Birth tourism
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Because the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship to those born in the U.S, it is reported [1] that some women, wishing their children to be born in the United States, engage in "birth tourism" so that their children become U.S. citizens. Under the rules of many countries, such children have dual citizenship generally until age 18; at which point they must choose one nationality. This practice is believed to be popular among women in Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan [2]. According to Edward Chang, professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Riverside, the practice is popular among the elite of South Korea, since sons of these women can avoid compulsory military service. Temporary homes for these mothers are often located in residential neighborhoods, which neighbors allege decrease the quality of life in the neighborhood. [3]
Being US citizens, these children do not have to meet the stricter international student rules to enter U.S. universities and colleges. In addition, when they turn 21, they become eligible to petition for a grant of permanent residency for their parents. Some prospective mothers misrepresent their intentions of coming to the United States, a violation of U.S. immigration law. However, it is not illegal for a woman to come to the U.S. to give birth.
