Surrogacy in Armenia is an option growing in popularity for gay couples looking for a pathway to parenthood. Unlike in instances of adoption, surrogacy allows a same-sex couple to build a family with genetic connections, using either in-vitro fertilization or traditional surrogacy methods to conceive a child. 

Why Armenia? 

Gay surrogacy in Armenia provides legal protections some other countries may not for international surrogacy arrangements. For instance, countries like Georgia may not be willing to enter a surrogacy arrangement with a single man or gay couple, favoring only married heterosexual couples instead. Armenia is unique in its laws protecting both married couples and singles who wish to seek out surrogacy arrangements within the country. 

When compared to domestic surrogacy arrangements for American couples, Armenia also provides a much more affordable option. A surrogacy arrangement in the United States can cost an upwards of $100,000 or more, while surrogacy in Armenia will likely range between $35,000 to $54,000 comparatively. This provides gay couples with an affordable option that allows them to become biological parents to a child that they may not have in the United States. 

Surrogacy Laws In Armenia 

For international surrogacy, each country is going to observe their own laws regarding the process. For some, surrogacy is only available to married heterosexual couples. In Armenia, however, surrogacy is an open option for married couples or singles alike. With laws that are slightly more open to different types of intended parents, this makes Armenia an ideal choice for gay couple seeking parenthood. 

Both gestational and traditional surrogacy is permitted in Armenia, however gestational is still the more popular method. With gestational surrogacy, both sperm and egg come from donors, and after the egg has been fertilized, it will then be implanted into the surrogate mother via in vitro fertilization. In these surrogacy arrangements, the surrogate mother has no biological link to the child. For gay couples, one half of the couple will donate sperm, an egg donor will be selected, and the fertilized egg later implanted into their chosen surrogate. 

Traditional surrogacy is an option for gay couples seeking parenthood, although it is less common. In these types of surrogacy arrangements, sperm will be donated and the egg used will be that of the surrogate mother. This means the surrogate mother will have a biological link to the child. 

Surrogacy laws in Armenia do require at least one parent have a genetic link to the child. This means donor sperm from one half of the couple will be required in either gestational or traditional surrogacies for a gay couple’s surrogacy arrangement to be considered legal within the country. 

Pre-birth parental orders immediately grant parental rights to the intended parents upon the birth of the child in Armenia, and this rings true regardless of the type of surrogacy you choose. For gay couples, this means that parental rights will be automatically given to the half of the couple who contributed to the conception of the child upon that child’s birth. 

When children born through surrogacy arrangements come into the world, they will not be granted Armenian citizenship due to Armenian surrogacy law. Instead, intended parents must apply for citizenship in their home countries for their child, and this is part of a process called “exit procedures”. Exit procedures begin once the child is born, and it involves the intended parents filing for and collecting the documents necessary to bring their new little one home as a citizen of their home country. During these procedures, intended parents will acquire a birth certificate, passport, and any other necessary legalization documents. This is one space where the importance of choosing the right surrogacy agency is really felt. With the best agency by your side, you’re able to navigate this “final stretch” period with confidence knowing you’re doing all of the right legal actions to ensure a smooth transition back home. 

Typically, for United States citizens, exit procedures will take between 2 and 5 weeks to complete. This means that from the time the child is born, gay couples can expect to bring their new baby home within this 2-to-5-week timespan once all documents have been collected. 

The Surrogacy Timeline 

After choosing Armenia as your surrogacy destination, the process will get underway quickly. Typically, for gay couples seeking out surrogacy in Armenia, the process can be expected to take between 12 and 18 months from your initial consultation to bringing home your new addition. Choosing your surrogate will take a period of around 1 to 3 months, gestation will take around 9 months, and the exit procedure another month or so. Of course, this is an average timeframe, and extenuating circumstances may cause a surrogacy journey to take more time if complications arise during any step of the process.