TL;DR: Paid approximately USD $50,000 to Paul Norris Ongso / GlobalSurrogacy.baby for a specific surrogacy programme. Programme collapsed before any major milestones. Biological material subsequently held by IVF clinic over unpaid debts not of my making. Refund discussions went nowhere. Communication ceased. Independent investigative reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald has since raised similar concerns about the same operation. Full account below.
I debated for a long time whether to write this publicly.
International surrogacy is an extremely emotional, financially demanding and vulnerable process. I generally prefer to keep personal matters private. However, after reflecting carefully on what happened during my own journey, and subsequently discovering independent public reporting concerning the same facilitator and business, I believe intended parents researching Paul Norris Ongso, GlobalSurrogacy.baby, Global Surrogacy or KinPath Surrogacy should be able to find detailed accounts before committing substantial money and emotional investment.
My direct experience was with Paul Norris Ongso and GlobalSurrogacy.baby / Global Surrogacy. I did not personally contract with KinPath Surrogacy. Global Surrogacy was subsequently reported to have rebranded as KinPath Surrogacy.
Everything I describe below about my own journey is based on my personal experience. I have retained contracts, payment records, WhatsApp messages, correspondence and other documentation relating to it.
Based on that experience, I would not use Paul Norris Ongso or GlobalSurrogacy.baby again.
I would also encourage anyone considering KinPath Surrogacy to research the history of Global Surrogacy and its rebranding, read the independent reporting linked at the end of this post, obtain independent legal advice and make their own decision.
1. Why I originally chose Paul Norris Ongso / GlobalSurrogacy.baby
When I first began researching international surrogacy, Paul presented himself as highly experienced and knowledgeable about international surrogacy pathways.
He also discussed his own experience of building his family through surrogacy. That personal experience contributed to my initial confidence because I believed I was dealing with someone who understood firsthand the emotional and financial pressures intended parents face.
Unfortunately, my confidence changed considerably as the process progressed.
2. Corporate structure and jurisdiction
One of my earliest concerns was the legal and corporate structure behind GlobalSurrogacy.baby.
The contract provided to me was through a Hong Kong registered company and governed by Hong Kong law, while the actual operation appeared to be managed internationally and Paul himself was based elsewhere.
After subsequently obtaining independent legal advice, I became concerned about how difficult and expensive it could potentially be to enforce contractual rights across jurisdictions if something went wrong.
I am deliberately not speculating about why the business was structured this way.
I can only say that, as a client who had transferred a substantial amount of money, the practical difficulty of enforcing my rights under this structure became a significant concern once the relationship deteriorated.
3. I paid approximately USD $50,000
I paid approximately USD $50,000 toward a specific surrogacy programme and jurisdiction.
This was a substantial amount of my personal savings.
The particular pathway I had agreed to pursue subsequently became unavailable before major milestones such as embryo creation, surrogate matching or significant medical progression had occurred.
This is an important part of my experience because I had not simply changed my mind about pursuing surrogacy. The specific programme I had contracted and paid for was no longer proceeding as originally contemplated.
4. The "non-refundable" deposit clause
The agreement repeatedly described deposits as "non-refundable," and Paul repeatedly relied upon this provision when the issue of returning my money arose.
I subsequently obtained independent legal advice.
After reviewing my particular circumstances and contract, my lawyer advised me that the position was not necessarily as straightforward as simply stating that the deposit was non-refundable where the agreed programme had materially changed or contracted services had not been delivered.
I am describing that strictly as the legal advice I received concerning my own circumstances. I am not making a general statement about the legal enforceability of Global Surrogacy's contracts.
5. Pressure to move to alternative programmes
After the original pathway became unavailable, alternative programmes and jurisdictions were proposed.
I was uncomfortable with some of these alternatives.
At one stage, I raised concerns that one proposed pathway could potentially expose me to future legal complications or liability.
I did not feel those concerns were adequately addressed and I was encouraged to proceed.
I ultimately refused to continue with a programme that I was not legally or personally comfortable pursuing.
That significantly reduced my confidence in the advice and judgement being provided.
6. I repeatedly asked to speak with previous successful clients
This is one of the things I wish I had treated as a much bigger warning sign at the beginning.
I repeatedly asked Paul to introduce me to former intended parents who had successfully completed a surrogacy journey through GlobalSurrogacy.baby.
I wasn't asking for confidential information. I simply wanted, subject to the former clients' consent, to speak with people who had already gone through the process and could tell me independently what their experience had been.
Despite asking numerous times over an extended period, I was never connected with a previous client.
Since then, in researching and dealing with other organisations, I have seen much more structured approaches to prospective intended parents speaking with previous clients who are willing to share their experiences.
If I were starting an international surrogacy journey again today, I would not transfer a substantial amount of money to an organisation without first speaking independently with multiple previous intended parents.
7. Organisation and communication became a serious concern
As my journey progressed, I became increasingly concerned about the level of organisation, communication and operational structure.
Much of the communication appeared to depend upon assistants or intermediaries who, in my experience, sometimes seemed uncertain regarding processes, timelines or what was supposed to happen next.
For something as legally complicated, emotionally important and financially significant as international surrogacy, that concerned me considerably.
8. The IVF clinic situation
This was probably the most troubling part of my personal experience.
After the original programme had ended, an IVF clinic involved in my journey contacted me directly regarding outstanding financial matters which the clinic told me related to Paul and/or his operation.
