German couple face surrogacy mess in India

German couple face surrogacy mess in India

The Times of India is reporting of red tape preventing a German couple trying to get their twins home from India.

The problem appeared that the wife did not have an egg available for the clinic, so an egg was “borrowed” from an unknown source, before being implanted in the surrogate. The result? The twins born as a result of the surrogacy have no stated mother on their birth certificate.

The problem became obvious when the German couple went to move to the UK. The UK refused to allow the twins to move there because the children’s names were those of the wife, but no mother was shown on the birth certificate. To make it worse, because the father was German, the children were not Indian citizens either.

The couple are now trying to clear things up through Indian courts, but as a warning sign to others seeking to use Indian surrogacy centres, all are hampered by there being a lack of law. The court has requested that the Government issue identity certificates for the children. Whether the Government will do this, and whether this will solve the problem, is not known.

Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen

My Surrogacy Reform Wish List for Australia

Australia’s surrogacy framework is fragmented, outdated and producing avoidable harm for intended parents, surrogates and, most importantly, children. A clearer, fairer and nationally consistent approach to surrogacy law reform would reduce cost, stress and legal uncertainty while better protecting human rights and minimising exploitation. Below is a practical wish list for reform that focuses on… Read More »My Surrogacy Reform Wish List for Australia

Harmful proceedings orders

A change that was made to the Family Law Act 1975 in 2024 was to allow the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Family Court of Western Australia to make a harmful proceedings order. This is to stop the never ending cycle of abusive court proceedings, which often stretch on for a decade, and… Read More »Harmful proceedings orders

Practical Family Law Drafting: Stephen Page’s Legalwise Intensive Paper

Stephen Page, Director at Page Provan Family and Fertility Lawyers, presented at the Legalwise Practical Family Law Drafting Intensive on 25 February 2026, delivering expert guidance on drafting interim property and maintenance applications. As Australia’s leading surrogacy lawyer and an Accredited Family Law Specialist since 1996, Stephen brings decades of frontline experience to family law… Read More »Practical Family Law Drafting: Stephen Page’s Legalwise Intensive Paper

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board