U.S. Takes Major Action Against Birth Tourism, Cancels Over 6,000 Visas

Washington, November 13 (Daily Kiran) : The U.S. State Department has announced the cancellation of more than 6,000 visas connected to birth tourism, a practice where individuals travel abroad to give birth for citizenship benefits. This move is part of a broader crackdown by the newly formed Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force.

According to a statement from the department, the task force has identified and revoked these visas for individuals involved in or facilitating birth tourism. This figure surpasses the 4,000 visas canceled that were reported on October 31, although it remains unclear how much this number has risen overall.

Previously, the department indicated that over 700 of the canceled visas were held by Chinese nationals. However, the latest announcement did not specify the nationalities of the affected individuals.

It is important to note that the cancellation of a visa does not imply that the individual has been deported or found guilty of a crime. The State Department clarified that traveling to the U.S. with the primary intent of giving birth to obtain citizenship for the child is not a valid basis for issuing a B non-immigrant visa.

If a consular officer suspects that an applicant intends to give birth during their stay, it can lead to a presumption that the applicant must disprove. This process does not alter the existing pathways to U.S. citizenship.

The Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force was established on August 12, and prior to this latest action, it had already canceled over 600 visas worldwide. On September 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions for individuals who intentionally participate in or promote birth tourism, which may also affect family members. Additionally, an online portal has been launched for reporting visa fraud related to this issue.