Surrogacy Law in Kazakhstan: An Overview
Kazakhstan is one of the few countries in the world where surrogacy is directly regulated by dedicated legal provisions. Below is a general overview of the key points in force at the time of publication.
Legal Basis
Assisted reproductive technologies, including surrogacy, are regulated by the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On People's Health and the Healthcare System." Provisions on surrogacy are set out in the article dealing with the application of assisted reproductive methods and technologies.
Who Can Use the Program
Surrogacy is available to married couples for whom carrying a pregnancy is impossible or poses a significant medical risk, as confirmed by a medical opinion.
Requirements for the Surrogate
A woman participating as a surrogate must meet established medical criteria (age, physical and mental health status, and having a healthy child of her own), confirmed by a statement from a medical organization. If the surrogate is married, her spouse's notarized consent is required.
Contract & Transfer of Parental Rights
The contract between the genetic parents and the surrogate is executed before embryo transfer. When the established procedure is followed, the genetic parents are recorded as the child's parents on the birth documents from birth, with no adoption procedure required.
Why This Matters for International Patients
A clear legal framework is one reason patients from other countries consider Kazakhstan for surrogacy programs: the process is legally predictable, and each party's role is defined in advance by contract.