The United States Mission in Nigeria has cautioned Nigerians against using their visas to travel for the purpose of giving birth in the U.S., warning that such actions violate American immigration rules.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the U.S. Mission explicitly stated that consular officers will reject visa applications if there is any indication that the applicant’s primary intent is to deliver a baby in the United States to secure automatic citizenship for the child.
“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.”
This development comes as Washington increased scrutiny of travel documents and visa requests from Nigeria and other countries perceived to have high rates of visa misuse.
Officials said the enforcement is part of broader efforts to preserve the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.
Diaspora NG had reported that the U.S. Department of State adjusted its visa policy for Nigeria, limiting most non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas to single entry and reducing their validity to three months.
The U.S. Mission noted that the measures are in line with global security standards and are not targeted at any specific nationality.
