetricians, the newborn care available and the arrangement for emergencies. A visit or a video tour helps you judge the facility yourself.

Accommodation And Daily Life

Tbilisi offers a wide range of apartments and hotels, many close to medical districts. The city has restaurants, parks and historic areas that help patients relax between appointments. Taxis and public transport are common, so getting to the clinic is usually simple.

Practical Tips

Choose accommodation near your clinic if you expect frequent appointments, and ask whether the centre arranges airport transfers. Keep your documents in a single folder, and ask the coordinator for the schedule of visits so that you can plan flights.

Batumi As A Place For Surrogacy

A Coastal Setting

Batumi lies on the Black Sea coast and is known for its promenade, modern architecture and relaxed atmosphere. Some families prefer it because the pace is calmer, and the climate and seaside environment can feel more comfortable during a long stay.

Medical Services In Batumi

Reproductive services and hospitals are available in Batumi. Some programmes carry out most steps locally, while others combine work in Batumi with steps in Tbilisi. Ask exactly which procedures take place in Batumi, which hospital handles delivery and what happens if a specialist from Tbilisi is needed.

Seasonal Considerations

Batumi is busier in the summer, and accommodation prices and availability change with the season. Plan your travel early and keep flexible dates, since medical schedules can move.

Travel Between The Cities

If your programme uses both cities, ask about travel time, transport arrangements and who covers the cost. Plan rest days, because long journeys during treatment or late pregnancy can be tiring.

Comparing Tbilisi And Batumi

Medical Concentration

Tbilisi generally has a larger concentration of specialists and facilities, while Batumi offers a smaller but growing medical sector. This does not mean that one city is better in quality, because individual clinics differ more than cities do.

Legal And Administrative Convenience

Many legal and consular services are located in Tbilisi, which can simplify paperwork. If your programme is based in Batumi, ask how notary appointments and registry procedures are arranged.

Lifestyle And Comfort

Choose Tbilisi if you prefer a busy capital with many services and cultural options, and consider Batumi if you want a quieter, seaside setting. Your own comfort matters, because the journey is long.

The Deciding Factor

The most important factor is the quality and honesty of the clinic and hospital, not the city. Choose the team first and the city second, and confirm all arrangements in writing.

How To Choose Where To Carry Out Surrogacy

Check The Legal Fit

Before you pay any deposit, confirm that your family meets the conditions described by Georgian legal sources, such as marriage or cohabitation for at least one year and the medical condition of having no uterus. If you do not match, do not assume that a clinic can legally accept you.

Check Your Home Country Rules

Ask a lawyer at home whether your country will recognise a child born through surrogacy in Georgia and what documents will be needed. Some countries require a court order, a genetic test or other certificates. This stage should be settled before treatment.

Check The Clinic

Ask about the doctors, the laboratory, the results reporting, the surrogate programme and the contract. Request names, licences and written descriptions of services. Be careful with providers who guarantee success or avoid written answers.

Check The Hospital

Find out where delivery will take place, who will attend, what newborn care exists and how emergencies are handled. A reliable clinic is open about its hospital partner and welcomes questions.

Check The Costs

Ask for an itemised written estimate, and compare complete budgets. Costs usually include the clinic programme, medication, support for the surrogate, legal services, delivery, insurance, optional tests, travel and accommodation. This guide does not quote prices because they differ between programmes and change over time.

Check Communication

Surrogacy lasts more than a year, so you need a coordinator who answers questions, speaks your language and provides regular updates.

Common Misunderstandings

Surrogacy Is The Same Everywhere

It is not. Laws, medical standards, contracts and parent registration differ widely between countries. Do not assume that what worked for another family in a different country will work for you.

The Cheapest Place Is The Best Place

A low price may hide exclusions or weak protections. The right place is the one that offers medical quality, legal clarity and honest communication at a price you can plan for.

A Clinic Alone Decides Legality

A clinic can explain its practice, but the law and your home country authorities decide what is recognised. Always seek independent legal advice.

The Process Ends At Birth

Birth is only one milestone. Registration, passports, travel and sometimes court procedures at home can add weeks or months, so plan time and money for this stage.

Medical Stages And Where They Happen

Consultation And Testing

The first consultation can take place online, but tests such as ultrasound, hormone assessment and semen analysis may be done at your home clinic or at the Georgian clinic. Ask which test results the Georgian team will accept and how recent they must be.

Egg Retrieval

The egg provider, either the intended mother or a donor, is stimulated and monitored, and eggs are retrieved at the clinic in a short procedure under light sedation. If you use your own eggs, you may need to stay in Georgia for part of the cycle. If you use donor eggs, the donor attends the clinic locally.

Embryo Creation And Storage

Fertilisation, embryo culture, genetic testing if chosen and freezing all take place in the clinic laboratory. Frozen embryos may stay in storage until the surrogate is ready for transfer.

