Overview
- In a post on X, the embassy said consular officers will refuse B-1/B-2 visas if they judge the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain citizenship for the child.
- The State Department has said birth tourism is unacceptable under U.S. immigration law and warned that such abuse can trigger ineligibility for future visas or travel.
- The clarification aligns with regulations tightened in 2020 that treat childbirth as a medical purpose requiring legitimate medical need and financial capability rather than a pathway to citizenship.
- Beginning December 15, the State Department will extend online‑presence reviews to all H-1B workers and H-4 dependents, expanding checks already used for F, M, and J applicants.
- Trump’s January 2025 order to limit birthright citizenship remains blocked by lawsuits, though USCIS has published an implementation blueprint should the policy survive judicial review.