U.S. Embassy Warns Guyanese Against ‘Birth Tourism’ Practices
HGP Nightly News | June 5, 2025
By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
The United States Embassy in Guyana has issued a stern warning against the practice of “birth tourism”, cautioning that applying for or using a U.S. visa primarily to give birth to acquire American citizenship for the child is not permitted and may result in visa denial or future ineligibility.
The advisory was released on Wednesday via the Embassy’s official Facebook page, where it made clear that U.S. consular officers will deny visa applications if they believe the applicant intends to use their stay in the U.S. to give birth.
The statement further warned that travelers who receive public assistance, such as Medicaid, to pay for medical costs associated with childbirth may be denied future visa renewals.
Longstanding U.S. Policy on Birth Tourism
This latest announcement follows an April 2025 alert from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, which reiterated that “birth tourism”—where foreign nationals travel to the U.S. with the primary goal of giving birth—violates immigration laws.
“The U.S. immigration system must not be abused, and visa fraud through birth tourism undermines the integrity of lawful entry,” the statement read.
The Department cited past investigations revealing over 10,000 cases annually in which pregnant women from around the world entered the U.S. on tourist visas to give birth. In 2015, U.S. authorities conducted high-profile raids on hotels and apartments that were allegedly offering package deals to foreign women seeking to deliver babies on U.S. soil.
Impact on Guyanese Travelers
This advisory is especially relevant to Guyanese nationals, many of whom apply for U.S. B1/B2 visitor visas for medical or tourism purposes. The U.S. Embassy emphasized that misrepresenting the purpose of a visit—especially when it involves government-funded healthcare—could jeopardize future travel privileges for both the applicant and their family members.
Applicants are urged to be honest and transparent in their interviews and declarations and to avoid engaging with travel agents or facilitators who promise U.S. visas through deceptive means.
