Trump's immigration crackdown: US tightens visa rules, will reject applications if...

United States officials on Thursday said that they will deny tourist visa to applicants whom they believe intend to give birth in the country to gain citizenship for the child. The US embassy in New Delhi made the stance clear in a post on social media this evening. "U.S. consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for the child. This is not permitted," the US embassy wrote on X.

The embassy's statement comes as a number of Indian applicants reportedly received emails saying that their visa appointments had been rescheduled. US authorities also recently expanded their review of social media accounts and the online presence of all H-1B speciality occupation workers and their H-4 dependents. That measure will come into force from December 15, according to a statement from a US embassy spokesperson.

In recent days, several applicants have had their visa appointments rescheduled as a result of the fresh measures. A statement from the US embassy said: "In every visa case, we will take the time necessary to ensure an applicant does not pose a risk to the safety and security of the United States and that he or she has credibly established his or her eligibility for the visa sought, including that the applicant intends to engage in activities consistent with the terms of admission." This comes as US President Donald Trump's administration continues its harsh immigration crackdown. As part of it, more than 3,200 Indian nationals have been deported from the US this year -- the highest annual figure since 2009 -- according to a statement from the Indian government.