Embryo Transfer

The transfer takes place at the clinic, usually as a short outpatient procedure under ultrasound guidance. The surrogate attends, and intended parents may or may not be present, depending on the programme and their travel plans.

Pregnancy Monitoring

The surrogate attends regular check ups at the clinic and hospital. Reports and scan images are sent to the intended parents. Families may visit for certain appointments, but many follow the pregnancy remotely.

Delivery

The birth takes place in the hospital chosen under the contract. Ask whether the intended parents may be present, how the baby is cared for in the first days and how feeding is arranged.

Questions About Legal And Ethical Settings

Where The Contract Is Signed

According to the legal guide, a notarial deed is required, and the contract must be signed before embryo creation. This happens in Georgia in the presence of a notary. Take time to read the contract before signing.

Where Payment Rules Are Defined

The legal guide says that the law neither expressly permits nor prohibits payment to the surrogate. This is a topic for careful legal advice, and the contract should explain how support for the surrogate is arranged.

Ethical Settings

Ethical surrogacy requires informed consent, respect for the surrogate, medical supervision and honest communication. Ask the clinic how it protects the surrogate, what insurance or medical coverage she has and how disputes are handled.

Privacy

Donor details may appear on certain registry certificates, according to the same guide. Discuss privacy early, particularly if you plan to use donor eggs or sperm.

Planning Your Stay

How Many Trips

Most families make several trips. A first trip may cover consultations and the legal signing, a second may be linked to the transfer and a final one covers the birth and paperwork. Some programmes require fewer trips, so ask for a travel plan.

Time After Birth

After the baby is born you usually stay for several weeks for health checks, registration and travel documents. Choose accommodation that suits a newborn, ideally with a kitchen and good internet.

Documents To Bring

Bring passports, marriage or partnership certificates, medical records and any papers requested by the clinic and lawyer. Make digital copies and keep originals safe.

Travelling Home

Confirm with your embassy what the baby needs to travel. Keep a flexible return ticket, because small delays are common, and carry all certificates in your hand luggage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Surrogacy Legal In Georgia

According to a published legal guide, surrogacy and IVF are legal in Georgia, with specific eligibility rules. Because this is a single source and laws can change, confirm the current position with a Georgian lawyer.

Can Foreigners Use Surrogacy In Georgia

The same guide says that the law currently makes no distinction between citizens and foreigners, and that a 2023 bill to restrict services to citizens was reported as not adopted. Check again before you begin.

Is It Better To Choose Tbilisi Or Batumi

Both can work. Tbilisi has the largest number of services, and Batumi offers a calm coastal environment. Choose the clinic and hospital first, then decide the city.

Can I Visit The Clinic Before Deciding

Many clinics welcome visits or video tours. A visit helps you see the laboratory, meet the doctors and judge the atmosphere.

How Long Will I Stay

Plan several short visits and a longer stay around the birth. The exact timeline depends on your programme and the speed of paperwork.

Safety And Quality Checks

Verify Licences

Ask the clinic and the hospital to confirm their licences and the names of the doctors who will treat you. A professional provider answers openly and gives the information in writing.

Look At Laboratory Practice

Ask how embryos are labelled, how samples are stored and what quality controls exist. Good laboratories can explain these points in simple terms and are not offended by questions.

Review The Surrogate Programme

Ask how surrogates are screened, how many pregnancies they may carry, what medical coverage they receive and what psychological support is offered. The wellbeing of the surrogate is closely linked to the quality of the pregnancy and the ethics of the programme.

Read Independent Information

Search for independent information about the clinic, but treat anonymous reviews carefully, since they can be unreliable. A direct conversation with the team and a lawyer is usually more useful.

Keep Everything In Writing

Ask for written answers about the services, the payment stages, the attempts included and the documents you will receive. Written terms protect everyone and prevent misunderstandings.

Questions For Your First Call

Questions About Place And Process

Ask which steps take place in Tbilisi and which in Batumi, which hospital will handle delivery and where the notary signing happens. Ask how many trips you will need, how long the final stay lasts and who arranges transport. Request the answers by email, so that you can compare clinics calmly and keep a clear record of every promise.

Conclusion

Surrogacy is carried out in different places around the world, and each place has its own legal, medical and ethical framework. In Georgia, according to published legal commentary, the main steps take place in the country, with clinics, laboratories, notary offices and hospitals in Tbilisi and Batumi playing different roles. The best place for your family is the one where the law fits your situation, the clinic is honest and experienced, the hospital is reliable and the surrogate is treated with respect. Choose a Georgia IVF center that explains every step in writing, and confirm your plans with independent lawyers before you start. Take your time, ask every single question and never sign any contract that you do not yet fully understand.