How many trips does a US journey require?
Most international parents make three trips to the United States. Everything else, from the match to the pregnancy updates, happens remotely.
- Embryo creation. If you are providing eggs or sperm, you travel to your US clinic. If embryos already exist, or you use donor eggs and frozen sperm, this trip may be shorter or unnecessary.
- A match or transfer visit, optional. Some parents meet their surrogate in person. Others meet by video and save the trip for the birth. You do not need to be in the US for the embryo transfer.
- The birth. The longest trip, typically 5 to 8 weeks in total.
| Trip | Typical week of journey | Typical length | Documents to bring | Who schedules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embryo creation | Early in the journey, often while matching runs | A few days to two weeks, longer with a fresh egg donor cycle | Passport, visa or ESTA approval, clinic letter, medical records | Your clinic, with PLS |
| Match or transfer visit (optional) | After the match, or at the transfer | A few days | Passport, visa or ESTA approval | You, with PLS |
| Birth | Arrive at 36 to 37 weeks of pregnancy | 5 to 8 weeks in total: about 3 to 4 weeks before birth and 2 to 4 weeks after | Passport, visa or ESTA approval, parentage order or filing, surrogacy agreement, birth plan, newborn insurance details, car seat | You and Jan Telman Berman, PLS Global Surrogacy Coordinator |
This page is written by Jan Telman Berman, who has more than 18 years of experience and manages every international cycle at PLS.
When should you arrive for the birth?
Plan to arrive in the US by 36 to 37 weeks of your surrogate's pregnancy. A full-term pregnancy is 39 to 40 weeks, and arriving at 36 weeks covers most spontaneous deliveries.
About 1 in 10 US births is preterm, before 37 weeks (CDC, [year]). That is why PLS asks international parents to hold flexible tickets and a local contact plan from 34 weeks. If labor starts early, you change your flight rather than buy a new one.
Arriving later saves on accommodation but raises the chance you miss the birth.
If your surrogate's pregnancy is twins, ask your clinic and the delivering obstetrician for an earlier arrival week. Twin pregnancies often deliver before 37 weeks.
What if the baby comes early or the surrogate is induced?
If the baby comes early. Take the first available flight. Your surrogate's PLS case manager stays in touch with you, the surrogate and the hospital. Where agreed in advance, a designated local contact stays with the baby until you arrive. Hospitals require that plan in writing before the birth, so it goes into the birth plan.
If the surrogate is induced. An induction is scheduled, so you usually get some notice. Your surrogate's obstetrician decides whether and when to induce, based on her health and the baby's. You do not set the date. If an induction is likely, your surrogate's case manager tells you as soon as her team discusses it.
If she delivers by cesarean. Your surrogate stays in the hospital longer and needs more recovery time at home. Your baby's discharge may follow a different schedule from hers. See c-section and recovery.
If the baby needs the neonatal intensive care unit. Your stay gets longer, and your newborn's medical costs may rise. This is the main reason to arrange newborn insurance before the birth. See newborn insurance for international parents.
The birth plan covers who is in the delivery room, who holds the baby first, and who the hospital speaks to. PLS prepares it with you and your surrogate at around 28 weeks. If she agrees, you can be in the delivery room. Most PLS surrogates welcome parents at the birth.
How long do you stay after the birth, country by country?
Plan for 2 to 4 weeks after the birth. Four things set the length of your stay:
- The birth certificate. Typically 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the state.
- The US passport. You apply in person with the birth certificate and parentage order. Expedited processing is available for parents who need to travel soon. Status as of [date], reviewed by counsel, given the August 6, 2026 executive order under litigation.
- Consular steps for your home country. Some countries require registration of the birth at the consulate, a DNA test, or their own travel document before entry. These can add days or weeks.
- The pediatrician's clearance to fly.
Country-specific stays depend on the consular step:
| Home-country requirement | Typical stay after birth |
|---|---|
| Registers the US birth certificate directly | [weeks to confirm with counsel] |
| Requires consular registration or a home-country travel document | [weeks to confirm with counsel] |
| Requires a consular DNA test or a court step | [weeks to confirm with counsel] |
PLS publishes country guides only after counsel in that country has reviewed them. For the full sequence of exit documents, see leaving the US with your baby.
What visa or ESTA do you need, and does the birth matter for it?
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries usually travel on an approved ESTA, which allows stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries usually need a B-2 visitor visa. Whether the purpose of your trip, including the birth of your child through surrogacy, affects which you should use is a question for US immigration counsel. Status as of [date], reviewed by counsel.
Practical points:
- Check validity. Your passport and your visa or ESTA must be valid through the birth and the weeks after it. A 5 to 8 week birth trip must fit within your permitted stay.
- Be truthful about your purpose. Carry your surrogacy agreement, parentage documents and a letter from PLS or your attorney.
- Apply early if you need a visa interview.
- A federal executive order dated August 6, 2026, concerning citizenship for children born through compensated surrogacy to two non-citizen parents, is under litigation. Status as of [date], reviewed by counsel. If both parents are non-citizens, speak with immigration counsel before you book your birth trip.
Where do you stay, and what do you need in the first weeks?
Book flexible accommodation near the hospital, and within reach of the passport office. Book from about 36 weeks, with a cancellation option in case the baby arrives early.
What you need in the first weeks:
- A car seat. Hospitals require one for discharge.
- Somewhere safe for the baby to sleep. Many families rent a crib and other baby equipment near the hospital rather than fly with it.
- Formula or a feeding plan. If you plan to use breast milk from your surrogate, agree on it in advance, and ask about storage and shipping.
- A pediatrician. Choose one before the birth for the first checkups and the clearance to fly.
- Newborn insurance or a payment plan. Your baby is your responsibility from birth. The surrogate's health insurance covers her, not your baby.
What is in the PLS 30-week travel plan?
At about 30 weeks of the pregnancy, Jan Telman Berman sends international parents a written travel plan that brings the steps on this page into one document for your family. The plan covers:
- Your target arrival week and the date from which to hold flexible tickets.
- The hospital, the obstetric team and the birth plan date.
- Your local contact plan if you cannot arrive before the birth.
- Accommodation suggestions near the hospital.
- The document checklist for the birth certificate, passport and consular steps.
- A pediatrician and newborn insurance checklist.
Jan stays your point of contact through the birth and the exit documents. For the full guide, see international surrogacy.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics, preterm birth data. Year to be cited.
- US Department of State, passport and visa information. Status as of [date], pending review by counsel.
- Executive order of August 6, 2026, on citizenship for children born through compensated surrogacy to two non-citizen parents. Under litigation; status as of [date], pending review by counsel.