The United States Mission in Nigeria has cautioned Nigerians, particularly expectant mothers, against travelling to the US with the sole intention of giving birth in order to secure citizenship for their children.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, the Mission emphasised that such “birth tourism” is not permitted under US visa regulations and could lead to visa denial.
“Using your visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States so that your child will have US citizenship is not permitted,” the Mission stated.
It added that consular officers are authorised to deny visa applications if there is reason to believe the applicant intends to travel for childbirth.
“Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent,” the post warned, urging travellers to be honest about the purpose of their visit to avoid unnecessary expense and disappointment.
The advisory comes amid a growing trend of foreign nationals attempting to give birth in the US to obtain automatic citizenship for their children, a practice the US government has been working to curb.
