The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a warning to Nigerians, particularly pregnant women, advising against travelling to the US with the main goal of giving birth to secure American citizenship for their babies.
In a post shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, the Mission emphasised that such practices, commonly referred to as birth tourism, are not allowed under US immigration rules and could lead to visa refusal.
“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 post read.
The Mission further explained that consular officers are instructed to deny visa applications if they suspect that the applicant’s main intention is to deliver a baby in the US.
“Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent,” the statement added.
