Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 12: The US Embassy in India has issued a strong warning to tourist-visa applicants, signalling a tougher stand against what Washington terms “birth tourism.” In a post on X, the embassy made it clear that any applicant believed to be travelling to the US with the intention of giving birth to secure American citizenship for the child will face an immediate visa denial.

“US consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain US citizenship for the child. This is not permitted,” the embassy stated.

The reminder echoes a 2020 amendment to US visa rules that empowers consular officers to reject B-1/B-2 visitor visas if birth tourism is suspected. The US State Department recently reiterated that such misuse of tourist visas not only violates policy but could also burden American taxpayers with medical expenses.

The warning comes at a time when Washington is expanding social-media scrutiny for visa applicants. Under a new rule effective December 15, all H-1B workers, new applicants and their H-4 dependents must provide access to their online accounts for visa vetting. The move has sparked deep concern among Indian immigrants, who form over 70 per cent of approved H-1B holders and nearly 90 per cent of H-4 EAD recipients, many of whom fear disruptions to careers, mortgages and children’s education.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in India has rescheduled a significant number of H-1B and H-4 visa interviews, shifting some appointments to as late as mid-2026. “If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date,” the embassy said, cautioning that appearing on cancelled dates would lead to denied entry.