Importing & Exporting Eggs, Sperm & Embryos into and out of Australia

Importing & Exporting Eggs, Sperm & Embryos into and out of Australia

Thinking about bringing eggs, sperm, or embryos into or out of Australia? You must know the rules — and trust us, they’re not the same everywhere! In this video, world-renowned fertility and family lawyer Stephen Page walks you through the complicated legal maze of importing and exporting reproductive materials across Australia’s states and territories.

What we cover:

  • The difference in laws between QLD, NSW, ACT, SA, VIC, WA, NT & TAS
  • Written consent requirements from donors
  • Why altruistic donation is mandatory in Australia
  • Family limits (and why WA has the strictest rules!)
  • Major changes in Victoria — goodbye VARTA, hello Department of Health!
  • Why clinics can’t export for commercial surrogacy (and what the Fertility Society says)

Key takeaways:

  • Every state is different, and compliance is critical!
  • You’ll need counseling and must prepare to be open with donor-conceived children when they turn 16 or 18.
  • Exporting for commercial surrogacy? Don’t do it — it breaches the code of practice.
Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Australia’s Surrogacy System is Broken — Here’s What Needs to Change

Surrogacy in Australia is at a critical crossroads. Families are increasingly forced to look overseas to start or grow their families, surrogates often find themselves without clear legal protections, and children born through surrogacy face a tangled web of legal uncertainty.

Surrogacy Nightmare: Aussie Couple Referred for Criminal Charges After Overseas Baby Journey

Surrogacy can be a beautiful path to parenthood, but it also comes with intricate legal challenges, especially when undertaken overseas. In a recent and cautionary case from Queensland, Australia, a couple’s journey to parenthood through commercial surrogacy in North Cyprus ended not with joy alone, but with legal turmoil and potential criminal charges.

NSW Surrogacy FAIL: What Lawyers Got Wrong and How to Avoid It

Surrogacy journeys should be joyous and smooth pathways to parenthood, but unfortunately, legal missteps can turn them into complex, frustrating ordeals.

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board