Over 600 Visas Revoked as US Cracks Down on Birth Tourism

The United States has revoked more than 600 visas belonging to foreign nationals as part of a crackdown on birth tourism.

In a statement on Wednesday, August 12, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said American citizenship was being targeted by organized networks that allegedly profit from helping foreign nationals give birth in the United States for the purpose of securing citizenship for their children.

"American citizenship is not for sale. But elaborate birth tourism rings are profiting off the exploitation of America's laws- coaching foreigners to defraud the U.S. visa system, arranging travel and housing, and even forging documents, all to enable foreign nationals to obtain citizenship for their children," he wrote.

Rubio said the U.S. government had established a specialized task force to address the activities and take action against individuals and networks involved in birth tourism.

"The State Department established a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to review the activity of visa holders, dismantle illegal birth tourism networks, and put an end to this heinous abuse of our nation's laws," he added.

Rubio said the task force had already taken action against hundreds of foreign nationals since it began its work, with the U.S. government pledging to continue the crackdown.

"In just one month, the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force has taken action to revoke more than 600 visas from foreign nationals across the globe and will continue to safeguard our nation from this abuse," he further said.

Rubio added that the State Department would continue using available measures to target networks involved in birth tourism and protect the integrity of U.S. citizenship.

"The State Department will use all available tools to dismantle birth tourism networks and defend the integrity of U.S. citizenship," he concluded.

This comes two weeks after the US announced a change to its visa operations in Nigeria, with routine visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja set to end.

In a statement on Friday, July 31, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said the changes are part of a wider regional reorganization of visa operations aimed at improving consistency in visa processing while strengthening security measures.

"The U.S. Department of State is realigning visa operations in Africa to regional hubs as part of a long-standing practice that strengthens national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting, and adjudication standards, as well as improving efficiency and adjusting to shifting U.S. immigration policy priorities and objectives," the statement read.

The mission said the changes, which take effect on August 1, 2026, will require Nigerians seeking U.S. visas to process their applications through the U.S. Consulate in Lagos.

"Effective August 1, 2026, several U.S. Embassies and Consulates in Africa will no longer be offering routine visa services, including U.S. Embassy Abuja," the statement added.

As a result of the changes, the U.S. Mission advised Nigerians and other eligible residents to book their visa appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos and pay the applicable visa fees there.

"Citizens and residents of Nigeria who wish to apply for a U.S. visa must schedule an appointment and pay the required visa fee at U.S. Consulate Lagos, the new designated location," the statement concluded.