International surrogacy in India is developing at such a rate, it's hard for intended parents to keep up to speed with the raft of information - often conflicting - that there is available on the internet. We are continually developing this site as a very special resource, one that gives intended parents access to ALL the relevant information, with expert perspectives and firsthand personal experiences. The opportunity to start (or add to) a family is nothing short of a life changing decision - we want to give you all the information that you need before, during and after the decision to embark upon a surrogacy programme in India.

At first our experiences of the Kiran Infertility Centre in Hyderabad were extremely positive, but as time went by and the pregnancy progressed, the clinic's interest seemed to wane. Eventually, in the final stages – just before and since the birth, the actions of the clinic veered towards reckless, with a total disregard for compliance with UK laws. What should have been the most joyous time of our lives became an incredibly distressing period of uncertainty – which continues to this day.

We had read online various accounts of how to get exit visas for babies born through surrogacy in India. We had received advice from our clinic (who wanted to charge us an extra 2000 USD to deal with this for us) and spoken to FRRO offices as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi, before finally deciding on our own route for tackling the process.

Exactly eight weeks after submitting passport applications to the British High Commission in Delhi – we have two baby passports for our boys!

It was slightly fraught and there were a few altercations, but eventually a massive sense of relief – firstly that the applications had been approved, and secondly that we could finally plan our exit from India. We didn't have any reason to suspect the applications would be refused, but didn't take for granted that approval would be “automatic.”

The latest BBC report on surrogacy in India -Womb for rent: A tale of two mothers, examines the relationship between two women, brought together ostensibly to fill each others need, but ending up at odds because of their differing expectations.



Sonal is a second-time-around surrogate living in rural Gujarat, Carolina is an infertile woman from Ireland. The connection between them? Dr Nayna Patel's Akshanka fertility clinic, which has in recent times received the lion's share of international media coverage concerning surrogacy practices in India. The story describes the bond that develops between the two mothers, the feeling of a shared purpose.

In this piece we look at some possible questions surrounding the issues of UK passports and parental responsibility, in the context of surrogacy in India. The answers highlight some of the practical considerations as well as the various legal frameworks that have to be respected - bearing in mind that what you need to complete in India has a bearing on your future legal situation in he UK.

Commissioning parents who are planning to apply for UK passports for their children born through surrogacy should consider carefully the timelines and paperwork requirements, well in advance for the birth. Whilst surrogacy clinics in India should provide you with a description of the complete process, they are not always fully aware of the UK laws and their applicability both when applying for passports in India, but also when you return to the UK to live with your child.

Our babies were born through surrogacy in India a little over two weeks ago - so now our main focus is to get UK passports for them so that we can head back to Europe. Easier said than done! Even getting information about the process is virtually impossible, especially if you are looking for something concrete and reliable.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Justice Hedley – the judge who has heard many of the UK's high profile surrogacy court cases, admitted that he is approving commercial surrogacy cases. Although not through choice, he explains that the best thing that he can do in any given surrogacy case is focus on the welfare of the child. Whilst some might see this as an attempt to subvert the intentions of UK laws surrounding surrogacy, the growing number of international cases where conflicts of laws between the UK and the country where the surrogacy takes place are forcing some  form of action. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately for him, Justice Hedley has taken a stand and spoken out on the issue, giving those engaged in commercial surrogacy abroad, or considering it, some clear sign of how court cases are decided in the absence of specific legislation on international surrogacy.

As the world's media seems intent on declaring that forthcoming legislation in India will effectively ban gay couples from becoming parents through surrogacy, the question arises as to exactly what foundation these claims have. Drafts of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill 2010, which has been in process since 2008 and includes recommendations dating as far back as 2005, have thus far not explicitly stated one way or another whether gay couples will be eligible under the proposed rules.