The US State Department has established a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to investigate cases in which foreign nationals are suspected of misusing visitor visas to travel to the United States primarily to give birth.
According to the department, the task force will examine visa records and international travel histories, coordinate information with other federal agencies and identify individuals or organizations suspected of facilitating such arrangements.
The State Department says more than 600 visas involving foreign nationals worldwide have already been revoked through this enforcement initiative. A revocation can occur where authorities identify indications of potential visa ineligibility. It does not necessarily mean that every affected person has been convicted of a criminal offence.
The department did not release nationality-specific figures. Consequently, the total of more than 600 revoked visas must not be presented as the number of Indian applicants affected.
The initiative applies globally and could result in closer scrutiny of applicants’ travel purposes, financial arrangements and previous US travel. Indian applicants should provide accurate information and supporting documentation during the visa process.
