US cracks down on birth tourism, revokes hundreds of visas worldwide

• The US State Department says it uncovered suspected birth tourism networks in West Africa, Europe and North Africa, involving fraudulent documents and visa facilitators.

• A task force established in August 2026 has revoked more than 600 visas worldwide, while a September policy targets people who facilitate commercial birth tourism.

• US visitor visas cannot be issued primarily for birth tourism, although the Supreme Court has reaffirmed that children born in the US to parents temporarily or unlawfully present are citizens at birth.

The United States Department of State says it has intensified efforts to dismantle international networks involved in birth tourism, revoking hundreds of visas and targeting individuals accused of helping foreign nationals travel to the country primarily to give birth and secure American citizenship for their children.

In a statement, the department said a US embassy in West Africa uncovered what it described as a sophisticated birth tourism network involving more than 100 foreign nationals.

The individuals allegedly used fraudulent documents and visa facilitators, commonly referred to as “fixers”, to obtain visitor visas for childbirth-related travel.

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The department said it had shut down the operation, revoked the visas of those involved and was working with local authorities to identify and prevent similar schemes. However, it did not identify the West African country where the network was uncovered.

In Europe, a US embassy identified more than 400 suspected birth tourism cases dating back to 2024. Investigators reportedly traced the cases to at least six companies accused of coaching applicants on how to respond during visa interviews, arranging accommodation in the United States and organising childbirth plans.

The State Department said the operations had been stopped, the relevant visas revoked and several individuals accused of fraud permanently barred from travelling to the United States.

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In North Africa, another US embassy revoked more than 100 visas belonging to parents suspected of travelling to the country primarily to give birth so their children could obtain US citizenship.

The department said consular officers worked with law enforcement agencies and used data analytics to identify networks involved in the activities.

The reported discoveries form part of a wider effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to tackle what it describes as the abuse of the US immigration system through commercial birth tourism.

On August 12, 2026, the State Department announced the establishment of a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to investigate suspected cases, revoke visas and dismantle networks facilitating the practice.

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The department said the task force reviews visa holders' activities worldwide and analyses information held across the State Department and other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security.

At the time of the announcement, the department said the task force had revoked more than 600 visas from foreign nationals across the world.

It also described birth tourism as a commercial industry in which some facilitators advertise childbirth packages, provide visa coaching and arrange hospital services. According to the department, some operators have also been involved in forging medical documents and advising applicants to conceal their actual travel intentions.

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On September 23, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an additional visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The policy targets individuals who knowingly engage in or facilitate birth tourism, including owners and managers of commercial birth tourism networks, visa fixers, and certain foreign medical providers accused of knowingly assisting the schemes.

Under US immigration regulations, travelling to the country primarily to give birth so that a child can obtain American citizenship is not an acceptable reason for issuing a B-1/B-2 visitor visa.

The rule took effect on January 24, 2020. It also establishes a presumption that an applicant who a consular officer has reason to believe will give birth during a visit intends to travel primarily to obtain US citizenship for the child. The applicant must be able to overcome that presumption.

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However, the restriction does not mean that every pregnant woman is automatically barred from travelling to the United States. Medical treatment remains a recognised purpose of a visitor visa, provided the applicant satisfies the requirements, including demonstrating a legitimate reason for the treatment, arrangements with a medical provider and the ability to pay the associated costs.

It is also important to distinguish the visa rules from the constitutional position on citizenship. On June 30, 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. Barbara that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The ruling means the administration's crackdown on birth tourism does not, by itself, remove birthright citizenship. The enforcement measures instead focus on the use of visitor visas for that purpose and on alleged fraud by applicants and the networks assisting them.

The State Department has maintained that it will continue working with law enforcement agencies and foreign authorities to identify and dismantle birth tourism operations.