The United States government has officially announced a strict crackdown on what is commonly known as birth tourism, warning that Nigerian citizens seeking to travel to the US for the sole purpose of giving birth will now face automatic visa denial.
This announcement was made via the US Mission in Nigeria’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account, where it clearly stated that such use of travel visas violates American immigration laws. The statement emphasized that consular officers are now instructed to deny any visa application where they suspect the applicant’s primary intent is to deliver a baby in the US to obtain citizenship for the child.
“We will deny your visa if we believe your primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to get US citizenship for your child,” the mission declared. “Using your visa for this purpose is not permitted. Consular officers will deny your visa application if they suspect this is your intent.”
Birth tourism refers to the practice of traveling to a country like the US, which grants citizenship based on jus soli (citizenship by birth), in order to give birth and secure that citizenship for the newborn — regardless of the parents’ nationality or immigration status.
The US has long been a top destination for this practice, especially among citizens of developing nations. However, the policy has faced intense legal and political scrutiny in recent years. Under former President Donald Trump, there were strong efforts to curb the practice of birthright citizenship, including a proposed ban on children of undocumented immigrants being granted citizenship.
In early 2025, a controversial executive order aiming to restrict birthright citizenship was signed, leading to a series of legal challenges and political backlash.
Just last Friday, a federal judge in the US issued a nationwide injunction temporarily blocking the enforcement of the executive order, citing concerns about its constitutionality. This marked the third major legal setback for the administration’s policy shift, coming after a Supreme Court ruling in June limited the power of lower courts to impose sweeping legal restrictions.
In his ruling, Judge Joseph Laplante stated that “US citizenship remains the greatest privilege that exists in the world.” He warned that revoking or limiting citizenship via executive order alone, without Congressional approval, would cause “irreparable harm” to thousands of families — especially children who had already been granted citizenship under the existing laws.
Several US states have opposed the executive order on grounds that it would severely affect access to government-funded programs like healthcare, education, and welfare services, all of which are often linked to a child’s legal status.
The new visa enforcement measures in Nigeria signal a broader effort by US immigration authorities to prevent misuse of the immigration system and reassert stricter vetting procedures. Nigerians and citizens of other countries considering travel to the US for childbirth are now being urged to reconsider their plans, or face possible denial and long-term visa consequences.