US Announces New Visa Restrictions Linked to Birth Tourism, Names 2 Categories of People Affected
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy targeting birth tourism facilitators on September 23, 2026
- The policy covers two main categories: those who knowingly engage in birth tourism and those who profit from facilitating it
- The Trump administration said commercial birth tourism networks have been selling US citizenship for tens of thousands of dollars
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy on September 23, 2026, targeting individuals and networks involved in commercial birth tourism to the United States.
The policy, issued under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, covers two broad categories of people: those who knowingly engage in or have engaged in birth tourism, and those who facilitate it for commercial gain.
Source: Getty Images
Certain family members of individuals affected by the restrictions may also fall under the policy.
US birth tourism: Who the policy targets
According to Rubio's press statement, the first category covers individuals who personally travel to the US for the purpose of giving birth to secure citizenship for their child.
The second category includes owners, operators, and managers of commercial birth tourism networks; visa "fixers" who coach applicants to lie on their applications; foreign medical providers who knowingly support such travel and the fraudulent use of the US Medicaid system; and other individuals who support or enable these operations.
Rubio said these networks charge foreign nationals tens of thousands of dollars to arrange births on American soil, coaching them to misrepresent the purpose of their trips on visa applications.
Trump administration's position
"Foreign commercial birth tourism networks have exploited the U.S. immigration system to sell U.S. citizenship for profit," Rubio said in the statement.
He added that the policy sends a clear message:
"The United States will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of U.S. citizenship."
The administration framed the move as part of a broader effort to protect American public benefits, safeguard US taxpayers, and defend national security.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the US Embassy in Nigeria had suspended all routine non-immigrant visa services.
US announces visa rule changes from September 2026
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US had informed the public about changes in its visa rules from September 2026.
The rule, unveiled on Thursday, July 16, scraps the long-standing "duration of status" system and imposes fixed admission periods on holders of F, J, and I visas.
It will come into force 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register, pending congressional review.
Source: Legit.ng
