Updated January 13, 2023
With the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, many expats are looking for countries where the right to an abortion is protected or at least not as contested. Other expats may seek countries who ban abortion in all instances. Currently, states with trigger laws are fumbling to figure out what’s legal and what’s not. There’s confusion around the use of drugs and procedures that could terminate a pregnancy, even when that’s not how providers or patients are using them.
Very few countries on earth have stricter laws than some states today, where abortion may be banned even in cases of rape or incest unless the mother is actively dying, and pregnant people and providers are threatened with with jail, fines, or hard labor. Some countries have regional differences, so do your research before you move. It’s important to note that the U.S. has historically led the way in many laws. What’s legal in another country today may not be legal tomorrow.
Here’s how the rest of the world treats abortion:
Angola
Bahamas
Dominican Republic
DR Congo
Egypt
El Salvador
Gabon
Haiti
Honduras
Iraq
Laos
Madagascar
Mauritania
Nicaragua
Philippines
Republic of the Congo
Senegal
Suriname
Some of the restrictions are listed below. Check laws for those unlisted.
Afghanistan
Algeria
Argentina
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil (to save the mother’s life, as the result of rape or incest, some fetal conditions)
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile (to save the mother’s life, if the fetus is unviable, or as the result of rape)
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Ecuador (life or health of the mother or as the result of rape)
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
French Guiana
Georgia
Ghana
Guatemala (to save the mother’s life)
Guinea
Iceland
India
Indonesia (to save the mother’s life, if the fetus is unviable, or as the result of rape)
Iran
Ireland
Israel (subject to termination committee)
Ivory Coast
Japan
Jordan (life or health of the mother)
Kenya (life or health of the mother or as the result of rape)
Kuwait (life or health of the mother or if the fetus is unviable)
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Malawi
Malaysia
Mali
Malta (life of the mother or if the fetus is unviable)
Mexico
Morocco (life or health of the mother with the father’s consent)
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
New Zealand
Niger
Nigeria (to save the mother’s life)
Oman (to save the mother’s life with the father’s consent)
Pakistan (‘before the limbs or organs of the baby have been formed’ for the purpose of ‘necessary treatment’)
Panama (to save the mother’s life)
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay (to save the mother’s life)
Peru (life or health of the mother)
Poland (life or health of the mother or as the result of rape or incest)
Qatar (life or health of the mother)
Rwanda (rape, incest, forced marriage, fetal impairment, minors, life or health of the mother)
Saudi Arabia
Sierra Leone
Solomon Island
Somalia
South Korea (life or health of the mother or as the result of rape)
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
UAE (life of the mother or if the fetus is unviable)
Uganda
UK (approval from two doctors)
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Yemen
Zambia (technically legal but very difficult to access)
Zimbabwe
Albania
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Croatia
Cuba
Denmark
Estonia
France
Germany
Greece
Guyana
Hungary
Italy
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Nepal
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
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