U.S shuts down birth tourism rings, revokes over 600 visas worldwide

By Nkiruka Nnorom

The U.S. government has launched a crackdown on birth tourism networks, revoking over 600 visas issued to foreigners who used the route to secure citizenship for their children.

The Department of State stated this yesterday in an X post, saying that under President Donald Trump, tje department was “defending the integrity of U.S. citizenship by ending illegal birth tourism schemes.”

The department warned that no foreigner is permitted to obtain a visitor visa primarily to give birth in the U.S.

It noted more than 100 visas obtained through the scheme were revoked in West Africa, while over 400 and 100 visas were revoked in Europe and North Africa respectively.

The department said: “A U.S embassy in West Africa uncovered a sophisticated network of more than 100 foreign nationals who used fraudulent documents and visa “fixers” to obtain visas for birth tourism. The visas were revoked and the operation was shut down, with the embassy coordinating with local authorities to identify similar cases.

“In Europe, investigators traced more than 400 suspected birth tourism cases since 2024 to at least six companies. The firms were said to have coached applicants on visa interview responses, arranged housing in the U.S and set up delivery plans.”

The department said it had revoked the visas, shut down the operations, and permanently banned several fraudsters from entering the U.S.

It also noted that a U.S embassy in North Africa also revoked over 100 visas issued to birth tourist parents who travelled primarily to give birth so their children would gain U.S citizenship.

“Consular officers working with law enforcement and using data analytics identified several networks abusing the system and put a stop to it,” the department stated.

The State Department stressed that a U.S. visa remained “a privilege, not a right”, adding that it was taking action globally to dismantle birth tourism networks and hold those who attempt to scam the system accountable.