The US government will start denying visas to pregnant women who intend to travel to the United States to give birth so that their children will automatically become citizens, the State Department said in a notice due to be published in the Federal Register on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2020) The US government will start denying visas to pregnant women who intend to travel to the United States to give birth so that their children will automatically become citizens, the State Department said in a notice due to be published in the Federal Register on Friday.
"The Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs ("Department"), is amending its regulation governing the issuance of visas in the "B" nonimmigrant classification for temporary visitors for pleasure," the notice said. "This rule establishes that travel to the United States with the Primary purpose of obtaining US citizenship for a child by giving birth in the United States is an impermissible basis for the issuance of a B nonimmigrant visa. Consequently, a consular officer shall deny a B nonimmigrant visa to an alien who he or she has reason to believe intends to travel for this primary purpose."
The new rule addresses the risk of the so-called birth tourism industry, including associated criminal activity "as reflected in federal prosecutions of individuals and entities involved in that industry," the State Department said in a separate post in the Federal Register.
Brokers charge tens of thousands of Dollars to arrange transportation and hospital stays for pregnant women who wish to give birth in the United States, where babies born on US soil automatically gain citizenship.
