Giving birth to your child in the United States is legal, although you must follow the rules and have a lot of emergency funds. Then you need to prepare in advance and travel at least two months before your expected delivery date.
Citizenship by birth also known as jus-soli is one of the many ways to become a citizen of the United States. Little wonder why women travel to the United States of America to give birth to their babies. This will give the parent a big chance of becoming citizens of America in the future.
Let us go through the process of giving birth in the United States of America. This article will guide you on giving birth in the US step by step.
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Privileges of having your baby in the United States
The United States of America is a developed country with great advantages of being a citizen. The following are reasons why women desire to have children in the United States;
Automatic citizenship by birth
The United States of America has in its constitution that anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a citizen of the country. It is termed jus-soli which means son of the soil.
Also, this privilege does not take away your previous citizenship as the United States accepts dual citizenship. It means that you can be a citizen of two countries e.g. Nigeria and the United States.
As a citizen, access to quality healthcare
Health is wealth, which is one of the reasons why people travel to the United States. With the best medical equipment, insurance coverage and other amenities the citizens enjoy in the United States. Having a child in the United States is something to consider.
Educational opportunities
No doubt, education is not even overrated in the United States. Speaking of world-recognized universities and even high schools, you cannot afford to miss out on this great opportunity.
Hence, as a citizen of the United States, your child has access to quality education in any school of choice.
Parents citizenship
Another reason to consider giving birth to your child in the US is Parents also have the opportunity to become citizens once the child is 21 years old. This means that as a citizen of the United States, your child can invite you over to the country. This can happen when the kids are over 21 years and can make the decision. Thereby, your citizenship is just one step closer.
Better life and exposure
Developments in different sectors, employment opportunities, high quality of life, and low death rates among other things, are also very important. Being a citizen of the United States can afford you the kind of life you desire.
Also, if you ever need to leave the country, as a citizen of the United States you can travel to over a hundred countries without the need for a visa.
Voting rights- right to vote and be voted for
As citizens of the United States, you have the right to participate in and contest elections as well. Therefore having your child as a citizen of the United States can afford him the privilege of being a prospective U.S. leader someday.
Can pregnant women travel to the United States?
Yes, as a pregnant woman you can travel to the United States, however, this must be before your pregnancy is 32 weeks or nearing the end of your third trimester.
Also, if you will be travelling for other reasons like attending an event in the United States, tourism or visiting a relative, you need to follow the basic U.S. travel laws.
Expenses connected to having your baby in the U.S
Though having your baby in the United States indeed is more of a positive step rather than the opposite, it can be pocket-draining. This is dependent on the following;
Your health needs before and after delivery
Once you arrive in the United States, you might want to start antenatal care on time, this is to acquaint yourself with the doctor and present your health/ reproductive challenges beforehand.
Therefore, this is not free and it also means that you will be paying additional fees for services rendered especially if you require extra care.
The medical procedure to have your child
In the United States, it costs about $5000-$11,000 to have a baby through the vagina, which is a normal birth without difficulties. For instances where complications arise, you will have to pay additional fees which can mean double what you initially paid.
However, for caesarean sections, you can spend as much as $17,000- $30,000 depending on the health facility or state you are having your baby.
Also, pre-term birth, having children with special needs or health complications can make you spend more money.
The state you intend to have your child
Different regions in the U.S. have various hospital charges for childbirth, therefore you need to be aware that this will determine how much you are spending.
The hospital preference
Hospital facilities charge based on their decision on the quality of care rendered to you. This is non-negotiable in most cases and you need to be informed too.
Access to health insurance; is mostly possible when you or your spouse is a citizen of the United States who just desires to return to your country to have a baby. Or if you have any coverage beforehand, most times you will need to pay for all your hospital expenses from start to finish.
Having multiple births; twins, triplets, quadruplets and so on
Multiple babies could mean longer stay in the hospital, extra care for you and the children, emergency complications and many more. Therefore this also weighs on the cost of having your baby in the United States.
Comparison of states in the U.S. and their delivery charges
When considering having your baby in the United States, you need to be sure that the state where you are having your child provides good health services and can meet your maternal and child health needs.
States like California, New York City, Boston, Florida, Kansas, Nevada, and New Jersey in the U.S. will cost you between $20000- $30000 to have a baby in any of the hospitals.
New Jersey is the most expensive with about $29000 for health care charges for childbirth which covers all expenses the delivery, medical services, laboratory tests and medications.
For average prices, you can consider Washington DC, Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Ohio, New Mexico, Missouri, and Massachusetts amongst others.
Childbirth services are about $15000-19,000 on average- this includes all health charges.
