Sunshine1980:
Folks should please read the new policy as captured in the Federal Register (https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-01218.pdf).


The different news outlets are interpreting the policy in very different ways, sometimes in ways that are completely wrong. Some news outlets do not even know the difference between consular officers and CBP officers.


There is only one fundamental change in the new policy and that is that a pregnant lady or someone suspected to have intentions of having a baby in the US would be treated as someone requiring medical teatment for visa purposes.You would no longer get visa to give birth in the USA just because you would like to. Consequently you need to prove that you require specialized medicare and it is not available where you are. You also need to establish that you have enough funds and that a doctor in the USA has accepted you as a patient. Actually, there are other reasons you can give to get the visa but you can not just say you would like to give birth in the US. Other than this nothing has changed.

Another thing to point out is that the new rule was released by the Department of state not the Dept of Homeland Security. The Dept of homeland security is in charge at the border and have not changed any of their rules. B1/B2 visa allows you to have baby in the US...period. Actually there are no immediate plans for the dept of homeland security to change rules regarding birthing. Any rule change of this magnitude by a US agency needs to be published in the 'Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions' and it will go through reviews over months. The new policy by the state dept had been advertised probably over a year ago and it had gone through all the stages... through proposed rule and ended as final rule after input by relevant bodies.

In the coming weeks, many folks would come here and report how they passed through border with ease and had their babies.

Maybe this rule will change a lot for other countries but definitely not Nigeria considering the number of denials in the past one year.

Reading the policy, what I felt was that the US govt just wanted to register their dsipleasure with birth tourism and attempt to reduce the number of births by foreigners within the limits of the constitution.

lami88:


Canada too has tightened their visa approval. If you are a woman and you apply for canadian visa, they will call you on phone and ask if you are pregnant or ask you to come for a test. If you declare you are pregannat and intend to give birth, they will ask uou to go and get one ridiculous letter , its that letter youbwill be looking for till your delivery date is due

Sunshine1980:

Reading the policy, what I felt was that the US govt just wanted to register their dsipleasure with birth tourism and attempt to reduce the number of births by foreigners within the limits of the constitution.

modath:


I know this news would so sweet your belle!

IamCookie:
The United states of America has banned VISA for Child birth. Watching on TVC news now .

Sunshine1980:
Folks should please read the new policy as captured in the Federal Register (https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-01218.pdf).


The different news outlets are interpreting the policy in very different ways, sometimes in ways that are completely wrong. Some news outlets do not even know the difference between consular officers and CBP officers.


There is only one fundamental change in the new policy and that is that a pregnant lady or someone suspected to have intentions of having a baby in the US would be treated as someone requiring medical teatment for visa purposes. You would no longer get visa to give birth in the USA just because you would like to. Consequently you need to prove that you require specialized medicare and it is not available where you are. You also need to establish that you have enough funds and that a doctor in the USA has accepted you as a patient. Actually, there are other reasons you can give to get the visa but you can not just say you would like to give birth in the US. Other than this nothing has changed.

Another thing to point out is that the new rule was released by the Department of state not the Dept of Homeland Security. The Dept of homeland security is in charge at the border and have not changed any of their rules. B1/B2 visa allows you to have baby in the US...period. Actually there are no immediate plans for the dept of homeland security to change rules regarding birthing. Any rule change of this magnitude by a US agency needs to be published in the 'Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions' and it will go through reviews over months. The new policy by the state dept had been advertised probably over a year ago and it had gone through all the stages... through proposed rule and ended as final rule after input by relevant bodies.

In the coming weeks, many folks would come here and report how they passed through border with ease and had their babies.

Maybe this rule will change a lot for other countries but definitely not Nigeria considering the number of denials in the past one year.

Reading the policy, what I felt was that the US govt just wanted to register their dsipleasure with birth tourism and attempt to reduce the number of births by foreigners within the limits of the constitution.

Voltron4191:
Hello Nairalanders.

Thanks so much for all the relevant experiences and details shared on this platform.

Please is there anyone that has recently had a baby at Texas? How was the experience with the VO and POE? Any bad vibes about the place? Abi should I rather consider another state?

Would you be at advantageous position if you pay all your bills upfront before the Visa Interview (at least to show you can pay your bills)?

My sister is looking to have a baby in the US by July/August 2020 so I will appreciate any info shared

Thank you so much in advance for your response.

