Legal, citizenship & paperwork
Parentage orders, passports, apostilles and flying home.
13 articles
Your surrogate's insurance — the cost line most worth understanding early
An existing covering policy versus a dedicated one, exclusion reviews, the newborn's insurance and the NICU scenario — the line that creates the truly big cost gaps.
Pre-birth vs post-birth order — and why it matters to you
Two routes to a parentage judgment in the US — before the birth or after it. What differs in the delivery room, on the birth certificate and in your timeline, and why you are not the one choosing.
What to ask a US surrogacy lawyer before signing
Licensing, the legal route, the contract, the money — every question worth asking on the first call with your attorney.
Before Signing With an Agency – 10 Contract Clauses You Must Fully Understand
The first contract you sign – and the one read least carefully. Ten critical clauses and two golden rules before signing with an agency.
The Israeli Judicial Parentage Order – Completing Your Family on Paper Too (and Why the First 90 Days Are Critical)
In the state's eyes one of you is still a legal stranger to his child – and a 90-day clock enables retroactive parentage from birth.
From Birth to Registration in Israel – The U.S. Judgment, the Passport and the DNA Test, Step by Step
Parentage judgment, apostille, U.S. passport, ETA-IL and a DNA test done back in Israel – the full route, step by step, no myths.
Medical Decisions From Afar – You're in Israel, the Doctor Is in Ohio. Who Decides?
Who decides in a pregnancy an ocean away? The principle to understand before signing, and the form most parents don't know exists.
Your Surrogate Asks for Something Not in the Contract – Between Generosity and Boundaries
"I hate to ask, but..." – the message that arrives in almost every journey. When to say yes, how to say no, and why it all goes through escrow.
U.S. Citizenship for Surrogacy Babies – What Happened and Where Things Stand Today
If you started a surrogacy journey in the U.S. over the past year or two, you almost certainly saw this alarming question in intended-parent groups: "Wait – did they cancel our babies' American citizenship?" I received dozens of worried messages from parents mid-journey. So let's clear things up, because there's good news.
Do we have to get married as part of the process?
The answer is no. But it is important to understand that there may be implications to not being married.
What’s an apostille?
An apostille is authorization issued by an accredited state authority that authenticates the seals and signatures on public documents (such as marriage certificates, birth certificates, or any…
What U.S. state is the surrogacy agency located in?
There are surrogacy agencies in almost every U.S. state.
We’ve decided it’s time to be parents – what’s the best country for surrogacy processes?
What a fun and exciting time! I remember how excited I was when I started our journey.