Is Surrogacy Legal in Singapore? Everything You Need to Know

Intended parents in Singapore ask the same first question: is surrogacy legal in Singapore? The short answer is that surrogacy is not available in Singapore, and the Government has stated that it does not support commercial surrogacy. There is, however, no law that stops Singaporean couples from taking part in a lawful program abroad, and Singaporean families have done so for years. This guide from Militta, a surrogacy and egg donation agency based in Kyiv since 2017, explains the legal position, what happens when the child comes home, and which programs abroad are open to couples from Singapore.

Surrogacy in Singapore: the legal position

• No clinic may offer it. Assisted reproduction centres in Singapore are licensed by the Ministry of Health, and the licensing terms and conditions prohibit them from carrying out surrogacy. In practice no IVF clinic in Singapore will treat a surrogate.
• Commercial surrogacy is not supported. The Ministry of Social and Family Development has stated publicly that the Government does not support commercial surrogacy. Surrogacy agreements would not be enforceable in Singapore.
• No specific statute criminalises intended parents. Unlike some Australian states, Singapore has not made it an offence for its residents to enter a surrogacy arrangement abroad.
• Recognition is decided case by case. Singapore does not automatically recognise a foreign surrogacy arrangement. The intended parents’ legal status and the child’s citizenship are handled through the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and, where needed, the Family Justice Courts. In a 2018 decision the Court of Appeal allowed the adoption of a child born through surrogacy abroad, while noting that public policy does not encourage such arrangements.

The practical result: surrogacy is not an option inside Singapore, and a couple who wants to build a family this way has to use a country where the law allows it and then bring the child home.

Bringing a child born through surrogacy abroad to Singapore

Every case should be reviewed by a Singapore family lawyer before the program starts, because the route depends on who is genetically related to the child and on the parents’ marital status. The usual elements are:

1. Birth certificate abroad in the intended parents’ names. In Ukraine and Georgia the law names the intended parents as the parents, and the surrogate does not appear on the certificate. This is the document everything else builds on.
2. Citizenship by descent. A child born outside Singapore to a Singapore citizen parent can be registered as a citizen by descent. The application is made through the ICA or the Singapore mission abroad, normally within one year of the birth, and the ICA may ask for DNA evidence of the parent–child relationship.
3. Travel document. Once citizenship is registered the child receives a Singapore passport; until then the child travels on a document the Singapore mission issues.
4. Legal parentage at home. For a married couple with a genetic link to the child, the foreign birth certificate and citizenship registration are usually the basis of the child’s status. Where the intended mother has no genetic link, lawyers sometimes advise an adoption application in Singapore to put her status beyond doubt. Your lawyer will confirm what is needed in your case.

Legal surrogacy options abroad for couples from Singapore

Militta runs gestational surrogacy programs in two countries where the law is written for international intended parents.

Ukraine

Open to legally married heterosexual couples with a medical indication and a genetic link from at least one spouse. Article 123 of the Family Code names the intended parents as the parents, and the birth certificate is issued in your names by the civil registry office without a court. Programs cost $41,500–$48,500 (basic) or $57,300–$68,000 (guaranteed) with the partner clinic “Lita” in Kyiv. Entry is overland from Poland while airspace is closed. Read the full guide to surrogacy in Ukraine and our note on travel and safety in 2026.

Georgia

Open to married and cohabiting heterosexual couples. The Law on Health Care names the intended parents as the parents, and the birth certificate is issued in your names. Programs cost $52,500–$62,500 (basic) or $75,000–$82,500 (guaranteed) with the partner clinic ReproART in Tbilisi. Tbilisi is reachable from Singapore with one stop via Doha, Dubai or Istanbul. Read the full guide to surrogacy in Georgia.

Neither country admits single intended parents or same-sex couples, and we say so at the first consultation rather than take a case that cannot be completed. If you need donor eggs, see egg donation in Ukraine; donation is quoted in writing. For a comparison of all countries, see international surrogacy: countries, costs and laws.

What Militta does for Singaporean intended parents

• Free consultation in English, with an honest answer on whether Ukraine, Georgia or neither fits your case.
• Surrogate mothers aged 20–41 with at least one child of their own, screened medically and by a psychiatrist.
• Surrogacy agreement prepared by partner lawyers in English and the local language, sent to your Singapore lawyer for review before signing.
• Pregnancy reports after every check-up; the surrogate lives in agency accommodation in Kyiv from week 28.
• Birth certificate, apostilles and certified translations, DNA sample collection and the appointment at the Singapore mission.
• Fixed program prices that include the surrogate’s compensation, IVF, delivery and the legal documents; flights, accommodation and Singapore legal fees are extra.

FAQ: surrogacy and Singapore

Is surrogacy illegal in Singapore?

There is no statute that makes surrogacy a criminal offence for intended parents, but licensed clinics are prohibited from performing it and the Government does not support commercial surrogacy. In practice it cannot be done in Singapore.

Can Singaporeans do surrogacy abroad?

Yes. Singapore law does not prohibit its citizens from taking part in a lawful program in another country. Married couples with a genetic link to the child use programs in Ukraine or Georgia.

Will my child be a Singapore citizen?

A child born abroad to a Singapore citizen parent can be registered as a citizen by descent through the ICA, which may require DNA evidence. A Singapore family lawyer should confirm the route before the program starts.

Does the intended mother have to adopt the child?

Not always. Where she has no genetic link, lawyers sometimes advise an adoption application in Singapore to secure her status. Your lawyer will advise for your case.

How much does surrogacy abroad cost?

With Militta: $41,500–$68,000 in Ukraine and $52,500–$82,500 in Georgia, depending on the program. You receive a written quote before signing.

How long does the program take?

Usually 12–18 months from the agreement to returning home, including two to five weeks abroad after the birth for the documents.

Want to know whether your case can be completed? Book a free consultation; we review your documents and give you a written answer and a quote.