The United States government has announced it will deny visas to individuals whose primary intention for visiting the country is to give birth, thereby securing American citizenship for their children a practice known as “birth tourism.”
In a statement released on Monday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria made it clear that consular officers are under strict instruction to reject visa applications if there is any indication that the main purpose of travel is to have a child in the U.S.
“Traveling to the United States primarily to give birth so your child can obtain U.S. citizenship is not allowed,” the statement emphasized. “If consular officers believe this is your main reason for applying, your visa will be denied.”
An accompanying graphic posted by the U.S. Mission on X (formerly Twitter) further reinforced the message, stating: “We will deny your visa if we believe your primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to get U.S. citizenship for your child. This is not accepted.”
Under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, any child born on American soil is automatically granted citizenship, a policy that has attracted significant global attention and, in some cases, abuse.
The practice of birth tourism has become increasingly controversial, with U.S. authorities taking action against individuals and businesses that profit from arranging such trips often at considerable cost.
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