The United States has announced new visa restrictions targeting individuals who knowingly engage in or facilitate commercial “birth tourism” to the country.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, saying it would target people involved in organising or profiting from arrangements that bring foreign nationals to the United States primarily to give birth so their children can obtain US citizenship.
Under the new policy, the restrictions apply to owners, operators and managers of commercial birth tourism networks, visa “fixers” who coach applicants to commit fraud, foreign medical providers who knowingly facilitate such travel or fraudulent use of Medicaid, and other individuals who support or enable commercial birth tourism. Certain family members may also be covered by the restrictions.
The US State Department said the policy is being implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a provision that can make certain foreign nationals ineligible for visas on foreign-policy grounds.
Rubio said commercial birth tourism networks have been used to arrange travel and births in the United States for profit, including by allegedly coaching applicants to provide false information on visa applications.
The new restrictions build on the Trump administration’s broader efforts to curb birth tourism. In August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to take measures against birth tourism and those facilitating it.
The latest policy does not amount to a blanket visa restriction against all pregnant foreign nationals. Rather, it specifically targets individuals who knowingly participate in, facilitate or profit from commercial birth tourism.
The US State Department already states that travelling to the United States primarily to give birth so that a child obtains US citizenship is not a permissible purpose for a visitor visa.
The new measures are expected to affect businesses and individuals who arrange birth tourism packages, assist applicants with deceptive visa applications or otherwise facilitate the practice.
The policy marks another significant development in the United States’ tightening of rules surrounding birth tourism and visa-related activities, with the State Department saying the measures are intended to protect the integrity of the US immigration system and prevent exploitation of American public benefits.
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