A Clear, Supported Process
The Surrogacy Process for Surrogates
From application through delivery and recovery, the Surrogate process moves through eight stages: getting started, pre-screening, matching, in-person screening, legal, embryo transfer, pregnancy, and delivery with postpartum support.
Every journey is unique. This page explains how long each stage usually takes, what you complete, what Golden handles for you, and what your clinic and your own attorney control.
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Take the next step to become a Surrogate with Golden Surrogacy.
What Golden Surrogates Can Expect
Protection and Support at Every Stage
Compensation terms, independent legal representation, escrow protection, and Care Team support are built into Golden’s Surrogate process before treatment begins.
- $70,000+Minimum Total Compensation for Accepted Golden Surrogates
- Your Own AttorneyIndependent Legal Representation Paid by the Intended Parents
- Independent EscrowApproved Journey Expenses Funded Separately
- Through RecoveryDedicated Care Team Support
Gestational Surrogacy
How Golden Guides Your Gestational Surrogacy Journey
Golden exclusively manages and guides gestational surrogacy journeys. In gestational surrogacy, a Surrogate carries an embryo created through IVF and has no genetic relationship to the child.
For Surrogates, the process moves through eight coordinated stages: application, Premium Surrogate Pre-Screening, mutual matching, clinic screening, independent legal representation, embryo transfer, pregnancy, and delivery and recovery. Golden coordinates communication, scheduling, approved travel, approved expenses, and Care Team support throughout these milestones.
The fertility clinic and each party’s independent attorney retain authority over their respective medical and legal decisions. Every journey follows its own timeline, but each Surrogate should understand what is expected, who is responsible, what support is available, and what comes next.
Process at a Glance
Know What to Expect at Each Step
Eight stages, with realistic timing and clear guidance for each. Select a stage to read what you complete, what Golden handles, and what the fertility clinic and attorneys control.
Stage by Stage
The Surrogacy Process, Step by Step
Each stage below explains what you complete, what Golden coordinates, which decisions remain with your fertility clinic and attorney, and the typical timing involved.
1 to 2 weeksStep 1: Getting StartedYou apply, speak with a Surrogate Intake Specialist, and complete a detailed intake interview.
The first conversation is yours to use. Ask about requirements, timing, compensation, and how Golden supports Surrogates before you decide anything.
If you decide to move forward, Golden conducts a detailed intake interview so you can share your preferences, background, and goals, and sends the agency documents needed to begin.
You do not need to live in Illinois or near our team to become a Surrogate with Golden.
What you complete
- Submit your application
- Speak with a Surrogate Intake Specialist
- Complete the detailed intake interview
- Sign and return the agency documents
What Golden coordinates
- Application review
- Your initial consultation
- The intake interview and agency paperwork
- Introduction to the team supporting you
30 to 90 daysStep 2: Pre-ScreeningGolden coordinates professional pre-match screening, medical-record collection and review, background checks, and insurance review.
Golden facilitates collection of your pregnancy and delivery records through a professional third-party medical service and coordinates their review by the potential Intended Parents’ IVF clinic physician or medical team. You complete a physical exam, an updated PAP, and basic infectious disease testing, along with any other required medical clearances.
At the same time, Golden initiates your background review, schedules your psychological assessment and your virtual home visit, and reviews any applicable insurance coverage.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine screening review is included before matching, not added later as an option. Golden coordinates this professional review as part of pre-screening. Final medical clearance is separate and is granted later by the Intended Parents’ fertility clinic.
What you complete
- Physical exam, updated PAP, and infectious disease testing
- Release of pregnancy and delivery records
- Psychological assessment before matching
- Virtual home visit before matching
- Background review authorization
What Golden’s included pre-screening covers
- Application review and detailed interview
- Professional pregnancy and delivery record review coordination
- Background review and insurance review
- OB clearance
- Psychological assessment and virtual home visit
- Delivery hospital and NICU verification
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine screening review
- Preliminary IVF clinic review
- Final leadership review
What outside professionals control
- Your OB provider's clearance decision
- The licensed evaluator's psychological assessment
- Laboratory and testing results
1 to 2 weeksStep 3: MatchingProfiles are exchanged, and both parties must agree on a matching conference call before the match is official.
Your dedicated care team facilitates the call so both sides can ask real questions in a supported setting rather than through messages.
You are never assigned to Intended Parents. If a match does not feel right, you may decline and continue reviewing other families.
Once matching is finalized, Golden notifies the fertility clinic and begins coordinating your in-person screening with the Reproductive Endocrinologist.
What you complete
- Review the Intended Parent profile
- Share your matching preferences and expectations
- Join the matching conference call
- Accept or decline the match
What Golden coordinates
- Profile exchange with families that fit your preferences
- The matching conference call
- Notification to the fertility clinic
- Scheduling of your in-person screening
Your Choice
Matching is mutual, and the decision is yours
Profiles are exchanged only with families that fit the preferences you set, including location, family structure, and the kind of relationship you hope to have.
