New US Rule to End ‘Birth Tourism’

The U.S. government has published new visa rules aimed at restricting what officials are calling "birth tourism."

"Birth tourism" is when women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can have a U.S. passport.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that the State Department does not believe that such a visit "is a legitimate¹ activity for pleasure or of a recreational nature."

Under the new rules, U.S. officials can deny a tourist visa if they believe a woman is coming to the country mainly to give birth. Visitors will have to prove they have a medical need. And they must prove that they have the money to pay for medical treatment, including living and transportation costs.

The measures take effect Friday.

The practice of traveling to the United States to give birth is actually legal. Some women even show signed agreements with doctors and hospitals when asking for a tourist visa. However, U.S. officials have arrested operators of birth tourism businesses for visa fraud² or avoiding tax payment.

Under the U.S. Constitution, anyone born in the country is considered a citizen. But President Donald Trump³ wants to end the right to citizenship⁴ for babies born to non-U.S. citizens on American soil.

His administration's new visa rule is a way to deal with the issue. But it raises questions about how U.S. consular⁵ officers would know whether a woman is pregnant⁶ or how they could turn her away because they suspect she is pregnant.

Consular officers do not have the right to ask during visa interviews whether a woman is pregnant or plans to become so. But they would still have to decide whether a visa applicant⁷ would be coming to the United States only to give birth.

The State Department says "an entire ‘birth tourism' industry" has developed to help pregnant women giving birth in the U.S.

Companies charge up to $80,000 to set up visa, travel, hotel and medical care for pregnant women. Many come from Russia and China to give birth in U.S. hospitals.

The Center for Immigration Studies supports stronger U.S. immigration laws. It estimated that in 2012 about 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the United States and then left the country.

Words in This Story

tourism - n. the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure

legitimate - adj. permitted under the rules or laws

practice - n. something that is done often or regularly

fraud - n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable

interview - n. a meeting in order to ask questions and get information

1 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

2 fraud   

n.骗子，欺骗，欺诈，诡计

参考例句：

• We will introduce legal safeguards against fraud.我们将推行防止欺诈的法律条款。
• The prosecutor accused the defendant of fraud.原告控告被告犯有欺诈罪。

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

5 consular   

a.领事的

参考例句：

• He has rounded out twenty years in the consular service. 他在领事馆工作已整整20年了。
• Consular invoices are declarations made at the consulate of the importing country. 领事发票是进口国领事馆签发的一种申报书。

6 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

7 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。