WASHINGTON
Associated Press
The Trump administration is imposing new visa rules aimed at restricting “birth tourism”, in which women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can have US citizenship. The regulations, which take effect today, address one of President Donald Trump’s main political priorities.
The regulations seek to chip away at the number of foreigners who take advantage of the constitutional provision granting”birthright citizenship” to anyone born in the United States, a particular peeve of Trump’s. Under the new rules, pregnant applicants will be denied a tourist visa unless they can prove they must come to the US to give birth for medical reasons and they have money to pay for it or have another compelling reason — not just because they want their child to have an American passport.
Officials said that consular officers will not be asking all female visa applicants of child-bearing age whether they are pregnant or intend to get pregnant. Rather, they said consular officers would ask the question only if they had reason to believe the applicant is pregnant and likely or planning to give birth in the US.
Visual cues such as appearing to be pregnant or listing “medical treatment” as a reason for wanting to travel to the United States might trigger such questioning, the officials said. Even if a woman is found to be pregnant and likely to deliver her child in the United States, she could still be granted a visa if she was able to demonstrate a valid reason for the travel such a visiting an ailing relative or attending a business meeting or conference, they said.
Officials said the rule will not apply to foreign travelers coming from any of the 39 mainly European and Asian countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of those countries to come the US without a visa for temporary stays. The rule will only apply to applicants for so-called “B” class visas that permit short-term stays for business or pleasure.
“Closing this glaring immigration loophole will combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. “It will also defend American taxpayers from having their hard-earned dollars siphoned away to finance the direct and downstream costs associated with birth tourism. The integrity of American citizenship must be protected.”
The practice of traveling to the US to give birth is fundamentally legal, although there are scattered cases of authorities arresting operators of birth tourism agencies for visa fraud or tax evasion. And women are often honest about their intentions when applying for visas and even show signed contracts with doctors and hospitals.
The State Department “does not believe that visiting the United States for the primary purpose of obtaining US citizenship for a child, by giving birth in the United States — an activity commonly referred to as ‘birth tourism’ — is a legitimate activity for pleasure or of a recreational nature”, according to the new rules, which were published yesterday.
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- ‘CITIZENSHIP FIGHT WAS FOR EVERYONE’: Privy Council upholds ruling on birthright
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Comments
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 9 months ago
How christian of the Americans....
Clamshell 4 years, 9 months ago
... now, tell us about how welcoming you are toward Haitian women who give birth in the Bahamas.
jamaicaproud 4 years, 9 months ago
Jah know bossy. YOu never have to come ro hard. LOL
tetelestai 4 years, 9 months ago
Actually, Bahamians are very welcoming of all women who legally come to The Bahamas and have children. As you are no doubt aware, we are understandably and rightly concerned about all women who come here illegally and copiously reproduce, as every country in the world is and should be - as this article attests. Have I told you well enough, Clamshell?
Clamshell 4 years, 9 months ago
You have “told me” that you agree with what the U.S. is doing. Thank you.
tetelestai 4 years, 9 months ago
Translation, I told you. You are most welcome.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 9 months ago
Thing is, you have never seen me say anything about Haitian women giving birth in the Bahamas... Try again bud... lol...
Islangal1 4 years, 9 months ago
What goes around comes around. Now, wait til they start the real crackdown on and ship all of those who overstayed and got straight years after. I have family members who went over on the contract, never came back but got citizenship years later. Fast forward to 90s, plenty people I went to college with, remain in the US after graduating, living /working under the radar, again applied for citizenship years later and got it. The fact remains, they overstayed, so at some point they were there illegally but got straight eventually, something that you will never see in the Bahamas. Why? Because Bahamas for Bahamians! Forward to 2000s, plenty Bahamians travelling under false pretences, shopping, only to give birth in the US so their kids could get citizenship.
Like I say, what goes around comes around hey?
bahamianson 4 years, 9 months ago
nothing to do with christianity
joeblow 4 years, 9 months ago
What a sensible decision. Every country has an obligation to protect their country for future generations of their citizens. A lesson we in this country have yet to learn!
jamaicaproud 4 years, 9 months ago
What is foolishness is allowing people to be born ina place, live for decades with no status. Sure recipe for public disorder, as people without the means to integrate will be a nuisance.
tetelestai 4 years, 9 months ago
This is not true...you are, intentionally I am sure, perpetuating a falsehood. Stop it!
jamaicaproud 4 years, 9 months ago
I never named any country. I merely stated an obvious concept.
tetelestai 4 years, 9 months ago
You stated an inaccurate concept, clearly about The Bahamas. Don't backstroke now, Michael Phelps.
jamaicaproud 4 years, 9 months ago
Actually many countries perpetrate this folly, So no, I was not thinking about any specific country.
birdiestrachan 4 years, 9 months ago
I always want to be a Bahamian.. I like America. But my true love is the Bahamas.
I LOVE THE BAHAMAS.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 9 months ago
You probably have difficulty traveling to the U.S. if you are who I think you are. LMAO
pablojay 4 years, 9 months ago
Hey Birdie! We finally agree on something! Over thirty years ago , when it was time for my wife to have our first child,living in Freeport,we had some concerns about the Rand and especially with both of our families residing in Nassau.It was an easy decision to send her there for the birth of our child,despite Florida being closer and the fact that we both had relatives living there. It gets under my skin when i see Bahamian parents sticking out there chests and proudly proclaiming," Well you know my kids are U.S. citizens!"
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 9 months ago
Time for the US to tear down the statue of liberty. It is no longer relevant...
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