International parents
Building your family in Ghana from abroad
Families come to us from the UK, Europe, North America and across Africa. Most of the journey can be handled from home, by video call and WhatsApp. Here is what happens remotely, when you need to be in Accra, and how we support you on the ground.
Your journey
What happens from home, and what happens in Accra
Every family's plan is different. This is the usual shape of a surrogacy journey for parents living abroad.
- 01
Free video consultation
From homeWe talk through your situation, your options and the realistic cost, at a time that suits your timezone. You receive the cost breakdown in writing.
- 02
Legal advice in your own country
From homeBefore you commit, speak to a family lawyer at home about recognising you as the parent and getting your baby a passport. We give you the questions to ask.
- 03
Matching
From homeYou review screened surrogate or donor profiles and meet your match by video. Counselling and agreements are arranged before anyone signs.
- 04
Eggs, sperm or embryos
Home or AccraIf you are using your own eggs or sperm, you come to Accra for collection. Plan on one to two weeks for egg collection and a few days for sperm. If you already have frozen embryos, we coordinate shipping them to Accra instead.
- 05
The pregnancy
From homeRegular updates and scan reports from your coordinator, by WhatsApp and email. Many parents visit once during the pregnancy, but you do not have to.
- 06
The legal process in Ghana
From homeOur lawyer applies to the High Court for the Pre-Parental Order within 12 weeks of the embryo transfer, the step that names you as your baby's legal parent.
- 07
The birth and the weeks after
In AccraMost parents arrive a week or two before the due date. After the birth, your baby is registered, then come your embassy appointment, any DNA test your country requires, and the passport. Allow several weeks in Ghana after the birth.
When you are in Accra
- Pickup at Kotoka International Airport
- Help finding safe, comfortable accommodation near the hospital
- Someone with you at hospital appointments
- Practical help with getting around and settling in
Before you travel
- A valid passport, and a visa if you need one. ECOWAS citizens need no visa, and other African passport holders now get theirs free
- A yellow fever vaccination certificate, which Ghana requires on arrival
- Advice from your doctor on malaria prevention
- Travel and health insurance
- Copies of your medical records, and embryo storage papers if you are shipping embryos
Staying in touch
Same time as London for half the year
Ghana is on GMT all year and does not change its clocks. That is the same time as London in winter and one hour behind in summer, and four to five hours ahead of New York. WhatsApp is how most international families stay in touch with us.
Bringing your baby home
Start with your own country's rules
Ghana's law names you as the parent through a court order. Your own country then decides how it recognises you and how your baby gets a passport, and some countries expect steps before conception. Get that advice first, not last.
Common questions
What international parents ask us
- Do I have to come to Ghana?
- Not for most of it. You need to come for egg or sperm collection if you are using your own, unless you ship frozen embryos, and for the birth and the paperwork after it.
- How will I know what is happening?
- You have one coordinator who knows your case. Updates come after every scan and appointment, and you can reach us on WhatsApp in between. You should never have to chase us.
- How do I pay from abroad?
- Before you pay anything, you receive a written, itemised breakdown and a payment schedule. Nothing appears later that was not on that sheet.
- Do you work in English?
- Yes. English is Ghana's official language. Every consultation, agreement and medical report is in English.
More detail in our guide, Surrogacy in Ghana for international parents, and on our FAQ page.
Start here
Book a free video consultation
From anywhere in the world, at a time that suits your timezone. Free, confidential, and no obligation. If Ghana is not the right choice for you, we will say so.
Request your consultation
We reply within one working day.