In Brief
After completing studies at IIT and IIM, Ankur Gupta migrated to the USA, where he married Geetika Agarwal. Both later acquired US citizenship while abroad. On returning to India in 2016, they applied to adopt a child as Indian prospective adoptive parents. After Ankur acquired US citizenship in December 2016, they submitted a second application as overseas citizens. A child was referred to them under their first application, but the authorities declined to grant priority, citing their foreign citizenship. The High Court ordered the authorities to reconsider their first application. The Supreme Court held that acquiring foreign citizenship terminates eligibility for in-country adoption; they must wait for inter-country adoption referral but would receive priority as overseas citizens. The decision of 27.02.2018 rejecting their first application was upheld. Contempt applications were rejected as ill-advised.
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