U.S. embassy warns against birth tourism

Colombo, June 26 (Daily Mirror) - The U.S. Embassy in Colombo has issued a warning to Sri Lankan nationals and other foreign travellers, cautioning that those who travel to the United States on tourist visas with the intention of giving birth to secure U.S. citizenship for their child, risk being denied future visas.

In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Embassy stated that such travelers often rely on U.S. government-funded medical assistance, placing the financial burden on American taxpayers.

The Embassy further noted that U.S. consular officers are instructed to deny tourist visas if they believe an applicant’s primary purpose for visiting is to give birth for citizenship benefits - a reason not permitted under existing U.S. visa regulations.