The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a strong warning to Nigerians planning to travel to the US with the primary intention of giving birth—a practice commonly referred to as “birth tourism.”
In a post shared via its official handle on X (formerly Twitter), the US Mission emphasized that using a visa for the primary purpose of childbirth to secure American citizenship for a child is a violation of US immigration laws.
“Using your visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States so that your child will have U.S. citizenship is not permitted. Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent,” the statement read.
The crackdown is not new, but this public reminder signals a renewed focus on detecting intent during visa interviews, particularly in cases involving pregnant applicants or frequent short-term travel.
According to the US Mission, these visa policies are not country-specific but are based on “global benchmarks aimed at protecting the integrity of US immigration systems.”
