
The United States Embassy in Tirana has published an announcement for Albanian citizens who use tourist visas to travel to the US for the purpose of giving birth.
In the announcement, the embassy emphasizes that parents who travel to the United States on a tourist visa to give birth there and use American public programs to cover medical expenses may not be eligible for visa renewal in the future.
According to the embassy, some Albanian parents travel to the US on tourist visas and use the Medicaid program to cover the costs of healthcare during childbirth. These expenses, according to the announcement, end up being covered by American taxpayers.
"Parents who use tourist visas to give birth in the U.S. may not be eligible for future renewal of their visas," the embassy's warning said.
US authorities have repeatedly stressed that a tourist visa should not be used for purposes that conflict with the reason for travel stated on the application. Using it to obtain certain public benefits or to evade immigration rules could affect future visa decisions.