ABSTRACT
The letter, endorsed by the consuls general of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic, emphasized the importance of directing nationals from their countries to their respective consulates before beginning the surrogacy process. The origins and character of blood have an intimate relationship with nationalism, and scholars have illustrated the gendered dimensions of this relationship. For foreign parents who pursue surrogacy in India, themes of citizenship and nationality are paramount. Parents often describe the process of obtaining citizenship for their children as stressful, bewildering, and maddening. In India, citizenship is not immediately assigned to children born in the country: at least one parent must be an Indian citizen for the child to be Indian as well. Problems of miscommunication also affected Patricia’s and Jonas’s experience getting the Indian birth certificate, a crucial document in the process of obtaining citizenship and travel documents.
