Visas Will Be Denied for Birth Tourism – U.S. to Nigerians

The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a stern warning to visa applicants: traveling primarily to give birth in the U.S. to secure citizenship for your child is prohibited and will result in visa denial.

In a tweet posted on July 28, 2025, via its official X handle, the mission stated: “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.”

The warning targets the rising phenomenon known as “birth tourism” travelers visiting the U.S. with intent to secure automatic citizenship for their newborns. The U.S. government has increased its scrutiny of such cases amid broader immigration policy tightening.

Previously, the State Department rolled out changes under the visa reciprocity policy: most Nigerian applicants now receive single-entry B1/B2 visas valid for three months, replacing earlier multi-year permissions.

The U.S. mission stressed that consular officers look for clear, legitimate reasons for travel, such as tourism, medical care for existing conditions, or business—and serious documentation is required to verify intentions.

Adding,“Honesty is critical in the visa process. Misrepresentation of travel intentions will have serious consequences.”

Nigerian applicants have been urged to consult official embassy guidance and provide credible evidence of their travel purposes to avoid denial or future bans.