- Virginia Women’s Wellness
Your Legal Safety When Traveling to Virginia for Abortion Care
Key Facts
- Traveling to Virginia for care : Legal from every state
- Prosecutions of clinic patients in legal states : We know of none
- Where your care happens : Virginia Beach, under Virginia law, by Virginia-licensed clinicians
- Cost : From $295; funding and travel help available
- Free legal helpline : If/When/How Repro Helpline: 844-868-2812
- If facing investigation : Pregnancy Justice
If you are considering traveling to Virginia for abortion care, you may be frightened by headlines about women being investigated or arrested. We hear this fear every week, and it deserves a direct, truthful answer – not slogans and not panic.
Is it legal to travel to another state for an abortion?
Abortion is legal in Virginia. Care at our office is provided by Virginia-licensed clinicians, in Virginia, under Virginia law.
Crossing state lines for legal care is legal. The Constitution protects the right to travel between states. Even in the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Justice Kavanaugh wrote separately that a state may not bar its residents from traveling to another state for an abortion. Courts that have examined attempts to restrict abortion-related travel and information have blocked them – a federal appeals court recently reaffirmed that a state has no legitimate interest in preventing its citizens from learning about, or pursuing, activities that are lawful in other states.
State abortion bans do not punish patients. The abortion bans in Southern states are written to apply to providers – not to the women who receive care. Coming to us does not violate your home state’s ban, because your care happens here, where it is legal, provided by us, under our license.
Why have some women been arrested, and does that apply to me?
Because some women have faced investigations and charges since 2022 – and it matters to understand who, and why, because the pattern is the opposite of what you are considering.
Nearly every criminal case since Roe fell has involved a pregnancy that ended at home, in a restrictive state – often later in pregnancy – with charges built around how a pregnancy loss was handled or reported, not around abortion laws themselves. What these cases are not is prosecutions of women who traveled to licensed clinics in states where abortion is legal. We know of no such case.
We say this carefully, and not to judge anyone’s choices: the most legally protected way to end a pregnancy if you live in a state with a ban is precisely the thing you are considering – receiving care in person, from licensed clinicians, in a state where it is legal. Your visit to us generates exactly what protects you: lawful medical care, in a lawful place, documented as such.
Are there situations where I should call first?
- If you are under 18 : parental consent and notification rules differ by state, and some states restrict adults who help minors travel. Do not guess - call us, and we will walk through your specific situation confidentially, including options like judicial bypass.
- If you are on probation, parole, or pretrial supervision : you may need permission to leave your state, and traveling without it can create serious problems that have nothing to do with abortion. We wrote a full page for you: I’m on Probation or Parole - Can I Travel for Care? Please read it before you book.
- If anyone is monitoring or threatening you : your safety comes first. Call us and tell us; we plan around this regularly, and our privacy practices are built for it. How We Protect Your Privacy
- If you are helping someone travel : partners, friends, and family are welcome to call for her, gather information, and make the appointment. For Partners, Friends, and Family
Where can I get free legal advice?
You never have to wonder alone. These organizations provide free legal advice – confidentially, regardless of your state:
- If/When/How Repro Helpline: 844-868-2812 : free legal advice about abortion, travel, and your rights, before or after care.
- Pregnancy Justice : support for anyone facing investigation or charges related to a pregnancy outcome.
What will it cost, and how long will I be away?
Care starts at $295 and we quote your full price before you travel. Virginia has no waiting period, so most women complete care in a single visit – for many, a day trip: fifteen miles from the North Carolina line, no planes, no hotels. If cost or travel is the obstacle, abortion funds we work with may help with fees, gas, or lodging.
Why women from across the South choose Virginia Women’s Wellness
- 100% legal : Your care happens in Virginia, under Virginia law.
- The closest provider for much of the South : 15 miles from North Carolina.
- One visit, no waiting period : Home the same day.
- Immediate appointments : Often the same day you call.
The bottom line
You are allowed to come here. It is legal to drive, fly, or ride a bus to Virginia from any state for care that is legal in Virginia. Thousands of women from across the South do it every year. Our job is to make the medical part safe and the practical part manageable – and to tell you the legal truth without spin: traveling for care is not the risk. It is the protection.
- FAQ’s
Questions Women Ask
Can my home state punish me for having an abortion in Virginia?
Will my home state find out?
We do not volunteer information to anyone, and Virginia law restricts out-of-state investigations into care that is legal here. See How We Protect Your Privacy, including our in-person Anonymous Abortion option Anonymous Abortion at Virginia Women’s Wellness – How It Works.
Can someone drive me or come with me?
Yes. Friends and family may accompany you through much of your visit.
Don’t wait – call 757-540-1595 or book online now.
Sources
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022) (Kavanaugh, J., concurring); [federal appeals decision on abortion-travel restrictions – counsel supplies the citation]; If/When/How Repro Legal Helpline.