By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THE UNITED States of America has issued a renewed warning to Nigerians seeking to travel for the sole purpose of giving birth on American soil, cautioning that such visa applications will be denied under tightened scrutiny of “birth tourism.”
In a statement posted Monday on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the US Embassy in Nigeria said consular officers would refuse visas where they suspect the main intent is to obtain US citizenship for a child through birth.
“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,” the embassy stated.
“Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent.”
The advisory comes amid intensified enforcement of immigration rules, especially since President Donald Trump’s re-election in November 2024.
In one of his first executive actions after returning to office in January, Trump issued an order attempting to end automatic birthright citizenship, a move currently being contested in US courts.
The US has long been a popular destination for “birth tourism,” particularly among affluent families from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa who seek the long-term benefits of American citizenship for their children—such as future residency, education rights, and the ability to sponsor relatives.
Under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, all individuals born on US soil are granted citizenship, regardless of parental nationality or immigration status.
However, Trump has argued that this constitutional provision was intended to protect the children of emancipated slaves after the Civil War—not foreign visitors or undocumented immigrants.
His January executive order, though blocked by several federal court injunctions following lawsuits filed by civil rights organisations and at least 18 US states, has raised uncertainty around the future of birthright citizenship.
Trump, defending the controversial move, said:
“Birthright citizenship was not designed for tourists. It was designed to right the historic wrongs against slaves—not to encourage migration through maternity.”
While it remains legal for a pregnant woman to travel to the US, the embassy made it clear that doing so for the express purpose of acquiring citizenship for a child may constitute visa fraud if misrepresented during application.
It adds that misuse could result in denial, visa revocation, or even future ineligibility.
The caution is particularly aimed at Nigerian nationals applying for B-1/B-2 tourist visas, which do not permit maternity-related travel unless declared and accepted by a consular officer, the consular warns.
