Ship frozen embryos in the Americas
Moving frozen embryos, eggs or sperm to another clinic in the US, to Canada or to Mexico? A courier travels with the shipper the whole way and hands it to the receiving lab. Here is what it costs, how it works and how to ask for a price.
How much does it cost to ship frozen embryos?
It depends on distance, whether a flight is needed, and what the two labs require. These are the ranges we work from. Your exact price comes back within 24 hours of your request.
| Route | Examples | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Texas, same-day drive | Houston to Austin, San Antonio or College Station | $850 to $1,000 |
| Texas, long drive | Houston to Dallas or Plano | $1,000 to $1,200 |
| US domestic, fly-in | Knoxville to Norwalk CT, Little Rock to Plano | $1,900 to $2,800 |
| US to Canada | San Francisco to Vancouver, Boston to Toronto | $3,000 to $3,800 |
| Canada to US | Vancouver to San Francisco, Toronto to New York | $3,000 to $3,800 |
| US to Mexico | Pasadena to Mexico City, Houston to Monterrey | $3,200 to $4,000 |
| Latin America and other international lanes | Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Brazil | From $4,500 |
Prices are in US dollars and cover the courier, travel, a charged dry vapour shipper and the chain of custody paperwork. Import permits and clinic fees are separate and are set by the clinics and the authorities.
Want the full breakdown of what drives the price? Read our embryo shipping cost guide.
Can you ship embryos internationally from the US to Canada or Mexico?
Yes. Frozen embryos cross borders every week, but not in a parcel. A courier hand-carries the shipper in the cabin, the sending clinic releases the material, and the receiving clinic accepts it. Each country has its own import rules and each clinic has its own paperwork.
The clinics hold the embryos and handle release and import paperwork. We coordinate the transport and the handover, and we tell you what each lab says it needs so nothing surprises you on the day.
Embryo transport to and from Canada
Most embryo transport to Canada is a move from a US clinic to a Canadian one, or back again. The US clinic releases the embryos, our courier flies them in the cabin and declares them at the border, and the Canadian clinic accepts them. The receiving clinic tells you which forms it needs before it will take them.
How long does it take to ship embryos to Canada from the USA? The flight is one day. The weeks before it go on paperwork between the two clinics. If donor eggs or sperm were used to make the embryos, tell the Canadian clinic early, because Canada has its own rules for donor material and the clinic will ask for those records.
A move between two clinics inside Canada is usually arranged locally by the clinics. If your route involves a flight, send it to us and we will tell you whether we can take it.
How to transport frozen embryos to another clinic, step by step
- Step 1
Release
The lab that holds your embryos confirms the release date and prepares the straws or canes.
- Step 2
Pickup
Our courier collects in the agreed window, checks the ID list and signs the chain of custody form.
- Step 3
Seal
The charged dry vapour shipper is sealed and the seal number is written on the form.
- Step 4
Travel
The courier stays with the shipper by road or in the cabin, with a temperature log kept for the trip.
- Step 5
Handover
The receiving lab checks the seal and contents, and both sides sign.
We ask for hand inspection instead of an airport X-ray machine. Here is our no X-ray protocol.
Where we pick up and who flies it
Our courier is based in Houston and travels to the sending clinic, so you do not need to bring the shipper to us. In Texas we drive. Elsewhere in the US and abroad we fly with the shipper in the cabin.
Questions people ask before they ship embryos
How much does it cost to ship frozen embryos?
It depends on the lane. A short drive inside Texas is the lowest band and a cross-border flight is the highest. The table above has the range for each lane, and your exact price depends on the clinics, the dates and the paperwork. We reply within 24 hours.
How much does it cost to transport frozen embryos to another clinic in the same country?
A same-day drive inside Texas is the lowest band. Longer drives and fly-ins cost more because the courier needs a seat, travel time and a return. Send us the two clinic cities and your preferred day and we will price it.
Can I ship embryos to Canada from the USA?
Yes. The embryos are released by the US clinic, carried by a courier and accepted by the Canadian clinic. The receiving clinic tells us which paperwork it needs. Our Canada page and checklist cover the timeline.
How long does it take to ship embryos to Canada from the USA?
The flight is one day, plus the drive at each end. Most of the time goes on paperwork between the two clinics, so ask both clinics what they need first.
Can I fly with my own frozen embryos?
Some patients try, but the shipper must stay charged and sealed, the sending clinic has to agree to release it to you, and airport screening is a real risk. Most clinics prefer a trained courier who carries the paperwork and a do-not-X-ray letter. Ask your clinic what it allows.
Is it safe to transport frozen embryos?
Yes, when it is done properly. A dry vapour shipper keeps embryos at liquid nitrogen vapour temperatures without free liquid, the courier never leaves it, and every handover is signed. Our guide on whether shipping damages embryos goes through the evidence.
Is there an embryo courier near me?
Our courier is based in Houston and travels to you. We do not need you to come to a drop-off point. Tell us the clinic city and we confirm whether we can take it and when.
Who ships embryos, and can I use FedEx or UPS?
Fertility clinics use specialist couriers because embryos need a charged shipper, a chain of custody and someone who knows the clinic procedures. Standard parcel services are not set up for that. If a carrier says it will take them, ask for its policy in writing before you rely on it.
Do you also ship eggs and sperm?
Yes. Frozen eggs, sperm and embryos move the same way between clinics and banks. Tell us which you are moving when you send your request.
Do I need an import permit to ship embryos to Mexico?
Mexico has its own health authority rules for imports, and the receiving clinic normally handles that application. We coordinate with the clinic and plan the trip around the permit. Our Mexico page explains who files what.
More on shipping in the Americas
Flown by GuardianCryo from Houston. On routes we do not fly ourselves, any partner who carries it is named in your quote before you agree to anything.