US expands visa restrictions targeting 'birth tourism' networks

The United States has broadened its visa restrictions to target individuals and networks involved in or facilitating birth tourism, a practice where foreigners travel to the U.S. to give birth and secure American citizenship for their child. The policy specifically aims at commercial entities, intermediaries, and service providers who assist in these trips.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the new measures are based on the Immigration and Nationality Act and apply to those knowingly participating or previously engaged in birth tourism to the United States, as well as those who facilitate such activities. The policy targets owners, operators, and managers of commercial networks organizing birth tourism trips, visa brokers instructing applicants to provide false information, foreign medical service providers promoting or facilitating these trips, and individuals accused of fraudulently benefiting from the Medicaid health program.

The US administration views foreign networks as turning citizenship acquisition into a profit-driven activity by directing foreigners to submit misleading information on visa applications for payment, often exceeding tens of thousands of dollars. Birth tourism is defined as traveling to the United States primarily for the purpose of giving birth to secure citizenship for the child, which the US Department of State does not consider a valid basis for obtaining a visitor visa.

This policy does not represent the start of U.S. restrictions on birth tourism, as the State Department had already amended B-category visitor visa rules in January 2020 to allow consular officers to deny applications if they suspect the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the U.S. for citizenship purposes. Rubio emphasized that the Trump administration will employ all available tools to protect the immigration system, public resources, and American taxpayers, and prevent the exploitation of the visa system for birth tourism purposes.