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12 Dec 2025, 1:48 pm

NEW DELHI: The US Embassy in India has issued a public warning to tourist visa applicants in a tougher stance on what Washington describes as "birth tourism." In a post on X, the embassy said consular officers will immediately deny B-1/B-2 tourist visas if they suspect an applicant intends to travel to the United States to give birth so the child can obtain US citizenship.

"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," the embassy said. The move echoes a message the US State Department reiterated in April, stressing that using a tourist visa for this purpose constitutes a misuse of the system and can impose costs on American taxpayers.

"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 said.

The warning comes as the US expands its social-media checks across several visa categories. A new State Department rule, effective December 15, will require all H-1B visa holders and applicants, as well as their H-4 dependents, to provide access to their online accounts for vetting. The change has heightened anxiety among Indian nationals, who represent more than 70 percent of H-1B approvals and nearly 90 percent of H-4 employment authorisation holders.

There is a concern that the heightened scrutiny places added pressure on families whose mortgages, jobs and children’s schooling rely on uninterrupted visa status. Meanwhile, the US embassy has rescheduled a large number of H-1B and H-4 interviews, with some pushed into 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 applicants not to appear on previously cancelled dates or risk being "denied admittance."