Do I need to be in Colombia for the entire surrogacy process?

No — but you will need to make at least one in-person visit before birth. For Donor IVF programs, you visit the fertility clinic for sperm deposit and lab work. For self-retrieval programs, egg retrieval also takes place during your visit. Most intended parents manage contract signing, matching updates, and pregnancy monitoring remotely. Physical presence at birth and during the exit process is required.

Colombia Surrogacy Process: Timeline, Steps & Program Options (2026)

The Two Program Approaches

One of the first decisions you'll make is how you want to structure the management of your surrogacy journey. In Colombia, two distinct models have emerged, and understanding them will shape the rest of your decision-making — including which city and clinic you choose.

Approach 1

Integrated Agency Program

A single agency handles the full journey. They source surrogates, manage legal work through an in-house team, and coordinate with a curated list of partner fertility clinics.

✓ Single point of contact
✓ Less coordination overhead
✓ Established surrogate pipelines
✗ Higher overall cost
✗ Less flexibility on clinic choice

Approach 2

Direct Coordination ("DIY")

You select your fertility clinic, lawyer, and surrogate coordinator independently, and communicate with each party directly — no agency intermediary.

✓ Full control over clinic selection
✓ Generally lower total cost
✓ Faster turnaround — no agency relay
✓ No middleman filtering information
✗ More parties to coordinate
✗ Requires more research upfront

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Author's note: I personally went with the Direct Coordination (DIY) approach. It took more coordination, but having as much control of the journey as possible — especially over clinic selection — was worth it to me. Your priorities may differ.

Recommended starting point: Whichever approach you choose, select your fertility clinic first — it's the most clinically important decision in the process. From there, either find an agency whose partner clinics include your preferred one, or speak with the clinic directly about pursuing the Direct Coordination path. The clinic selection guide walks through how to evaluate your options, including certifications to verify and questions to ask on your first consultation call.

Timeline Overview

The Colombia surrogacy process typically takes between 1.5 and 2.5 years from start to bringing your baby home. Below is an honest breakdown of what drives that range — and which phases carry the most uncertainty. For a full breakdown of what each phase costs, see the Cost Breakdown.

1.5–2.5

Years, typical total range

5 phases

Distinct stages in the process

+2 months

Added per failed embryo transfer

Total timeline also varies depending on your starting situation. The three scenarios below map to different starting points — specifically whether you already have banked embryos, or need to create them in Colombia.

Fastest path

Banked embryos ready to ship

~12–18 mo

You've already completed IVF and have frozen, tested embryos in storage. The process starts with shipping the embryos to the fertility clinic and surrogate matching.

Phases skipped: Sperm deposit, egg retrieval & embryo creation

Most common

Donor IVF in Colombia

~15–24 mo

You'll begin by visiting the fertility clinic in Colombia for medical screenings and sperm deposit, then proceed through a donor egg IVF cycle before surrogate matching.

Phases skipped: None

Most complex

Self-retrieval (intended mother's eggs)

~15–28 mo

The intended mother undergoes egg retrieval at the Colombian clinic. Timeline is similar to donor IVF but carries more uncertainty — multiple retrieval cycles may be needed.

Phases skipped: None

What Drives the Uncertainty?

The wide 1.5–2.5 year range isn't vagueness — it's an honest reflection of two variables that are genuinely difficult to predict in advance: surrogate matching time and embryo transfer success rate. Every other phase has a reasonably predictable duration. Understanding both will help you plan more realistically — and set expectations before committing to a program.

Surrogate matching time

Surrogate matching is one of the most unpredictable phases of the process. Demand for gestational carriers in Colombia has risen substantially in recent years, and some agencies are experiencing matching waits of 9+ months. Other coordinators with better-established networks can match in 2–3 weeks. This variation makes the city you choose relevant — Bogotá typically has higher demand and longer matching queues than some secondary cities.

When evaluating agencies and programs, matching wait times should be one of your first questions — and be skeptical of overly optimistic estimates. Ask for current data, not historical averages.

Embryo transfer success rate

Each embryo transfer attempt is roughly a 2-month cycle: endometrial preparation for the surrogate, the transfer itself, and the pregnancy test. If the transfer does not result in a viable pregnancy, the process restarts — adding approximately 2 months per attempt (more if re-matching with a different surrogate is needed).

This is why clinic selection matters so much. The live birth rate per transfer is the single most important metric to compare between clinics, and choosing a reputable, well-credentialed clinic from the outset is the best way to protect your timeline. The cost breakdown page walks through how transfer attempts affect total spending.

Plan for multiple transfers. Even with high-quality embryos and an experienced clinic, transfer success is not guaranteed on the first attempt. Couples who plan financially and emotionally for this possibility — and confirm contract terms for additional transfers upfront — report significantly lower stress when it occurs.

For a more detailed walkthrough of each individual phase, see the step-by-step process guides linked below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does surrogacy in Colombia take if I already have frozen embryos?

If you have frozen embryos ready to ship, you can skip the egg retrieval and embryo creation phase entirely. Your realistic timeline would start at surrogate matching — so the fastest realistic total timeline is roughly 12–18 months, depending on matching speed and how many transfers are needed. See the cost breakdown for how the banked-embryo path affects the overall budget.

Is it better to use an integrated agency or go with Direct Coordination for surrogacy in Colombia?

It depends on your priorities. Integrated agencies offer less coordination overhead and a simpler communication structure — but at a higher cost and with less flexibility on clinic selection. Direct Coordination gives you full control over the clinic (which many find worth the extra coordination), and generally results in lower total cost. The best advice: choose your fertility clinic first, then determine which model best fits that choice.

What happens if an embryo transfer fails?

A failed transfer extends the timeline by at least 2 months. The surrogate will need time to recover and undergo another round of endometrial preparation before a second transfer can be attempted. Your fertility clinic will review the transfer data and may adjust the protocol. It's important to confirm the number of transfer attempts covered under your contract before signing — this varies significantly between programs.

Do I need to be in Colombia for the entire process?

No — but depending on your starting point, you will need to make at least one in-person visit before birth. For Donor IVF programs, you'll visit the fertility clinic for sperm deposit and lab work. For self-retrieval programs, egg retrieval also takes place during this visit.

Beyond these trips, most intended parents manage contract signing, surrogate matching updates, and pregnancy monitoring remotely. Physical presence at birth and during the exit process is required. The city you choose affects how convenient your stays in Colombia will be — Bogotá has the best international flight access and embassy presence for passport processing.