The United States government has warned that using a tourist visa with the primary intention of giving birth in the country is not permitted and could result in visa denial.
The move is part of the U.S. government’s broader effort to curb birth tourism, a practice where foreign nationals travel to the United States on temporary visas with the primary intention of giving birth, so their child automatically acquires U.S. citizenship.
This was disclosed in a statement on the official X (formerly Twitter) page of the US Mission in Nigeria on Monday.
“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. emphasized that visa applicants must be honest about their travel purpose and cautioned that misrepresentation of intent may carry long-term immigration consequences.
This latest reminder comes amid tighter scrutiny of visa applications and continued enforcement of regulations targeting what is widely known as birth tourism.
According to the U.S. Department of State, consular officers have been directed to deny visa applications where there is credible evidence that the applicant’s main reason for travel is to give birth on American soil to secure citizenship for their child.
What you should know
In January 2025, the U.S. reiterated its commitment to closing immigration loopholes and preventing misuse of the birthright citizenship clause under the 14th Amendment.
The United States introduced a new visa rule in February 2020 restricting birth tourism, stating that foreign pregnant women, including Nigerians, seeking to give birth in the country for citizenship purposes would no longer be eligible for visas, according to Nairametrics.
- In 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he does not believe babies born in the United States to undocumented immigrant parents should be granted American citizenship.
Under U.S. immigration law, babies born on American soil automatically acquire citizenship, regardless of their parents’ nationality or immigration status. However, the U.S. maintains that this should not be the sole reason for granting entry on a tourist visa.
- Recently, the United States (US) government warned travelers against overstaying their visas, threatening to permanently ban them from coming into the country, as well as face criminal prosecution.
These developments reflect a growing global push by U.S. authorities to strengthen visa screening procedures and curb misuse of the immigration system, especially in regions with high rates of visa violations.
