There are dozens of larger surrogacy agencies in the United States, and many more small ones. Each of these agencies has slightly different qualifications for surrogates, but there are a few surrogacy requirements guidelines that every agency follows. Many of these requirements are guided by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and fertility clinics around the country. The below requirements
Surrogacy Requirements for Any Agency
Here are the 5 surrogacy requirements that will be the same at every surrogacy agency:
- You must be at least 21 years old to become a surrogate.
- You must have had at least one healthy pregnancy and delivery.
- You must be a non-smoker.
- You must live in a state where surrogacy is legal.
- You must be a US citizen or permanently reside in the US.
Now, these are of course not the only requirements that a surrogate must meet, but those listed above will not vary from agency to agency.
Age Requirements
While the minimum age to become a surrogate doesn’t vary depending on the agency, the maximum age does. At Circle Surrogacy, we accept first time surrogates up to age 44 and experienced surrogates up to age 45. Be sure to read the surrogates qualifications for each agency as you do your research to find the right surrogacy agency for you!
Pregnancy Requirements
Regardless of the agency, in order to become a gestational carrier, one must have had at least one healthy pregnancy and delivery. A pregnancy without complications and carried to term is a must for becoming a surrogate. Be sure you know the weeks of gestation for each of your pregnancies because that will be asked on any surrogacy application!
Smoking Requirements
All surrogacy agencies list smoking cigarettes or using illegal drugs as a disqualifications for surrogacy. At Circle Surrogacy, surrogates must stop smoking cigarettes for at least 6 months before applying for our program. During the medical screening process, a nicotine/cotinine blood test is run to determine how recently she had smoked. Smoking is always a disqualification for surrogacy.
Geographic Requirements
All United States based surrogacy agencies are legally only able to work with surrogates who are either US citizens or permanent residents. The specific Visa requirements may vary slightly with each agency, but for the most party all surrogacy agencies require the same documentation for surrogates. If you are currently residing in the United States on a Visa and are interested in surrogacy, be sure to check with each agency you’re interested in working with to see what their specific requirements are for residents who are not citizens!
Surrogates must also reside in a state where surrogacy is legal. In 2021, New York became the 47th state to make surrogacy legal, leaving only Nebraska, Michigan, and Louisiana as unfriendly surrogacy states! Women who live in Nebraska, Michigan, and Louisiana unfortunately are unable to become surrogates at any agency at this time. Surrogacy requirements in California and Surrogacy requirements in Massachusetts are the same…as long as you live in a surrogacy-friendly state, the core requirements will not change. If you’re interested in learning more about surrogacy in your state specifically, check out our surrogacy by state page!
Some agencies will work with surrogates from only specific states based on their geographic location, so be sure to check each agencies requirements on this before applying.
Become a Surrogate
If you meet these requirements and are interested in learning more about becoming a surrogate, check out our Surrogacy Process page to familiarize yourself with how everything works before applying!
We can’t wait to meet you!