The United States government has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign citizens who travel to the country to give birth to secure automatic U.S. citizenship for their children, as well as individuals and entities that facilitate the practice.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy, stating that the restrictions are being invoked pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
He added that certain immediate family members of individuals targeted under the policy may also be subject to the visa restrictions.
The policy specifically targets owners, operators, and managers of commercial birth tourism operations, as well as visa ‘fixers’ and facilitators who coach applicants to submit fraudulent documents or misrepresent their travel intentions.
Foreign medical providers who knowingly aid such travel schemes and any other individuals supporting commercial birth tourism networks are also covered under the rules.
The announcement comes after recent operations by U.S. authorities that dismantled international birth tourism networks operating across West Africa, North Africa, and Europe, resulting in the revocation of hundreds of visas.
In one instance, a U.S. embassy in West Africa uncovered a network involving over 100 foreign nationals using fraudulent documents and fixers to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children.
The State Department confirmed that the newly established Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, working alongside the Department of Homeland Security, will continue to analyse records worldwide to revoke visas and dismantle commercial operations profiting from immigration fraud.
Official statements emphasised that the policy aims to protect the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and prevent the exploitation of American citizenship.