No U.S. Visa for Birth Tourism: Citizenship-Driven Travel Banned: The United States Mission in Nigeria

On July 28, 2025, the United States Mission in Nigeria cautioned visa applicants that if their primary reason for travelling to the U.S. is childbirth to secure citizenship for their child, their visa applications will be rejected.

In a statement shared on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Mission explained:

“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. Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent.”

This advisory underscores increased scrutiny around so-called “birth tourism”, where foreign nationals travel to the U.S. on visitor visas with the intent of having their baby on U.S. soil so the child automatically obtains citizenship.

The announcement also comes in the context of wider policy changes—including a recent adjustment by the U.S. Department of State: non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens are now typically single-entry with a validity of just three months.

The Mission emphasized that honesty about travel intent is crucial, and misrepresenting intentions during the visa application process may lead not only to visa denial but also to long-term immigration consequences.