Marco Rubio Unveils Visa Restrictions on Birth Tourism

On September 23, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy aimed at individuals and networks involved in commercial birth tourism. This policy, issued under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, identifies two primary categories of affected individuals.

The first category includes those who travel to the US specifically to give birth in order to secure citizenship for their child. The second category encompasses owners, operators, and managers of commercial birth tourism networks, visa "fixers" who coach applicants to misrepresent their travel intentions, and foreign providers who knowingly support such travel and the fraudulent use of the US Medicaid system.

Rubio stated that these networks charge foreign nationals tens of thousands of dollars for arranging births in the US and coaching them on how to misrepresent their trip's purpose on visa applications. The administration framed this policy as a measure to protect American public benefits, safeguard taxpayers, and enhance national security.