kampala
Vincent Bagiire, Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has issued a stern warning to Ugandan citizens against submitting false information on visa applications, particularly in response to a recent advisory from the United States addressing the rise of “birth tourism.”
“Providing false details to secure a U.S. or any other visa is illegal and will result in an automatic rejection of your application,” Bagiire cautioned.
He also warned those intending to misuse visitor visas by traveling to the U.S. with the purpose of giving birth and obtaining citizenship for their children.
“Your reasons for visiting the U.S. must be transparent. Tourist visas are meant strictly for tourism. Attempting to enter the U.S. solely to give birth is prohibited, and such applications will be refused if suspected,” he emphasized.
This statement comes after the U.S. Embassy in Kampala publicly addressed the issue, stating: “Traveling with the primary intent of giving birth in the United States to secure citizenship for the child is not allowed. Visa applications will be denied if consular officers suspect this intent.”
The Embassy further highlighted that some Ugandan parents have used tourist visas to give birth in the U.S. and subsequently accessed public healthcare services, which are funded by American taxpayers.
“These actions may result in future visa renewals being denied,” the Embassy warned.
Immigration specialists note that “birth tourism” has attracted increased global attention, prompting stricter screening procedures due to the exploitation of U.S. birthright citizenship laws by non-residents.
PS Bagiire urged all Ugandans to maintain honesty and adhere to proper procedures when applying for visas.
“Visa fraud damages the reputation of our citizens and creates challenges for genuine travelers in the future,” he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced plans to ramp up public awareness campaigns on proper visa application processes and travel regulations, in collaboration with international diplomatic missions in Uganda.