August 7, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a firm advisory warning Nigerian citizens, especially expectant mothers, against traveling to the United States for the primary purpose of giving birth.
In a statement released via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, the Mission emphasized that engaging in what is commonly known as “birth tourism”—travelling to the U.S. solely to give birth and secure American citizenship for a child is a violation of U.S. visa policy.
“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 Mission stated.
The U.S. government further explained that consular officers are authorised to deny visa applications if they suspect that an applicant’s true intention is to give birth in the country. It advised Nigerian travellers to be fully transparent about their reasons for travel.
“Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent,” the Mission warned.
This move is part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. to curb the rising global trend of birth tourism, which officials say places strain on immigration systems and undermines the integrity of visa processes.
The Mission urged Nigerians to comply with visa regulations and avoid misrepresenting their intentions during applications.
