Childbirth tourism

Have you ever heard the term "Birth Tourism" ? America has stepped up scrutiny of pregnant Visa applicants who come to the USA on their Visitor's Visa to give birth to a future US Citizen. It is mostly misused by the wealthy Chinese, who ostensibly harbor a desire for US citizenship for their babies by delivering them on American soil at any cost on a Visitor's Visa. 

It doesn't come cheap either, costing them a cool $60,000. That's the amount they pay to Agents as fee, from arranging the airfare and Visa to medical and initial diaper expenses. It is strange that the craze emanates mostly from China, a country which is now is the 2nd biggest economy in the world and has made immense strides in last 40 years or so.

Obviously China has share of communist party members (some Communists are more equal than others) and government officials who can afford such jaunts for their pregnant wives paying from their hard earned SARKARI (official) salary.

By law anyone born on American soil automatically qualifies for citizenship.  So technically they break no law when they go through "water break" in US. Instead they are charged for Visa fraud, as they don't mention about delivering baby as the reason for their visit.

It is estimated that more than 10,000 women visit United States on tourist every year just to deliver baby, the bulk of them being Chinese. Lure of the neon lights propel them "Eestward Ho" towards United States, for the Hus and Hwangs of the Middle Kingdom America is still the land of opportunity. It yet vindicates the theory - One's open critic and proclaimed rival can also be a secret admirer. For the Chinese officials who see America as rivals, also see it as the land of Childbirth Tourism.

Craze for procreating US Citizens is not limited to birth tourism alone. A well known Software company from India is also known to be not very employee friendly and a stingy paymaster. For its employees posted on assignments in US, it provided minimal Health insurance coverage, with almost nil maternity related coverage towards delivery and child care.

The company suddenly changed its policy in early 2000, leading to a baby boom with its employees going on a breeding spree, fathering hundreds in a year. It included an Odia gentleman who around 50 years of age at that time became a dad for second time, his first kid was already in high school.

I saw him rolling a stroller carrying an infant on a bright, sunny afternoon in New Jersey as the the image of the sparkling sun was quite visible on top his bald head which acted convex mirror. I started pulling his leg - "AGYAN APANA BI E BAYASARE (You too at this age)" ? The gentleman blushed - "TAME KHALI THATTA KALA Sambeet (You are poking fun at me)". 

The craze for producing US citizen led the employees to get aggressively engaged as time was short to produce a child within the limited timeframe of the consulting assignment. One never knows when things may change. So better get going before it gets late. Their hard work provided results in a year as hundreds got their grant fulfilled.