LGBTQ Surrogacy in Prague and Bratislava: The Journey

Are you part of a male couple considering parenthood through surrogacy for gay couples? We invite you on an extraordinary journey to Eastern Europe, from which you’ll return with a new status: parents of your own child.

The Czech Republic is one of the few exceptions that supports surrogacy, allowing parents of any type of couple to have their own biological child — the same program structure that also supports single father surrogacy, allowing a man to become a father this same way. Or their children — depending on luck.

This article shows you what this lgbtq surrogacy journey to Prague and Bratislava actually looks like — two cities that, together, carry this program — from the first appointment and paperwork, to the moment you return home as a family.

How does the program work?

The program is designed so that the personal presence of the father or fathers is only necessary once, at the initial appointment. All other stages take place remotely — a common setup for international surrogacy arrangements.

The trip itself lasts 2 to 4 days — depending on the chosen package — and allows for collecting the necessary amount of biological material from one or both fathers, before the program can move forward.

There’s also an alternative: the material can be frozen at a clinic in your home country and shipped to Bratislava or Prague, without needing to travel in person for this step.

What happens during the visit itself

The visit isn’t limited to medical procedures — blood tests, sperm freezing: it’s also when all the paperwork gets signed — the agency contract, authorizations related to the program, and the transport of biological material between clinics.

In practice: plan for at least two full days for this part of the trip, but confirm this with the agency, as it mainly depends on how many sperm samples are required for the chosen package.

Meeting the donor

A surrogacy for gay men program involves an egg donor, so that the woman carrying your child has no genetic connection to them. This approach — pairing an egg donor and surrogate with no connection to one another — protects both the future parents and the surrogate mother from potential psychological difficulties down the line.

The donor can be anonymous or identity-open: in the second case, future parents have access not only to the candidate’s medical history and heredity, but also to her photo and information about her education, interests, and so on.

How communication works during the pregnancy

After the embryo transfer and pregnancy confirmation, the program shifts into a different rhythm — calmer, but just as attentive. Parents receive regular updates on how the pregnancy is progressing: results of scheduled ultrasounds, dates of obstetric appointments, test results, and the surrogate mother’s general condition. If you’d like, you can go further — communicate directly with her via video call, or attend one of the scheduled ultrasounds in person to see your child before birth.

Medical monitoring never stops: in the event of an unexpected situation — hospitalization to preserve the pregnancy or additional medical interventions — the surrogate mother receives round-the-clock care, and parents are informed without delay.

This continues until the preparation phase for birth — the moment when the distance separating you from your child finally begins to close.

What does this look like legally?

The birth most often takes place in Prague.

Under the legislation of most EU countries, two people are registered as parents from birth: the woman who gave birth and the biological father. They appear on the birth certificate from day one as unmarried partners and parents of the child.

The woman is subsequently stripped of her maternal rights, while the legal status of the second father in the couple depends on the law of his country of residence.

Practical tips for surrogacy abroad

How much time to plan: 2 to 4 days is enough for the medical part and paperwork, plus as many extra days as you’d like — simply to explore the city.

What to bring: all documents requested by the clinic in advance, and some flexibility in your schedule.

Medical preparation: find out in advance about the procedure for blood tests and semen analysis; recall as precisely as possible any illnesses you’ve had throughout your life.

Legal details: discuss with the agency both fathers’ residence, actual country of residence, family status, and which nationality you’d like to prioritize for the child.

Where to stay: Bratislava’s old town is compact, with most clinics and hotels within walking distance of each other; in Prague, it’s best to choose a neighborhood near the relevant clinic.

What to do with the rest of your time: Bratislava Castle, a walk along the Danube, a short trip to Vienna — if you’re in Bratislava; Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and the old town — if the program takes place in Prague.

The road home, now as a family

Your extraordinary journey ends in Prague — and it doesn’t end the way it began. You return home not with photos of the old town, but with a new life in your arms: new responsibilities, new hopes — within a family that has just been born.

You can read a real family’s story from this same journey on our blog