Birth tourism, the practice of traveling to give birth in order to secure citizenship for a child, has drawn harsh policies from the Trump administration, with Uganda also backing the move by warning its citizens against the act.
While birthright citizenship remains protected under the U.S. Constitution, the Trump administration has been vocal about its opposition to what it views as “loophole” practices, especially when facilitated through temporary visa categories.
Last week, the United States (US) Mission in Uganda issued a statement condemning “birth tourism,” describing it as “unpermitted” under U.S. immigration policy.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the U.S. Mission stated: “Consular officers will deny visa applications if they have reason to believe the applicant intends to travel for childbirth to secure U.S. citizenship for their child.”
Uganda aligns with U.S. on birth-related travel
In a statement aligned with Washington’s position, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a warning to citizens intending to travel to the United States primarily for childbirth, cautioning that such actions could result in visa denials.
The ministry emphasized that the U.S. expects home governments to take responsibility in educating their citizens about “known fraudulent behavior.”
“When planning to visit the U.S., your motive must be clear; a tourist visa is intended to be just that,” the ministry said in a Public Service Announcement, which was corroborated by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Vincent Bagiire as per Uganda’s Monitor
According to the announcement, “traveling to the U.S. for the sole purpose of giving birth on U.S. territory is not allowed, and if suspected of such action, your visa application will be denied.”
It further stated: “Falsification of information to obtain a U.S. or any other visa is wrong and leads to automatic denial of your application. Ugandans should be informed that they will be found out and will face negative consequences for such actions.”
Uganda’s move to echo the U.S. position marks a notable moment of policy alignment, particularly at a time when U.S. immigration enforcement is tightening under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The alignment also signals a growing willingness among some African governments to cooperate on controversial migration-related issues.