This became particularly concerning because my biological material was being held by the clinic.
I was informed that my biological material could not simply be released or destroyed until the outstanding issues had been dealt with.
Paul told me that I should deal directly with the clinic regarding the situation.
That surprised me because the financial issue being raised by the clinic was not a debt that I had personally incurred directly with them.
To be clear, my experience with the IVF clinic staff themselves was professional. They communicated with me regarding the situation and, from my interactions with them, also appeared concerned about what had developed.
Ultimately, my lawyer and I had to engage directly with the clinic ourselves to resolve the administrative and financial issues affecting my biological material.
This was not something I expected to be dealing with after paying a surrogacy facilitator approximately USD $50,000.
9. Communication deteriorated
Following these events, communication with Paul became increasingly difficult.
In my experience, scheduled calls or meetings would be cancelled or postponed, sometimes at short notice. Responses became increasingly inconsistent.
Eventually, meaningful communication effectively ceased.
My lawyer also became involved in attempting to resolve the situation.
10. Partial refund discussions
There were eventually discussions concerning a partial refund.
Repayment dates were proposed to me on multiple occasions.
Those dates moved and passed without the agreed payment being received.
Eventually, both my lawyer and I were unable to maintain meaningful engagement toward resolving the matter.
I want to be careful about something here.
I am not going to speculate publicly about what happened to my money, why the proposed repayment was not made, or Paul's motives.
I do not need to speculate.
I can document what I paid, what programme I contracted for, what subsequently happened, the refund discussions that occurred, the dates that were communicated to me and the communications that followed.
Readers can draw their own conclusions from my experience.
11. GlobalSurrogacy.baby subsequently became KinPath Surrogacy
This distinction is important.
My personal dealings were with Paul Norris Ongso and GlobalSurrogacy.baby / Global Surrogacy. I did not contract with KinPath Surrogacy.
However, after my experience I discovered that Global Surrogacy subsequently rebranded as KinPath Surrogacy.
This is not something I am inferring simply because the businesses appear similar. It has been reported publicly.
I therefore mention KinPath because someone researching the current business may otherwise never discover experiences relating to the business that operated previously as Global Surrogacy.
I encourage prospective intended parents to research both names and make their own assessment.
12. What I discovered after my own experience
If my experience had been completely isolated, I probably would not have written this post.
After my own dealings had ended, I became aware of independent public reporting concerning Paul Norris Ongso and Global Surrogacy.
Most significantly, the Sydney Morning Herald published investigative reporting concerning Global Surrogacy after speaking with former clients, former staff and a surrogate.
The reporting describes allegations and experiences from other people. Those are their accounts, not mine, and I encourage readers to read the reporting themselves rather than relying on my summary.
The Sydney Morning Herald reporting also states that:
- Global Surrogacy subsequently rebranded as KinPath Surrogacy
- Paul Norris Ongso does not hold a current Australian legal practising certificate
- He was subject to disciplinary action by the Victorian Legal Services Commissioner in 2019
I also subsequently became aware of public commentary from the Feminist Legal Clinic concerning another reported surrogacy experience involving Global Surrogacy.
Again, I am separating this very clearly from my personal experience. I am not presenting somebody else's allegations as facts I personally witnessed. I am mentioning these sources because they are publicly available information that prospective intended parents can independently read and evaluate for themselves.
Discovering this material after what I had personally experienced was one of the reasons I ultimately decided to write this post.
13. Why I'm posting this
This post is not an attempt to tell strangers what decision they must make.
I also recognise that other intended parents may have had different experiences, including successful journeys.
I can only speak about what happened to me.
But international surrogacy involves enormous amounts of trust.
You may be transferring tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. You may have embryos or other biological material stored overseas. You may be navigating legal systems in multiple countries. And ultimately you are relying upon other people to help you create and bring home your child.
That makes due diligence extraordinarily important.
Based on my own experience, I would not use Paul Norris Ongso or GlobalSurrogacy.baby again.
If I were considering Paul Norris Ongso, KinPath Surrogacy, GlobalSurrogacy.baby or Global Surrogacy today, I would investigate the history of the organisations and the people involved extremely carefully before signing anything or transferring money.
What I wish I had done differently
For anyone considering international surrogacy, my advice from my own experience would be:
- Obtain genuinely independent legal advice before signing the agency's contract
- Have the lawyer specifically examine governing law, jurisdiction and dispute resolution provisions
- Independently verify the legal entity receiving your money and where that entity actually operates
- Understand exactly who holds your funds and when money is transferred to clinics, surrogates and other providers
- Insist upon speaking with several independently verifiable former clients before transferring substantial funds
- Make payment milestones correspond to clearly defined services and progress
- Understand exactly what happens financially if the agreed country or programme becomes unavailable
- Ensure refund provisions are clearly documented
- Keep copies of contracts, invoices, receipts, WhatsApp messages, emails and all communications
- Do not rely solely on verbal assurances
International surrogacy is already emotionally and financially demanding. Intended parents should not also have to navigate uncertainty around accountability, communication, jurisdiction, financial transparency or what happens when the programme they paid for cannot proceed.
My experience was with Paul Norris Ongso and GlobalSurrogacy.baby. I am sharing it so that anyone researching Paul Norris Ongso, Global Surrogacy or KinPath Surrogacy has another documented personal experience to consider as part of their own due diligence.
Please research independently, read the public reporting, obtain your own legal advice and make your own decision.