Surrogacy laws in Cyprus may prove to be a bit confusing initially for many intended parents. So, as a caution, you must connect with a legal professional before making the first move forward. Moreover, being a potential parent, you may come up with hundreds and thousands of questions in the same regard.
While many opt to read through various articles and blogs available on the internet, not each of them comes up with the right and most apt information. That said, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions regarding surrogacy in Cyprus to help you with any such confusion and dilemma.
Who is the legal mother during surrogacy in Cyprus?
On the other hand, the surrogate mother must give her consent for any legal custody transfer because she is considered to be the child’s natural mother. Besides, this may not consider the child’s genetic makeup or the will of the intended parents. Voluntary acknowledgment, however, cannot be revoked.
The surrogate mother may still share her willingness to give up the child’s custody and allow the intended parents to adopt the child after three months of the child’s birth. The intended parents then become the baby’s legal parents following adoption under the law.
The prospective parents cannot claim the child and will unavoidably lose their child if the surrogate decides to keep the child by herself and refuses to give up her legal motherhood (under Cyprus Adoption Law 19(1)/1995) at least three months after birth. Besides, local heterosexual couples have the option of filing an adoption appeal with the court while going by the surrogacy agreement.
Would you be facing any issues while opting for an egg donor or a sperm donor in Cyprus?
You won’t face any issues while going by your plans to shortlist an egg or a sperm donor. However, the donation process is highly regulated and must proceed in the following manner.
- You are not allowed to disclose the name, appearance and other details regarding the egg or sperm donor. Only the details regarding his/her ethnicity and locality are known to the intended parents
- The donors have to put up a short message about their educational qualifications and ethnicity in the same details
- The medical records of the donor would stay confidential unless the future child would like to access those after due permission from the medical board of Cyprus
- The Intended parents choose the best donor after taking into consideration his/her key characteristics. Even then, they are not allowed to reveal the identity of the donor by any means
- The surrogacy agency in Cyprus or the clinics may accept donors from the organization with photos and, if available, information about their families. Also, the clinics and the organization should both have modernized technology and facilities and be ISO certified.
That said, one can opt for the services of egg donors in Cyprus only in the following situations:
- The intended parent(s) may have reached a menopause stage
- Intended mother with poor quality or quantity of eggs
- Intended mother with numerous miscarriages and failed IVF cycles
- Couples or individuals trying to avoid the transmission of a critical health issue to the future child
Moreover, the intended parents may seek the help of a surrogacy professional in order to understand the above-mentioned aspects. Given the unregulated nature of surrogacy laws in Cyprus, you may feel sceptical about a lot of things during your surrogacy journey.
How to proceed with the surrogate mother search?
Moreover, if you don’t already have a surrogate on your side, you can always connect with a trusted surrogacy agency in Cyprus.
These agencies duly screen and match candidates before putting forward the best match according to the needs and requirements of the Intended parents. On the other side, the potential candidate for the surrogate mother must meet the following requirements:
- She ought to be healthy both mentally and physically.
- She must be between the ages of 24 and 35, which is prime reproductive age.
- If she is married, her husband needs to give his full approval for the surrogacy procedure
Additionally, it is always advised and suggested to find a surrogate from a reputable surrogacy agency as there are no regulations regarding surrogacy in the country. So, the surrogates could change their mind in the later stages and may deny giving custody of the child to the intended parents.
Moreover, the surrogacy agreement isn’t enforceable in the local courts; hence it is all about mutual trust and faith. So, it is better to consult a surrogacy agency rather than trust unverified locals. On the other side, the agency will help you at every step of your surrogacy journey, from choosing the best surrogate mother to navigating the legal requirements to successfully claiming your child if it is born on Cypriot soil.
Do intended parents require a parental order after the birth of the child?
As mentioned earlier, the surrogate mother (along with her partner) is the legal parent of the born child, in case she is married. Moreover, if she is single, the surrogate, along with the intended father, would be deemed as the legal parents on the child’s birth certificate. So, the intended parents may require a parental order to transfer the child’s custody. Besides, only after obtaining this parental order, they are only allowed to bring the child back to their hometown.
Final words
Surrogacy in Cyprus can help you reach your parenthood goals without any hassle. Still, with the help and support of a trusted surrogacy agency, you can deal with any unwanted situation or circumstance during your surrogacy journey.
