The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a firm warning to Nigerian citizens, stating that visa applications will be denied if consular officers believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States, a practice widely known as “birth tourism.”

In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Mission emphasized that traveling to the U.S. to secure citizenship for a child through birth violates American immigration policy.

“Using your visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States so that your child will have U.S. citizenship is not permitted,” the statement read. “Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent.”

The announcement follows increasing scrutiny of visa applications and tougher enforcement of rules surrounding childbirth-driven travel. The U.S. maintains that such actions undermine the integrity of its immigration system.

Birthright citizenship, granted under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, has remained a divisive issue in immigration debates, particularly when foreigners travel solely to benefit from it.

The Mission reiterated that all visa decisions are made in accordance with international security and procedural standards, adding, “The integrity of our immigration system is a top priority.”

In line with its broader efforts to curb visa abuse, the U.S. Department of State previously revised its visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria, restricting most non-diplomatic, non-immigrant visas to single-entry permits valid for three months.

The U.S. authorities urged Nigerians to be transparent in their travel intentions and to avoid any attempt to exploit visa provisions.