State Department Revokes 6,000 Visas Over Birth Tourism

A federal task force targeting birth tourism has revoked visas held by foreign nationals linked to the practice, the State Department said.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Immigration

State Department Revokes 6,000 Visas Over Birth Tourism

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The US Department of State's Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force has revoked more than 6,000 visas held by foreign nationals linked to birth tourism, the department disclosed in a post on X on Friday, November 13. The sweep targeted people who travelled to give birth and individuals who allegedly helped organise or profit from such arrangements.

Why it matters

Birth tourism involves pregnant foreign nationals travelling to the United States to deliver children and obtain American citizenship for the newborns under birthright citizenship rules. The action signals a sustained federal effort to restrict the practice, with implications for visa policy and for facilitators who arrange such trips in the United States.

The State Department reported more than 6,000 revoked visas but has not provided a prior-period or baseline comparison for the figure. The disclosure does not identify nationalities or the countries from which most cases originated.

The players

US Department of State

The US Department of State is the federal agency responsible for US foreign affairs, diplomacy and the issuance and revocation of visas to foreign nationals.

The details

The revocations were carried out by the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, a body formed specifically to target the practice. The State Department did not detail how the individuals were identified or which countries the majority of cases came from.

Friday, November 13, 2026: State Department announces the visa revocations in a post on X.

Legal Context

Birth tourism exploits the birthright citizenship guarantee in the Fourteenth Amendment, which grants citizenship to children born on US soil regardless of parental status. The visa revocations represent an enforcement-based response to that legal gap rather than a change to the constitutional rule itself.

Foreign nationals who plan to travel to the United States to give birth face heightened scrutiny of their visa applications and risk revocation if they are linked to birth tourism. Anyone seeking to arrange such travel should expect closer review of visa eligibility and stated travel purpose.

The takeaway

Federal enforcement against birth tourism is now a visible priority, and travel for childbirth is likely to face closer visa screening going forward. Prospective travellers should ensure their visa applications accurately reflect their stated purpose of travel.