The United States Mission in Nigeria has cautioned Nigerians against traveling to the US primarily to give birth in order to obtain American citizenship for their children.
In a post on X, the US Mission emphasized that using a visa for the primary purpose of childbirth is against US immigration policy.
“Traveling to the US mainly to give birth so your child can acquire U.S. citizenship is not allowed. Visa applications will be denied if consular officers believe this is your intent,” the statement read.
The warning comes amid increased scrutiny of visa applications and stricter enforcement against “birth tourism,” where expectant mothers travel to the US solely to deliver their babies.
This follows a previous revision by the US Department of State to its visa reciprocity policy, limiting most non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerians to single-entry with a three-month validity period.
The US reiterated that its visa policies are guided by global security and technical standards aimed at safeguarding the integrity of its immigration system.