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The US embassy in India has announced that it will reject tourist visa applications if consular officers suspect the main purpose is to give birth in the United States to secure citizenship for the newborn. “This practice is not allowed,” the US embassy in New Delhi stated on X.
This development, as reported by Gulf News, adds to the growing uncertainty among Indian visa applicants, particularly affecting professionals who account for over 70% of H-1B visas approved and nearly 90% of H-4 visas with work authorization.
Recent visa interview appointments have been rescheduled with new dates stretching into mid-2026. Back in September, the Trump administration proposed redesigning the H-1B visa selection process to prioritize higher-skilled and better-paid workers, a move accompanied by the White House’s announcement of a $100,000 fee for these visas.
If enacted, the new process would favor employer requests that pay higher wages, especially when the total requests surpass the annual cap of 85,000 visas. The aim is to protect American workers from unfair wage competition associated with foreign labor.
Throughout his presidency from 2017 to 2021, President Trump sought to overhaul the H-1B program but faced resistance from federal courts and limited time at the end of his term. His tougher immigration policies have also led families in India to rethink arranging marriages between relatives in India and potential partners in the US due to fears of job loss or immigration status issues for their loved ones.
While official data on marriages between Indian citizens domestically and abroad is unavailable, India remains home to the world’s largest Indian diaspora. The Indian government estimates about 2.1 million Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) live overseas.
Since President Trump returned to office at the beginning of 2023, immigration enforcement has intensified, including efforts to restrict pathways to legal residency. His reforms to the H-1B visa program, which traditionally saw Indians receiving about 71% of the visas issued last year, have particularly impacted Indian applicants. In 2024, roughly 75% of H-1B visas granted to Indians were awarded to men. The policies have also prompted many Indian students to reconsider their American ambitions; data indicates that around 422,335 Indian students were enrolled in US institutions in 2024.
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