Germany rejects visa to surrogate twins, SC told

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) Germany has refused to grant
visa to the twins of a German couple born through a surrogate
Indian woman but said it was willing to grant permission to
them to adopt the children to pave the way for their passage
to that country, the Indian Government Monday informed the
Supreme Court.

Taking a humanitarian view on its part, Government
said it was agreeable to Germany's suggestion and was willing
to offer temporary citizenship to the 11-month-old twins for
facilitating the adoptions.
The visa plea was rejected on the ground that
surrogacy is a "punishable offence" under German laws.
Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium told a Bench of
Justices G S Singhvi and Asok Kumar Ganguly that Germany was
willing to grant permission to the German Couple, John Dalaz
and his wife, for adopting the children through inter-country
adoptions as provided by the Hague convention.
The couple is seeking Indian citizenship for the
children born in February 2008 through surrogate mother Martha
Immanual Khristy on the plea that the twins otherwise would
not be allowed entry into Germany.
The couple claim that once the twins are accorded
Indian citizenship they would be entitled to passports, thus
facilitating their entry into Germany.
After the Indian passport authorities turned down
their plea, the couple moved the Gujarat High Court.
The High Court had on November 11 directed the Centre
to grant citizenship saying since the twins were born to a
surrogate Indian mother they were entitled to this country's
citizenship.
The Centre moved an appeal in the apex court, saying
the children cannot be treated as Indian citizens. PTI RB
RBT