The U.S. Embassy in Colombo has cautioned tourist visa applicants that applications will be rejected if consular officers suspect the primary intention is to travel to the United States to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for the child.

The U.S. Embassy in Colombo has issued a warning to prospective tourist visa applicants, stating that applications will be denied if consular officers determine that the applicant's primary purpose for traveling to the United States is to give birth in order to obtain U.S. citizenship for their child. According to the U.S. Department of State, this practice, known as "birth tourism," does not constitute a permissible purpose for obtaining a visitor visa.

Under U.S. visa regulations, consular officers stationed abroad are obligated to deny B-category visa applications when they have grounds to believe an applicant is traveling primarily for this purpose. The formal policy prohibiting birth tourism as a valid reason for visitor visas was established through a regulatory amendment in January 2020 governing B nonimmigrant visas.

The Department of State has also clarified that obtaining a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, as final admission decisions are made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry. The embassy's advisory reflects broader U.S. efforts to scrutinize the use of visitor visas and ensure they are not utilized for purposes outside the scope of permitted tourism or temporary visits.