The United States has announced that it will stop pregnant foreigners from travelling into the country to give birth to children on ‘Birth Tourism.’
A communique containing the new rules was sent from the US State Department to embassies around the world.
The White House made the announcement on Thursday evening, stating that;
Beginning January 24, 2020, the State Department will no longer issue temporary visitor (B-1/B-2) visas to aliens seeking to enter the United States for ‘birth tourism.
Read Also: U.S President, Donald Trump Considers Adding Nigeria, Other Countries To Travel Ban List
The White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, , while giving a reason for the rule change stated that;
The rule change is necessary to enhance public safety, national security, and the integrity of our immigration system.
According to the new rule, foreigners will be denied temporary visas if their plan is to give birth in the US but the rule doesn’t apply to the 39 countries mostly in Europe that have the Visa waiver program.
According to a statement sent from the US department to CNN, consular officers however cannot directly ask a woman if they are pregnant unless they have a specific reason to believe she was pregnant.
The statement reads;
You must not ask a visa applicant whether they are pregnant unless you have a specific articulable reason to believe they may be pregnant and planning to give birth in the United States.
You should document any such reason in your case notes. You must not, as a matter of course, ask all female applicants (or any specific sub-sets of applicants) whether they are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
This is coming amidst speculation that the US government is planning to add Nigeria and some other nations on ‘travel ban list.”
