Form 21: the embassy certificate for foreign transplant cases

Form 21 is the certificate of relationship between donor and recipient for foreign nationals under India’s THO Rules 2014. Who signs it and how to prepare.

Glossary term · Law & regulation

By Nikhil Sharma, Founder · Updated · How we write and check

Definition

Form 21 (transplant) (also: Form 21, Embassy relationship certificate): Form 21 is the certificate of relationship between donor and recipient in the case of foreigners, required under India’s Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules 2014.

Form 21 is the official certificate of relationship between donor and recipient for foreign nationals seeking a transplant in India. It sits in the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules 2014. Rule 20 states that a senior embassy official of the country of origin has to certify the relationship. The Rules make this certification a requirement for foreign cases.

Who signs Form 21?

Rule 20 says a senior embassy official of the country of origin has to certify the relationship. Contact your embassy early to ask how it handles these requests.

What documents support it?

  • Passports of donor and recipient.
  • Birth certificates showing the family link.
  • Marriage certificate for spousal donation.
  • Identity and residence proof as the hospital requests.

The Rules provide for DNA profiling in an accredited laboratory if the relationship is not conclusively established. Results are recorded on Form 5.

Where does Form 21 fit in the process?

  • The transplant team evaluates donor and recipient medically.
  • The embassy certifies the relationship on Form 21.
  • The hospital submits the application with supporting forms.
  • The authorisation committee interviews both and decides in writing.

Start early

Gather certified family documents before travel, with translations if needed. Missing paperwork can delay the whole process.

Questions people ask

Can my home embassy outside India sign Form 21?

The Rules refer to a senior embassy official of the country of origin. Ask the transplant hospital which embassy office it accepts, and check with your embassy before you travel.

Is Form 21 enough to approve a transplant?

No. It certifies the relationship only. The authorisation committee also checks medical fitness, consent and that there is no payment, and it interviews donor and recipient before deciding. Medical evaluation by the transplant team also comes first.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. How we write and check.

More glossary

ART (Regulation) Act 2021

The ART (Regulation) Act 2021 is India’s law requiring registration of assisted reproduction clinics and banks and setting rules on consent, donors, embryos and sex selection.

Deceased organ donation

Deceased organ donation is the donation of organs after death, including after brain-stem death certified by a board of medical experts.

Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023

The DPDP Act 2023 is India’s law governing how digital personal data is processed, setting consent rules, individual rights and duties for organisations that handle data.

Hospital authorisation committee

A hospital authorisation committee is the body set up under India’s THO Rules 2014 to approve or reject living-donor transplant applications.

Living organ donor

A living organ donor is a person who gives an organ, such as a kidney or part of the liver, while alive.

National ART and Surrogacy Registry

The National ART and Surrogacy Registry is India’s central online database of registered ART clinics, ART banks and surrogacy clinics, set up under the ART Act 2021.

Free Case Review

Send us your reports. We’ll do the rest.

A case manager reviews your reports, shares them with suitable accredited hospitals and comes back with treatment options, the specialists involved and written estimates — free, with no obligation.

Start your case review