No visa to foreigners visiting India for surrogacy, says Centre

The Indian missions and Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) was directed by the Home Ministry to not grant visa to couples intending to visit India for surrogacy.

In a circular, the Ministry has asked all Indian Missions abroad and FRRO to cancel any such permission given earlier and said all those granted visa for this should be informed of the country's position immediately.

The Ministry has also asked the FRRO not to give permission of Overseas Citizen of India cardholders to commission surrogacy in the nation. However, the notification said, for child born through surrogacy already commissioned on or before issue of this circular, exit permission will be decided by FRRO on case to case basis.

Commercial surrogacy is often termed as rent-a-womb industry and India has emerged as a popular destination for childless foreign couples seeking a baby through surrogacy with poor women ready to play surrogate mothers.