Nothing is finalized without your agreement. If a match does not feel right, you may decline and keep reviewing other Intended Parents.
Clearance, Protection, and Transfer
Medical clearance and your legal protection
Stages four through six are where your medical clearance, your own legal representation, and your compensation terms are settled, in that order.
4 to 8 weeksStep 4: In-Person ScreeningThe Reproductive Endocrinologist examines you in person and grants final medical clearance.
Additional clinic-required infectious disease and drug testing is completed during this stage alongside the examination.
Because the appointment often needs to align with a specific point in your menstrual cycle, scheduling and completion typically take several weeks after matching.
What you complete
- Attend the in-person screening appointment
- Complete clinic-required testing
- Share cycle dates so scheduling can be aligned
What Golden coordinates
- Appointment scheduling with the clinic
- Travel arrangements for the appointment
- Communication between you, the clinic, and the Intended Parents
What the fertility clinic controls
- The examination and testing
- Final medical clearance
4 to 8 weeksStep 5: LegalYou are represented by your own attorney, paid for by the Intended Parents, while the agreement is negotiated.
Golden refers you to an Assisted Reproductive Technology attorney licensed in the state where delivery will take place to represent your interests in the agreement with the Intended Parent or Parents.
Your compensation, expense reimbursement, and protections are written into the signed agreement before any medication begins. Nothing starts until you are comfortable with the terms.
What you complete
- Meet with your own attorney
- Review the agreement and ask questions
- Sign once you are comfortable with the terms
What Golden coordinates
- Referral to an attorney licensed in the delivery state
- Timeline coordination between both attorneys and the clinic
- Escrow setup support with an independent escrow provider
What outside professionals control
- All legal advice and contract terms
- Custody of escrow funds and payment release
15 to 30 daysStep 6: Embryo TransferYour clinic prepares you with a medication protocol, completes the transfer, and monitors the early outcome.
Golden coordinates communication, scheduling, and any required travel arrangements as you move toward transfer, so the only thing you manage is your own protocol.
After the transfer, your clinic monitors the early outcome of the cycle and guides the next steps.
What you complete
- Follow the prescribed medication protocol
- Attend monitoring appointments
- Travel for the transfer as arranged
What Golden coordinates
- Travel, lodging, and scheduling support
- Communication with the Intended Parents
- Expense submission and reimbursement guidance
What the fertility clinic controls
- The medication protocol and monitoring
- The transfer date and the transfer itself
- Early pregnancy results
Support
One team you can reach at any point
Appointments, travel, paperwork, and reimbursements are coordinated for you, and your care team answers the questions in between.
Compensation, expenses, and protections are written into the signed agreement before any medication begins.
Pregnancy Through Recovery
Pregnancy, delivery, and recovery
Stages seven and eight carry you through pregnancy, birth planning, delivery, and the postpartum period that follows.
Approximately 9 monthsStep 7: PregnancyYour care team supports you throughout pregnancy, with check-ins, coordination, and expense guidance.
Golden stays closely involved with communication and ongoing support for you and the Intended Parents, so the pregnancy feels well managed on both sides.
Preparation for birth begins during the second trimester and carries directly into the final stage below.
What you complete
- Attend your OB appointments
- Stay in contact with the Intended Parents as agreed at matching
- Submit approved journey expenses as they occur
What Golden coordinates
- Care Team check-ins and milestone tracking
- Expense submission support with the escrow provider
- Handoff into birth-order and hospital preparation
Delivery and recovery periodStep 8: Delivery and Postpartum SupportBirth planning is settled in advance, and your care team stays with you through recovery.
Golden works with your delivery hospital during the second trimester so the staff, the Intended Parents, and you are prepared for how the day will run.
Legal parentage is established by the attorneys through the birth-order process. Golden coordinates timing and documentation with the hospital, while the legal work stays with qualified counsel.
After delivery, your care team remains available for follow-up questions, expense reconciliation, and support during recovery.
The relationship you have with the Intended Parents after birth follows what you agreed together at matching, whether that means regular updates or a quieter close to the journey.
What you complete
- Share your birth preferences with your care team
- Attend delivery with your plan already documented
- Submit any remaining approved expenses
What Golden coordinates
- Delivery hospital preparation and documentation
- Birth-order timing with the attorneys
- Care Team follow-up and expense reconciliation after birth
What outside professionals control
- Your medical care during delivery and recovery
- Legal parentage under the law of the delivery state
Compensation and Protection
Knowing What to Expect
Compensation and expense terms are settled in writing during the legal stage, before any medication begins. Golden Surrogates receive a minimum total compensation of $70,000, consisting of base compensation plus standard Golden benefits. Approved journey expenses are funded separately by the Intended Parents through an independent escrow provider.
