It is illegal to pay for one in New Zealand so some couples are seeking a surrogate mother overseas. Child, Youth and Family had never heard of an international surrogacy case before last year, but since then the agency has had 63 inquiries from people looking overseas as a last resort for a family.
International case work director Paula Attrill said some New Zealanders were now stuck in tricky immigration nightmares. “The baby is born and therein starts the problem – the baby is not legally theirs. Sometimes the child is not entitled to a passport and travel documents cannot be issued. It is a really new area.”
“In the past 18 months, at least two New Zealand babies had been born of Indian surrogates. But divergent surrogacy laws have meant the babies are not recognised as citizens of either country.”
Domestic surrogacy arrangements can cost about $10,000 in fees to fertility clinics, and an extra $4,000 for legal costs.
In many countries however, the practice is not regulated. Costs vary but begin at about $30,000 for an Indian surrogate, to about $100,000 in the United States.
IVF treatment is publicly funded in New Zealand for two cycles. Since January 2010, CYF has received 63 inquiries from people considering or having already commissioned a baby from overseas.
The Government is aware of 15 children born overseas as a result of an arrangement from New Zealand.
Three sets of New Zealand parents are currently going through the international surrogacy process.
Source
- TVNZ
- DomPost
- Image: WhereismyDoctor.com