US warns Indian travellers as crackdown on ‘birth tourism’ tightens

In a strong new advisory, the US Embassy in India has cautioned tourist visa applicants that any suspicion of travelling to America to give birth, a practice often referred to as birth tourism, will lead to an immediate visa denial.

The embassy posted on X that “US consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain US citizenship for the child. This is not permitted,” as reported by India Today.

The message reinforces a 2020 amendment to US visa rules that empowers consular officers to reject B-1/B-2 applications if birth tourism is suspected.

The US State Department has repeatedly stressed that misusing a visitor visa for this purpose burdens the immigration system and can leave American taxpayers covering hospital costs. “It is unacceptable for foreign parents to use a US tourist visa for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States to obtain citizenship for the child, which also could result in American taxpayers paying the medical care costs,” the department wrote, India Today has quoted.

The warning comes amid a broader expansion of US visa scrutiny. A new State Department rule, effective December 15, will require all H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents to provide access to their social-media accounts for vetting, whether they’re applying for a new visa or simply renewing.

The change has caused widespread anxiety among Indian immigrants, who make up over 70 per cent of all H-1B approvals and nearly 90 per cent of H-4 EAD holders, many of whom fear that heightened checks could disrupt jobs, home loans and children’s schooling.

Compounding concerns, the US Embassy in India has rescheduled a significant number of H-1B and H-4 visa interviews, with some pushed out to mid-2026. “If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date,” the embassy said, warning that anyone arriving on a previously cancelled date will face “denied admittance,” as quoted by India Today.

The developments point to an increasingly strict US stance on visa compliance, with authorities signalling zero tolerance for what they view as misuse of the system.