Are you thinking about surrogacy in Queensland? If you are an intended parent living in Queensland or a surrogate carrying for Queensland intended parents, the Surrogacy Act 2010 applies to you. Check out the Queensland government website.

Sarah is the only lawyer in Australia practising exclusively in surrogacy and donor conception, or ‘family creation’ law. Sarah has been a surrogacy lawyer for many surrogacy arrangements in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ipswich and North Lakes, Far North Queensland and across Queensland.

If you are new to surrogacy, you can read about how to find a surrogate, or how to become a surrogate yourself. You can also download the free Surrogacy Handbook which explains the processes and options. Have you thought about joining Surrogacy Australia’s Support Service? Read this first.

If you have a surrogate or intended parents, you can get started on the surrogacy process.

You can also purchase my book, More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates, the only guide to surrogacy in Australia.

The criteria for surrogacy in Queensland includes:

• The intended parents must have a social or medical need for surrogacy. This includes singles and couples who cannot conceive or carry a baby themselves. You can read more about qualifying for surrogacy in Australia.
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• That the birth mother is over 25 years of age.
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• Each of the intended parents must be at least 25 years of age.
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• That the arrangement is altruistic. The intended parents must cover the birth mother’s out of pocket expenses in accordance with the law. Commercial surrogacy is illegal.
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• That the parties have undergone surrogacy counselling about the arrangement with a qualified counsellor.
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• That the parties have obtained legal advice about the arrangement.
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• There must be a written Surrogacy Agreement signed by all the parties.

Queensland intended parents can seek IVF treatment outside Queensland – there is no requirement that the treatment must occur on home soil. However, most other States have restrictions on whether their clinics can treat patients from interstate. Generally speaking, Queensland residents can seek treatment in New South Wales (and vice-versa), and even overseas, and a Queensland court will make a Parentage Order if the surrogacy arrangement satisfies all the other criteria. You should speak to a lawyer before pursuing treatment options outside of your State.

Women need not have had their own child before becoming a surrogate. However, while this is not a legal requirement, clinics and counsellors will still need to approve the arrangement.

It is illegal to advertise for surrogacy in Queensland, and it is illegal for someone to publish anything that indicates they are willing to be a surrogate for someone else.

It is illegal for Queensland residents to enter into commercial surrogacy arrangements, even where those arrangements are overseas. There are penalties for entering into a commercial arrangement – as far as I am aware, there have been no prosecutions or convictions of any intended parents engaging in overseas commercial surrogacy.

Are you interested in becoming a surrogate? You can read about becoming a surrogate and access a free initial advice session with me.

If you want to know more about how surrogacy works in Australia and Queensland, you might like to download the Surrogacy Handbook, listen to the Surrogacy Podcast, or book in for a consult with Sarah below.

If you’re from another state, you can find all the details of the surrogacy laws that apply to you.

Sarah can assist with surrogacy arrangements across all States, including across Queensland and cross-border arrangements. All advice is conducted over Zoom and email.

Sarah can assist with Parentage Order applications for Queensland surrogacy arrangements, and offers full service or do-it-yourself parentage order packages.

You can book in for a consult with me below, and check out the legal services I provide.