The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a stern advisory to Nigerian citizens—especially expectant mothers—cautioning against using temporary visas to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the US and securing automatic citizenship for their children.

In a statement posted on its official X account on Wednesday, the Mission emphasized that such acts, commonly referred to as “birth tourism,” violate the intent of nonimmigrant visa classifications and are considered an abuse of the system. The advisory stressed that the US government does not permit travel solely for childbirth under existing visa regulations.

Under US law, children born on American soil automatically acquire US citizenship, a policy that has led to a rise in foreign nationals attempting to exploit the rule by timing their travel around childbirth. The US Mission warned that consular officers are trained to identify such intentions during visa interviews and are authorized to deny applications if they suspect this is the applicant’s primary goal.

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The Mission added that such denials are not only within their rights but are necessary to uphold immigration integrity and prevent misuse of visa privileges. It also encouraged applicants to be transparent about the purpose of their travel and to avoid misrepresentation, which can result in long-term ineligibility for future visas.

The warning appears to be part of a broader effort by the US government to curb immigration loopholes and ensure compliance with lawful entry standards, particularly in regions where birth tourism has seen a noticeable uptick.