Birth tourism

Birth tourism is the practice of traveling to another country or city for the purpose of giving birth in that country. The main reason for birth tourism is to obtain citizenship for the child in a country with birthright citizenship. Such a child is sometimes called an “anchor baby” if their citizenship is intended to help their parents obtain permanent residency in the country. Other reasons for birth tourism include access to public schooling, healthcare, sponsorship for the parents in the future, hedge against corruption and political instability in the parents’ home country. Popular destinations include the United States and Canada. Another target for birth tourism is Hong Kong, where some mainland Chinese residents travel to give birth to gain right of abode for their children.