The United States Embassy in New Delhi issued an unusually direct advisory on December 13, 2025, reminding Indian citizens that travelling to the U.S. on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa with the primary intent of giving birth—so that the child becomes a U.S. citizen—is prohibited and will lead to immediate refusal of the visa.
The warning, posted on the embassy’s website and social-media channels, underlines a long-standing regulation in the U.S. Foreign Affairs Manual that empowers consular officers to deny visas if they believe the real purpose of travel is “birth tourism.” Officials said recent spikes in appointment requests from late-term expectant mothers triggered the clarification.
Travellers who want step-by-step assistance in gathering the right documentation and presenting a solid case can turn to VisaHQ, whose India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers tailored checklists, application reviews and interview tips for U.S. B-1/B-2 visas among many other travel documents—streamlining the process and reducing the risk of costly errors.
![U.S. Embassy tells Indian visa-seekers: ‘Birth tourism’ will mean instant denial]()
For business travellers and mobility managers, the message is clear: employees or accompanying family members who are visibly pregnant must be prepared to demonstrate a bona-fide purpose of travel—client meetings, conferences or tourism—and strong ties to India. The advisory recommends carrying letters from employers, travel itineraries and physician notes indicating planned medical care in India. Consular officers will weigh credibility, financial capacity and the applicant’s intent to depart at the end of their authorised stay.
Immigration lawyers note that the crackdown dovetails with a broader U.S. move to curb visa misuse after several high-profile prosecutions of companies that marketed “citizenship-by-delivery” packages. Airlines transporting passengers whose intent is in doubt may also face questions at secondary inspection points.
Indian firms that routinely send employees to the U.S. on short-term B-1/B-2 visits are advised to revisit their travel-policy guidance. Ensuring that travel reasons are meticulously documented could prevent costly last-minute denials that disrupt project timelines and raise red flags for future applications.
The warning, posted on the embassy’s website and social-media channels, underlines a long-standing regulation in the U.S. Foreign Affairs Manual that empowers consular officers to deny visas if they believe the real purpose of travel is “birth tourism.” Officials said recent spikes in appointment requests from late-term expectant mothers triggered the clarification.
Travellers who want step-by-step assistance in gathering the right documentation and presenting a solid case can turn to VisaHQ, whose India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers tailored checklists, application reviews and interview tips for U.S. B-1/B-2 visas among many other travel documents—streamlining the process and reducing the risk of costly errors.
For business travellers and mobility managers, the message is clear: employees or accompanying family members who are visibly pregnant must be prepared to demonstrate a bona-fide purpose of travel—client meetings, conferences or tourism—and strong ties to India. The advisory recommends carrying letters from employers, travel itineraries and physician notes indicating planned medical care in India. Consular officers will weigh credibility, financial capacity and the applicant’s intent to depart at the end of their authorised stay.
Immigration lawyers note that the crackdown dovetails with a broader U.S. move to curb visa misuse after several high-profile prosecutions of companies that marketed “citizenship-by-delivery” packages. Airlines transporting passengers whose intent is in doubt may also face questions at secondary inspection points.
Indian firms that routinely send employees to the U.S. on short-term B-1/B-2 visits are advised to revisit their travel-policy guidance. Ensuring that travel reasons are meticulously documented could prevent costly last-minute denials that disrupt project timelines and raise red flags for future applications.
