US government revokes more than 600 visas in birth tourism crackdown
Key Points(5)
- The US government has revoked more than 600 visas from foreign nationals as part of a global crackdown on birth tourism and has established a new task force to identify and dismantle networks facilitating the practice.
- The Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force , established by the US Department of State, is reviewing the activities of visa holders worldwide to identify cases in which foreign nationals may have traveled to the United States primarily to give birth.
- The initiative is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and involves analyzing and connecting information held across US government agencies.
- The State Department said the task force is examining travel histories of individuals from around the world, with the goal of identifying potential cases of birth tourism, revoking visas when appropriate and targeting networks that profit from the practice.
- "The Birth Tourism Task Force has taken action by revoking more than 600 visas from foreign nationals across the globe to safeguard our nation from this abuse," the department said.
The US government has revoked more than 600 visas from foreign nationals as part of a global crackdown on birth tourism and has established a new task force to identify and dismantle networks facilitating the practice.
The Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, established by the US Department of State, is reviewing the activities of visa holders worldwide to identify cases in which foreign nationals may have traveled to the United States primarily to give birth.
The initiative is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and involves analyzing and connecting information held across US government agencies.
The State Department said the task force is examining travel histories of individuals from around the world, with the goal of identifying potential cases of birth tourism, revoking visas when appropriate and targeting networks that profit from the practice.
"The Birth Tourism Task Force has taken action by revoking more than 600 visas from foreign nationals across the globe to safeguard our nation from this abuse," the department said.
The department generally revokes visas when there are indications that a person may be ineligible. It also said the secretary of state has broad discretionary authority to revoke visas.
Targeting birth tourism networks
The State Department described birth tourism as a growing for-profit industry involving facilitators who arrange services for foreign nationals seeking to give birth in the United States.
According to the department, some facilitators market themselves as doulas, midwives or wellness advocates while advertising services such as US childbirth arrangements, visa coaching and hospital bookings.
The department also alleged that some facilitators forge medical documents or coach clients to conceal their actual travel purpose and avoid hospital bills.
It said birth tourism involves nationals from countries across every region of the world and that the government is targeting both the networks facilitating the practice and individuals who participate in fraudulent activity.
Visa fraud cases
The State Department said its task force and consular officers at US embassies and consulates have uncovered cases involving alleged misrepresentation of travel purposes.
Foreign nationals who willfully misrepresent the purpose of their travel or entry into the United States may become permanently ineligible for a US visa or admission to the country, according to the department.
In one case, a couple allegedly used a conference and vacation shopping trip as cover for traveling to the United States to give birth to two children. The department said the couple lied about their travel purpose in two separate visa applications and concealed that they already had a child during the second application. Their visas were revoked.
In another case, a foreign government official obtained a visa to travel to the United States for one week on behalf of her government but allegedly remained for three months, gave birth in the country and then departed. The department revoked her visa.
In a third case, a traveler applied for a visa to vacation in Orlando but instead traveled to Los Angeles and gave birth five days after arriving in the United States. The visa was subsequently revoked.
The US government said the new task force is part of a broader effort to protect the integrity of the country's visa and immigration systems and prevent their exploitation.
"Foreign nationals who abuse the visa system, and those who help them do so, may lose their visa, their access, and their future in the United States," the State Department said.