TWoods:


The rule is far stricter than you've made it appear to be. It is not intended merely to "register displeasure", it is a clear binding rule on all US consulates around the world and the news agencies have reported the intent of the rule correctly. Yes you are correct that the rule only applies to the D/S and not to the DHS. This simply means the rule applies to every consular officer who has to make a determination as to whether you can obtain a visa to the US or not. As i read the rule, unless there is a specific medical reason that you cannot have your baby in the US that cannot be treated in your home country, simply stating "i want to have my baby in the US so he can have citizenship" is no longer a permissible reason to obtain a B visa. Not only are you required to state what the medical reason is, you also have to prove that a medical facility in the US has agreed to treat you and has provided you a projected duration and cost for the medical procedure. Based on this rule, i would wager 99% of cases here will no longer qualify for a visa.

As you said, the rule does not affect the CBP, so folks who have current visas and intend to have their babies in the US may still have the chance to do so (please do your own homework before you travel). Those affected are those who will be applying for a visa after tomorrow sadly.

Beautyaddy:


Hmmm...trust people who are determined to still give birth in the US they will now how to start lying or applying for visiting visa then once approved will still end up using the same visa to give birth in the US. Some desperate women will conceal the pregnancy from both the US visa officer during the visiting visa interview and also from the US CBP officer who will ask them at the border what their main purpose is to visit the US.

Get ready for a lot of endless misrepresentations.

UhnNah:


They’re free to do that! But what this means is that mothers applying for citizenship for their new born babies will have to show their own immigration status in the United states and if it’s a b1/b2 visa! No citizenship for the child!

This is not a good news Nigerians!!

UhnNah:


They’re free to do that! But what this means is that mothers applying for citizenship for their new born babies will have to show their own immigration status in the United states and if it’s a b1/b2 visa! No citizenship for the child!

This is not a good news Nigerians!!

TWoods:


The rule is far stricter than you've made it appear to be. It is not intended merely to "register displeasure", it is a clear binding rule on all US consulates around the world and the news agencies have reported the intent of the rule correctly. Yes you are correct that the rule only applies to the D/S and not to the DHS. This simply means the rule applies to every consular officer who has to make a determination as to whether you can obtain a visa to the US or not. As i read the rule, unless there is a specific medical reason that you cannot have your baby in the US that cannot be treated in your home country, simply stating "i want to have my baby in the US so he can have citizenship" is no longer a permissible reason to obtain a B visa. Not only are you required to state what the medical reason is, you also have to prove that a medical facility in the US has agreed to treat you and has provided you a projected duration and cost for the medical procedure. Based on this rule, i would wager 99% of cases here will no longer qualify for a visa.

As you said, the rule does not affect the CBP, so folks who have current visas and intend to have their babies in the US may still have the chance to do so (please do your own homework before you travel). Those affected are those who will be applying for a visa after tomorrow sadly.

Sunshine1980:
The rules are not as strict as you imagine. Once you lay down the rules, Nigerians will find ways around it. Before long folks will come on this platform to publish list of conditions not treatable in Nigeria and every visa applicant will have documents showing they have such conditions.

jarkbauer:


No. This is just your imagination. They cant do that. As long as the baby was born there He/ she will receive citizenship except born to a diplomat. If they could do that they wont stop issuing b1b2 for birthing

Elixir123:
In other words, if you come into US and have a baby you just wasted money so long as the status of the mum or Dad is Nigerian and not already American, then NO citizenship by birth is conferred.
It's not just about lying to get the Visa, even if you born the pikin finish,the status of the parents will nullify the whole birth.
Hmm.

Elixir123:
In other words, if you come into US and have a baby you just wasted money so long as the status of the mum or Dad is Nigerian and not already American, then NO citizenship by birth is conferred.
It's not just about lying to get the Visa, even if you born the pikin finish,the status of the parents will nullify the whole birth.
Hmm.

OmoBendel24:


Make una wait fes na! Una no think say all diswan too early? Na just by like dat? Make una camdan jare.

lami88:



Haba, where are you people getting all thia interpretations from. From thw same document i read? Is this the literal , mischief or golden rule of interpretation you guys are using ? .
Please readers, any child born on US soil rrgardless of the immigration status of the birth parents is a citizen. That is what the US consititution says. The constitution is supreme and its provisions overrides all innuendos. Getting the visa is what is going to be near impossible now. In simple language, trump has put a ban on issuance of visa for the sole purpose of wanting to give birth in the US. And if you are pregnant and intends to travel to the US for other purposes asides childbirth, you will have to prove in the strictest terms what business you are going there for.

lami88:
In other words, we are going back to the era where you have to lie or pad up your baby bump when going to the embassy. Those days were pregnant women will hide their bump and lie they aren't pregnant.

Blackfinegirl:


But it will come back to bite them in the future when they want to renew.

Let's make our country great biko.

Elixir123:
In other words, if you come into US and have a baby you just wasted money so long as the status of the mum or Dad is Nigerian and not already American, then NO citizenship by birth is conferred.
It's not just about lying to get the Visa, even if you born the pikin finish,the status of the parents will nullify the whole birth.
Hmm.