A surrogacy agency phone interview lasts under an hour and is a great opportunity to ask questions.
The research is done. A surrogate application has been submitted to the best surrogacy agency, right? If all goes well, the next step is an interview with an admissions team member.
The Process of a Phone Interview
All surrogate applications are screened as they come into an agency. If things look good, the phone interview is up next. This meeting takes about 30 to 45 minutes with an admissions coordinator.
Breana J., who works at a California surrogacy agency, shares how this type of interview is all about going over what a surrogacy entails.
Women gather more information for themselves and their family during the phone interview.
The most important thing a woman will learn is that she will be a gestational carrier. This type of surrogate has no biological link to the baby. The egg used to create the embryo is either from the intending mother or an egg donor.
Discussing the Legal Aspects of Surrogacy
Understanding the legal information about surrogacy is best done with a third-party reproduction attorney. However, the phone interview with an agency will answer some important questions, too. They will explain to an applicant how a surrogacy attorney will draft all the legal documentation.
These contracts will cover the following:
- Informed consent
- The right of parentage
- Documentation is consistent with current state surrogacy laws in the United States
When all is done, the intended parents have right of parentage.
An Interview Does Not Mean Commitment
An interview does not mean an applicant is obligated to become a surrogate.
“At the interview point, I feel like the women are kind of on the fence. They are deciding whether they are going to be a surrogate or not,” Breana said.
This feeling is totally normal. Being a surrogate takes time and commitment. Reputable agencies want women to think things through.
“After the interview, they usually decide on whether this is something that they want to do,” she said.
Some women want to move forward right away. Others need a few days to mull it over.
Ask a Lot of Questions
Admission coordinators like Breana want applicants to ask a ton of questions during the phone interview. That’s what this time slot is for — and applicants should always remember this.
“At certain parts of the interview we stop and ask, ‘Do you have any questions for me so far on anything we have gone over?’” Breana shared.
Some women ask questions throughout the interview and others wait until the very end.
After the phone interview, applicants are still encouraged to reach out with followup questions. When it comes to surrogacy, it’s all about communication.
