WASHINGTON – The US consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they determine the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to secure US citizenship for the child.
It was announced by the US Embassy in India in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) amid tightening immigration laws.
The US The embassy clarified that such actions are not permitted under US immigration policies.
Last month, US President Donald Trump halted all immigration applications from 19 non-European countries due to national security and public safety concerns. This included the processing of green cards and U.S. citizenship applications.
International media reported that stricter measures were implemented in June on the 19 countries that were already subject to partial travel restrictions.
These countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, all of which now face full travel bans.
Other countries that were partially restricted in June included Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
US officials have stated that they are continuing to assess the situation, and additional countries may be added to the list in the coming weeks.
Furthermore, the Trump administration announced implementation of stricter vetting procedures for H-1B visa applicants, including a detailed review of resumes and LinkedIn profiles.
A memo circulated by the State Department on December 2 directs US consular officers to scrutinise applicants for any involvement in activities related to censorship or suppression of free speech.
H-1B visas, which enable US employers to hire foreign talent in specialized fields, are critical to many American technology companies that rely heavily on skilled workers from countries like India and China.
The new vetting guidelines, however, could affect applicants with ties to sectors like misinformation, content moderation, and online safety. The memo emphasizes that applicants who have participated in censoring or attempting to censor protected speech in the US should be deemed ineligible.
This policy specifically targets H-1B applicants who frequently work in the tech industry, including social media platforms and financial institutions, which have faced criticism for their role in moderating online content.
