Turkey Joins Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt And More Countries In The Middle East As US Cracks Down Aggressively On Birth Tourism, Enforcing Stricter Visa Policies And Sweeping Social Media Oversight

Published on December 12, 2025

Turkey joins Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, and more countries in the Middle East as the US cracks down aggressively on birth tourism, enforcing stricter visa policies and sweeping social media oversight. This intensified crackdown is aimed at curbing the practice where foreign nationals travel to the US specifically to give birth, thus granting their children US citizenship. With the new policies, the US is seeking to restrict access to birthright citizenship and prevent the misuse of immigration systems, prompting Middle Eastern nations to align their own regulations more closely with these developments.

In a significant shift in US immigration policy, the US government has ramped up its efforts to combat birth tourism, issuing strict guidelines and imposing more rigorous visa checks. Saudi Arabia, along with other Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, and Egypt, now finds itself under heightened scrutiny as the US takes a firmer stand against individuals attempting to use tourist visas to give birth in the United States in order to secure citizenship for their children.

Understanding Birth Tourism: What’s at Stake?

Birth tourism refers to the practice where pregnant foreign nationals travel to the United States on a tourist visa, usually a B-1/B-2 visa, to give birth on US soil. This grants the child automatic US citizenship under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. This practice has raised concerns in the US for several years, particularly over the costs associated with childbirth, which can be high, and the perceived abuse of the tourist visa system.

The US government has consistently stressed that it does not view birth tourism as an appropriate or legal use of a tourist visa. Officials argue that the primary purpose of the B-1/B-2 visa is for short-term tourism or business, not for facilitating birth to obtain citizenship. As part of a broader effort to curb this practice, the US State Department issued a 2020 amendment, which empowered consular officers to reject tourist visa applications if birth tourism is suspected. This amendment has become the cornerstone of the US’s strategy to discourage foreign nationals from using tourist visas to give birth in the US.

The Expanded Social Media Scrutiny: A New Development

In addition to the crackdown on birth tourism, the US has introduced new rules that expand the use of social media checks for visa applicants. Starting December 15, 2025, individuals applying for H-1B work visas and their H-4 dependents will be required to provide access to their social media accounts. This new rule aims to provide a more in-depth examination of applicants’ digital footprints, helping consular officers assess the intentions of the applicants more accurately.

This expansion of social media vetting is not limited to just the H-1B visa holders, a group that includes highly skilled foreign workers, but also applies to their families. The US Department of State has emphasized that the expanded social media checks will include reviewing the applicants’ profiles across multiple platforms. This move has sparked anxiety among applicants from India, the largest group of H-1B visa holders, as they worry that the increased scrutiny could jeopardize their visa approval process, particularly as their online activity is closely monitored.

The timing of the expanded social media checks coincides with the birth tourism crackdown, making it clear that the US government is looking for ways to scrutinize visa applicants more thoroughly, not just through traditional methods, but by leveraging digital platforms to uncover any signs of deception or misuse.

Impact of the New Rules on Middle Eastern Countries

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, and other countries in the Middle East have long been significant players in the US visa market. Many citizens from these countries, particularly the wealthy and affluent, have used B-1/B-2 tourist visas for various purposes, including short-term travel and business. However, with the new birth tourism policies, these countries are now facing the brunt of US immigration changes, as they represent some of the highest numbers of B-1/B-2 visa applications, many of which are suspected to be related to birth tourism.

The new policies put applicants from these countries in a difficult position. For one, the threat of having a tourist visa application denied on suspicion of birth tourism is now much more pronounced. This is particularly significant in countries like Saudi Arabia, where many families seeking high-quality medical care and a US birth certificate for their newborns are likely to see their plans disrupted. The stricter rules mean that US consular officers will now take a more aggressive approach, closely examining applicants’ travel history, medical records, and personal circumstances.

Moreover, the enhanced scrutiny could spill over to other types of visa applications from these countries, making it harder for travelers to get approved for a variety of US visas. For example, many affluent Saudi families often travel to the US for leisure or business and may now find themselves subject to more thorough questioning and background checks.

How the US is Enforcing Birth Tourism Denials

The US Embassy in India, which has also faced challenges with birth tourism, recently issued a strong warning about the tightening of its visa approval processes. While birth tourism denial policies are in place across all US embassies worldwide, India and the Middle East have been specific focus areas due to high numbers of visa applications. The embassy’s warning explicitly mentions that consular officers will now deny any tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of the travel is to give birth in the United States.

The policy aims to reduce the financial burden on American taxpayers, who are often required to cover the medical costs for non-citizens giving birth in the US. The new rules also seek to eliminate what many see as a loophole in US immigration law that allows foreign nationals to gain a permanent foothold in the country by giving birth there.

This crackdown has been met with concern in certain parts of the world, as the global demand for US-based births has remained steady, particularly in countries with growing middle and upper-class populations. In the Middle East, the crackdown is seen as a direct challenge to long-standing cultural and economic trends that have tied wealthy individuals to seeking US medical services.

The US Government’s Broader Immigration Agenda

The crackdown on birth tourism is just one part of the US government’s broader immigration agenda, which includes increased scrutiny of both legal and illegal immigration. The State Department has also noted that the birth tourism issue is closely linked to broader concerns about the misuse of visitor visas and the integrity of the immigration system. The US is particularly concerned about visa holders overstaying their allowed time or using the visa system to circumvent immigration laws.

In a statement earlier this year, the State Department emphasized that foreign nationals using US tourist visas for the primary purpose of giving birth not only exploit the visa system but also place a financial burden on US taxpayers, who bear the cost of the medical care provided during the birth.

In addition to these efforts, the US has also signaled a more aggressive stance in terms of vetting visa applicants. Social media checks are now an integral part of this policy. Beginning in December 2025, H-1B visa applicants and their dependents will be required to submit access to their social media profiles, which will be analyzed to confirm their intentions. This is seen as a way for the US to understand applicants’ true reasons for wanting to enter the country and whether their reasons align with the stated purpose of their visa application.

The Future of Birth Tourism in the Middle East

Looking ahead, it is clear that birth tourism will continue to be a controversial issue in US immigration policy. While countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar are likely to continue sending large numbers of visitors to the US, the restrictions placed on B-1/B-2 visa holders and the new social media scrutiny will make it harder for people from these nations to take advantage of the US’s birthright citizenship laws.

As the US government ramps up its enforcement of these new rules, countries in the Middle East and beyond will likely have to adapt to a shifting immigration landscape. With the global rise in visa denials and the increased vetting of applicants, it is expected that other countries will follow the US’s lead, further limiting the practice of birth tourism.

Turkey joins Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, and more countries in the Middle East as the US tightens its stance on birth tourism by enforcing stricter visa policies and heightened social media surveillance. This move is aimed at reducing the influx of foreign nationals using the US to secure citizenship for their children.

Saudi Arabia, along with other Middle Eastern countries like Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, and Egypt, now finds itself under the spotlight as the US government introduces tougher measures to curb birth tourism. With increased scrutiny on social media accounts and stricter visa denial policies, the landscape for tourists and immigrants hoping to give birth in the US is changing rapidly. The US government’s new policies aim to safeguard the integrity of the immigration system while curbing the costs associated with birth tourism. These changes will have far-reaching consequences not only for Middle Eastern nationals but for tourists from around the world who seek to take advantage of US birthright citizenship. As the world adjusts to these new realities, the future of birth tourism remains uncertain, with US immigration authorities continuing to refine their approach to ensure that visitor visas are used for their intended purposes.