A woman was forced to take a pregnancy test before she was allowed to board a flight to the US.
Midori Nishida, a 25-year-old from Japan, was flying from Hong Kong to the Pacific island of Saipan with Hong Kong Express Airways when the unusual request was made.
After telling crew she was not pregnant, Ms Nishida was taken to the toilet by Hong Kong Express staff, who made her urinate onto a strip test before they would let her on the plane.
The result was negative and Ms Nishida was subsequently allowed to board, but she told the Wall Street Journal that the experience was “very humiliating and frustrating”.
The airline reportedly said the test was required to ensure “US immigration laws were not being undermined“.
Saipan is the only US territory that Chinese citizens can visit visa-free, and as such has battled with a growing “birth tourism” scene, whereby pregnant women intentionally give birth there to gain US citizenship for their newborn children.
Between 2015 and 2016, 715 babies of foreign parentage were born in Saipan, 95 per cent of whom were of Chinese descent.
More tourists than locals gave birth on the island in 2018.
”We would like to apologise unreservedly to anyone who has been affected by this,” Hong Kong Express Airways said in a statement to the WSJ.
“We have immediately suspended the practice while we review it.”
It is not illegal for expectant mothers to travel to the US specifically to give birth, as long as they can cover all costs and they don’t lie about the purpose of travel.
Those who have prearranged giving birth in the US should be provided with all relevant documents needed to enter the US from their hospital or birthing centre (eg proof of payment and a letter from the doctor). However, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) may ask women to prove they have enough money to cover the cost should there be any complications with the birth.
It costs, on average, $10,808 (£8,320) to give birth in the US – provided there are no complications. This can rise to $30,000 (£23,090) when including pre and post-natal care.
The US is one of 35 countries worldwide that recognise birthright citizenship.
The Independent has contacted Hong Kong Express for further comment.
