US announces visa restrictions targeting birth tourism facilitators

The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting individuals and organisations it says knowingly facilitate commercial “birth tourism.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measure would target owners, operators and managers of commercial birth-tourism networks as well as visa intermediaries who allegedly coach applicants to provide false information.

Foreign medical providers who knowingly help facilitate such arrangements may also be affected by the restrictions.

The US government defines birth tourism as travel to the United States primarily for the purpose of giving birth so that a child obtains US citizenship.

US State Department guidance already states that birth tourism is not a permissible basis for the issuance of a visitor visa.

Rubio said some commercial networks advertise services to foreign nationals, help arrange travel and accommodation and, according to the US government, sometimes coach applicants to misrepresent their purpose of travel on visa applications.

The latest restrictions are being implemented under provisions of US immigration law allowing visa restrictions where the government determines that an individual’s entry could have serious foreign-policy consequences.

The measure primarily targets facilitators and commercial networks, rather than announcing a blanket visa ban on all pregnant travellers