You are represented by your own Assisted Reproductive Technology attorney, licensed in the state where delivery will take place. That representation is arranged during the legal stage and paid for by the Intended Parents.
Golden coordinates the process, helps you submit approved expenses correctly, and keeps timing on track. Golden does not hold, control, or distribute escrow funds, and does not provide legal or medical advice.
Choosing an Agency
How to compare surrogacy agencies
If you are still comparing agencies as you think through the process, read Golden's guide so you know what to look for in support, compensation transparency, legal protections, and overall fit.
You also do not need to live in Illinois or near our team to become a Surrogate with Golden. What matters far more than distance is how an agency screens, matches, communicates, and supports you through pregnancy and recovery.
From Golden Surrogates
Support That Stays With You
“There was not a moment during the process that I felt confused or concerned.”
Surrogate
Golden's Care Team is available throughout the journey to help with communication, scheduling, approved expenses, preparation for delivery, and questions that arise during recovery.
Common Questions
Surrogate process questions
Answers drawn from Golden’s Surrogate resources, compensation and requirements pages, and the stages set out above.
How long does the Surrogate process take?
The eight stages on this page run as follows: getting started in 1 to 2 weeks, pre-screening in 30 to 90 days, matching in 1 to 2 weeks, in-person screening in 4 to 8 weeks, legal in 4 to 8 weeks, embryo transfer preparation in 15 to 30 days, approximately 9 months of pregnancy, and then delivery with postpartum support.
Record collection, clinic scheduling, and cycle timing are the most common reasons a stage runs long.
What happens after I submit an application?
A Surrogate Intake Specialist contacts you for an initial consultation so you can ask questions and review Golden’s requirements, timing, and approach to support and matching. If you decide to move forward, Golden conducts a detailed intake interview and sends the agency documents needed to begin.
What is included in Golden's pre-screening process?
Golden’s included pre-match screening covers application review, a detailed interview, pregnancy and delivery records, background review, insurance review, OB clearance, a psychological assessment before matching, a virtual home visit before matching, delivery hospital and NICU verification, Maternal-Fetal Medicine screening review, preliminary IVF clinic review, and a final leadership review.
You will also complete a physical exam, an updated PAP, and basic infectious disease testing. Final medical clearance comes later from the Intended Parents’ fertility clinic.
How much do Surrogates get paid with Golden?
Golden Surrogates receive a minimum total compensation of $70,000, consisting of base compensation plus standard Golden benefits. Experienced Surrogates may qualify for additional compensation. Contractual compensation, benefits, allowances, reimbursements, and approved journey expenses are documented during the legal stage before the medication protocol begins.
Full details are documented on Golden’s Surrogate Compensation page .
How long does it take to match with Intended Parents?
Matching itself takes 1 to 2 weeks once Golden identifies a family that fits your preferences, and it follows 30 to 90 days of pre-screening. Profiles are exchanged, your dedicated care team facilitates a matching conference call, and both parties must agree before the match becomes official. You are never assigned to a family, and you may decline and keep reviewing other Intended Parents.
When does fertility clinic screening occur?
After matching is finalized. The Reproductive Endocrinologist examines you in person and completes clinic-required infectious disease and drug testing before granting final medical clearance. Because the appointment often has to align with a specific point in your menstrual cycle, this stage usually takes 4 to 8 weeks.
When are legal agreements completed?
Legal begins once you have official medical clearance and typically takes 4 to 8 weeks. Golden refers you to an Assisted Reproductive Technology attorney licensed in the state where delivery will take place, who represents your interests alone in the agreement with the Intended Parents. That representation is paid for by the Intended Parents.
Who pays approved medical, legal, travel, and journey expenses?
Approved journey expenses are the responsibility of the Intended Parents, and they are funded through an independent escrow provider rather than by the agency. Golden coordinates the process and helps you submit expenses correctly, but does not hold or disburse escrow funds.
What support does Golden provide during pregnancy and after delivery?
Your dedicated care team stays involved through pregnancy with communication, coordination, and ongoing support, and Golden begins birth-order and delivery hospital coordination during the second trimester. After birth, your care team remains available for follow-up questions, expense reconciliation, and support during recovery.
Do I need to live near Golden's team?
No. Golden works with Surrogates across the United States, and you do not need to live in Illinois or near our team. State-specific guidance, including qualifications and local considerations, is published on Golden’s Become a Surrogate by State pages.
What happens if the first embryo transfer does not result in pregnancy?
If an embryo transfer does not result in pregnancy, the fertility clinic reviews the cycle and determines the medical next steps. Golden coordinates communication, approved expenses, and planning with the Intended Parents and Surrogate. Compensation, reimbursements, and any additional transfer terms follow the signed Gestational Surrogacy Agreement.
What Happens After a Failed Embryo Transfer or Pregnancy Loss?
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Take the First Step to Become a Surrogate
Review your qualifications, ask questions about compensation and screening, and begin the Surrogate application with Golden.
