US Introduces New Visa Restrictions Targeting Birth Tourism, 2 Groups Affected

• The United States government announced strict visa restrictions targeting individuals and networks facilitating birth tourism
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio named commercial operators, brokers, and visa facilitators among those affected by the new policy
• US officials warned that certain immediate family members of affected individuals could also face derivative travel restrictions

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The United States government has rolled out a tough new visa restriction policy aimed at dismantling commercial birth tourism networks, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the announcement.

The policy draws authority from Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and targets foreign nationals and organised syndicates that profit from helping pregnant women travel to America to deliver children who would automatically qualify for US citizenship.

Two categories of people targeted

The US State Department identified two broad groups who will face the new restrictions.

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The first comprises travellers who knowingly enter the US with the sole intention of giving birth on American soil to obtain birthright citizenship for their child.

The second group covers the commercial machinery behind such operations, including brokers, business owners, and managers running birth tourism enterprises.

Also named are visa facilitators who coach clients to misrepresent the purpose of their trips to consular officials, foreign medical providers knowingly participating in fraudulent travel arrangements, and others who enable or profit from the system.

The guidelines additionally note that immediate family members of those directly affected could face derivative travel restrictions under the same policy.

Rubio condemns exploitation of citizenship laws

US officials described birth tourism as a highly profitable industry that charges foreign clients tens of thousands of dollars for travel logistics, accommodation, and medical services, while coaching them to deceive immigration officers.

Rubio drew attention to the commercial scale of the operations.

"Foreign commercial birth tourism networks have exploited the U.S. immigration system to sell U.S. citizenship for profit." he stated.

He framed the restrictions as a measure to protect public welfare programmes and preserve taxpayer resources.

"The United States will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of U.S. citizenship." he added.

The announcement signals a broader effort by the current US administration to tighten immigration controls and close perceived loopholes that allow non-citizens to secure American citizenship through childbirth on US soil.

US names 5 family members eligible for Green Card

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that the US government had published the family relationships that qualified for a Green Card under its family preference immigrant programme.

The categories covered relatives of both US citizens and lawful permanent residents, with each assigned to a specific preference tier.

Eligible applicants already living in the US could pursue permanent resident status through a process known as adjustment of status.

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Source: YEN.com.gh