The United States Embassy in Dhaka on Monday cautioned that using visitor visas to facilitate intercountry adoption could bypass established legal procedures and lead to serious immigration and legal consequences.

In a post on its verified Facebook page, the embassy said attempting to complete an overseas adoption using a B1/B2 visitor visa, which is a type of visa for business and tourism, may circumvent formal legal channels designed to regulate intercountry adoptions.

According to the embassy, such actions could potentially violate the Hague Adoption Convention, as well as immigration laws of the United States and the legal framework of the child’s country of origin.

“Using B1/B2 visitor visas to facilitate intercountry adoptions may bypass established legal channels and create significant immigration and legal challenges,” the embassy said in the statement.

It added that knowingly applying for a B1/B2 visa to avoid the established legal process could be considered visa fraud under U.S. law.