Do you have to be a US citizen to be a surrogate?
What 19 US surrogacy agencies say on their own websites, agency by agency, each rule quoted and linked to the page it is on. Read Oct 28, 2026.
Yes, or a green card. Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 15 state a rule on it, and nearly all require a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), some with a green card valid for years to come (Growing Generations three, Hatch five). Circle Surrogacy states only that you must live in a surrogacy-friendly US state, and Modern Family Surrogacy names US citizenship. You also need to live in a state where paid surrogacy is legal.
What each agency says: citizenship
- Babytree Surrogacypays $60,000 to $90,000 (first journey: $60,000 base in California, up to $90,000 with allowances)
US citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident with documented legal status
“U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident with documented legal status.”
Babytree Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Circle Surrogacypays $55,000 to $75,000+ (first journey, base from $55,000 plus benefits)
Must reside in the United States in a surrogate-friendly state; citizenship or green card not stated
“You reside in the United States in a surrogate-friendly state”
Circle Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- ConceiveAbilitiespays $75,000 (up to, first journey, by state and income (includes a limited-time $10,000 bonus))
US citizen or permanent resident
“Residency: U.S. citizen or permanent resident”
ConceiveAbilities's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institutepays $60,000 to $70,000 (first-time base ($70,000 in California))
US citizen or green card holder
“Surrogates must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents with green cards.”
Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Eggceptional Fertilitypays $60,000 to $80,000 (typical; first-time from $60,000)
US citizen or permanent resident with a valid driver's license
“Must be a US Citizen or a Permanent Resident with a valid drivers license”
Eggceptional Fertility's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Family Source Consultantspays $55,000+ (base pay, first journey)
US citizen or green card holder
“Family Source accepts applicants who are citizens of the United States or have a resident green card.”
Family Source Consultants's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Growing Generationspays $70,000 to $80,000 (first-time package, by state)
US citizen or green card holder (green card valid for the next three years; partner must also have a green card)
“If you are not a United States citizen, you must have a Green Card that will remain valid for the next three years.”
Growing Generations's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Hatchpays $50,000 to $55,000 (first-time base, plus benefits)
US citizen, permanent resident, or green card with at least 5-year expiration
“We can only accept US citizens, people with permanent resident card, or people with a green card with at least 5-year expiration.”
Hatch's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
US citizen or green card holder
“You must be a US citizen or hold a green card”
Ivy Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Modern Family Surrogacypays $70,000 to $90,000 (first journey, before travel and lost-wage stipends)
US citizen (green card not mentioned)
“US Citizen between 21-40 years of age”
Modern Family Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Patriot Conceptionspays $50,000+ (base pay)
US citizen or legal permanent resident
“US citizen or legal permanent resident”
Patriot Conceptions's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Physician's Surrogacypays $60,000 to $75,000+ (first journey, flat rate by state)
US citizen or permanent resident
“You must be a US citizen or a permanent resident living in a financially stable household in a surrogacy-friendly state.”
Physician's Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Simple Surrogacypays $58,000 to $63,000 (first journey ($63,000 with maternity coverage))
US citizen, legal resident or legal immigrant
“Be a citizen or legal resident or legal immigrant of the United States”
Simple Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- Surrogacy4Allpays $50,000 to $65,000 (base pay; total up to $100,000)
US citizen or permanent resident
“You need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and you need to live in a state with clear, established surrogacy-friendly law.”
Surrogacy4All's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
- West Coast Surrogacypays $86,000 to $106,000+ (total compensation (highest for experienced California surrogates))
US citizen or permanent resident
“Be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident”
West Coast Surrogacy's own page, read Oct 28, 2026
Agencies marked Partner pay IVFcost.co a referral fee if someone who applies through us goes on to qualify as a surrogate. It never changes what you are paid, and every list here is ordered by published pay, not by who pays us. How partners are handled
Agencies whose pages do not say
American Surrogacy, Golden Surrogacy, Northwest Surrogacy Center, Quest Surrogacy. Their pages did not answer this when we read them; ask the agency before you rule it in or out.
Screening decides
These are the rules each agency publishes for an application. Every agency then screens medically and psychologically, and the fertility clinic that does the embryo transfer sets its own limits, which can be stricter or looser. Where an agency's pages disagree with each other, both statements are shown.
What these agencies pay
First-time surrogate pay, agency by agency, with what each figure covers and a check of which agencies you qualify for: how much surrogates get paid, and by state.