US To Deny Visas To Pregnant Women Seeking To Give Birth For Citizenship Purposes

The United States government has issued a warning that traveling to the country on a tourist visa with plans to give birth, so the child can obtain U.S. citizenship, is not allowed and could lead to visa denial.

This is part of a wider crackdown on “birth tourism,” where foreigners enter the U.S. on short-term visas specifically to have children who will automatically become American citizens.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria shared the warning via its social media channels on Monday, July 28.

“Using your visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States so that your child will have U.S. citizenship is not permitted. Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent,” the statement read in part.

The U.S. also stressed that visa applicants must be honest about why they are visiting, warning that anyone caught lying about their intentions may face serious immigration consequences in the future.

The U.S. Department of State added that consular officers are under clear instructions to reject visa requests when there is solid evidence that childbirth is the traveler’s primary motive.

KanyiDaily recalls that the United States recently announced a major change to how it issues visas to Nigerian citizens.