‘Birth tourism' violates US Immigration law & will not be permitted- US Embassy
The Embassy emphasises that using a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to enter the United States primarily for the purpose of giving birth—thereby securing US citizenship for the child—is a violation of US immigration law and will not be permitted.
Many in the Virgin Islands, locals and expatriates, are known to prefer to have their babies born in the US, including due to healthcare concerns.
According to the US Embassy in Barbados, the advisory reiterates long-standing policy reinforced by a regulation implemented by the US Department of State on January 24, 2020, which directs consular officers to deny tourist visa applications when there is reason to believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain US citizenship for the child.
Birth tourism a ‘misuse of the visa category’
It said that while travel to the United States for tourism and legitimate medical care is permitted under the B-1/B-2 visa, the US government considers birth tourism a misuse of the visa category. Individuals suspected of engaging in this practice may be denied entry, have their visas revoked, or face future ineligibility for US visas.
Birth tourism has raised national security and immigration concerns in the United States for several years. It is estimated that tens of thousands of babies are born each year to mothers who enter the country on tourist visas.
The US government said it remains committed to preserving the integrity of its immigration system and preventing the exploitation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which grants birthright citizenship to those born on US soil.
The advisory serves as a reminder that visa applicants must disclose the true purpose of their travel and comply with all US immigration rules. It said misrepresentation may lead to serious consequences, including permanent ineligibility for US visas.
The Embassy encourages all Caribbean nationals to review visa guidelines carefully and to ensure their travel intentions are consistent with the visa category for which they are applying.
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13 Responses to “‘Birth tourism' violates US Immigration law & will not be permitted- US Embassy”
This will never stop. The US done let it got out of hand. The BVI and other Caribbean nations/countries the same dam thing.
Maybe a good thing bringing back made and produced in the VI. Well maybe not even made in the VI but produced in the VI.
VI probably does need to move away from the made somewhere, produced in the USA but vote in the VI model of VIslander that is starting to upset some folks.
I am sure it makes sense to the people who have lived here, work here, play here, are invested here, pay tax here, and have no say, but are living under Governments voted in by people who born in the US, live somewhere else, use their paid for education somewhere else, farmers and fishers grants spent somewhere else, taxes paid somewhere else, money spent somewhere else, skills used somewhere eilse, focus is somewhere else .... it gets you thinking.