US embassy in India announces crackdown on ‘birth tourism’ visas
text_fields
New Delhi: The US embassy in India announced on Thursday, 11 December, that tourist visas will be refused if consular officials suspect the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to secure citizenship for the child.
In a statement posted to social media platform X, the embassy clarified that entering the country with this specific intent is not permitted under current regulations. "US consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain US citizenship for the child," the post stated.
Under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, children born on American soil to non-US citizens are automatically granted citizenship. This constitutional provision has given rise to the practice known as "birth tourism," where foreign nationals travel to the US specifically for childbirth.
President Donald Trump has frequently criticised this provision, arguing that the rule is being misused. The administration maintains that this practice exploits a legal loophole, placing undue pressure on American public resources and compromising national security.
Earlier this year, the US State Department warned that foreign parents who enter the country primarily for this purpose could be barred from future entry. The department emphasised that these stricter measures are necessary to protect the interests of US taxpayers.