At a fairly reasonable price, you can contemplate Delaware, Maine, Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Mississippi, Utah, Wyoming, Maryland, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
It costs about $8,000-14,000 to have a baby in any hospital within these regions in the United States.
Now that you have an idea, you should as well watch out for price changes and updates concerning the exchange rates of your country.
Requirements to visit the U.S to birth your baby
These are the requirements for giving birth in the US.
International Passport: The international passport should have at least six months of validity and empty spaces for a visa stamp.
Passport Photograph: Recent passport photograph not more than six months on a white background. The size should be 2 by 2cm.
The U.S. Visa: First, you need a visa to travel to the United States, this can be a tourist or medical visa, depending on your choice. Thus, you should start the online U.S visa application process, fill in your details and submit relevant information.
Financial proof: There is a need to prove that you can care for yourself during your stay in the United States. Also, if you are travelling to have your baby in this case you should provide proof that you have all it takes to cover the expenses and return to your country afterwards.
Letter from an approved hospital in Nigeria and the United States
For pregnant women who need urgent medical attention or hoping to have a baby in the United State. You can present a letter from your hospital during your embassy interview stating your intentions.
This should show why you need to have your baby in the United States and that you already have a healthcare provider to help you with this.
Evidence of Accommodation: There is a need to have a place to stay in the United States when you travel. Therefore, the immigration officials may request that you provide either accommodation evidence by hotel reservations or the contact information of the relative you will be staying with.
For the latter, you should also provide the citizenship status of your host and contact information – address, passport number, employment status, email and telephone number.
States in the U.S. with the best medical facilities for childbirth
In the search for the states in the U.S.to give birth, having a baby in Massachusetts, Texas, Vermont, Maine, Wyoming, Delaware and Utah is advisable. This is because it is affordable and has high successful delivery rates.
This might not count for residents or citizens but if you are considering the financial weight and affordable health care, then you can have your baby in hospitals in any of these states.
Also, if you have relatives in the U.S. willing to guide you through, then they might recommend you based on their experiences. This is because some of them might have health insurance coverage or hospital services they can vouch for.
However, you must be aware of your hospital choice before travelling. Your baby can come at any time during your third trimester. You do not want to be caught unaware, hence you should have direct links with a registered hospital in the United States. Also, ensure you pay a part fee for booked services before the trip.
Also, you can make enquiries about this from people who have travelled there to have their babies or contact your doctor in Nigeria for medical affiliations. Often, your doctor may have links with health institutions in the United States and can help you find a great place to have your child.
You might also want to consider the cost of living before choosing a state in the U.S for delivery, for instance, places like New York City, Las Vegas, California and so on are considered for the rich. Notwithstanding, having your child as a citizen of these places too is a great one and there are standard health facilities in these states- weigh your options too!
What’s next after delivery?
After birthing your child, you will have to leave the United States except if you are a citizen or have been permitted to remain in the country.
Therefore, you need to start making preparations to vacate the U.S., however even if the hospital has given you a birth certificate for your child, it does not fully count as a citizenship claim.
One of the benefits of having your child in an advanced country like the United States is citizenship anyway. Thus you need to make sure that you get a legal certificate of birth and a state number and international passport for your child that will give access to world-class amenities, infrastructure and health care.
Also, you should not travel immediately after delivery until you are certified medically fit. Your doctor needs to examine you and clear you of any supposed health complications post-delivery.
Step-by-step process of having your baby in the United States
- Apply for a U.S. visa
- Pay your visa fees of $160, online or via any GTB over-the-counter service
- Get all the documents you need to submit at the embassy
- Attend your interview on the given date
- Do not submit false information about yourself, especially when stating your travel intention
- Start making plans to connect with a health facility in the United States
- If you have been directed to have your baby in the U.S. for medical reasons, you need to add a medical invitation letter to your presentation documents
- Once your visa is approved, you can travel
- In case of a visa denial, you might be told what to do
Things to note when you want to have your baby in the United States.
You need to make plans ahead
Financial plans are very important because you can not afford to be stranded after you have your baby. It is quite expensive to have a delivery in the United States, therefore planning from the time you are confirmed pregnant will work.
Your planning should cover your health needs- a type of delivery method, dietary needs, accommodation, baby needs- in case of multiple births, choice of the hospital facility and visa fees.
Be financially capable
Have an estimate of what you can afford and stick to it. This should help you weigh your options better and help you stick to quality financial decision-making. They ensure you are financially stable when you are planning to give birth in the US.
Review your plans and be honest with yourself
First, you need to review your travel intentions and be truthful when you want to start this process.
Do not travel towards the end of your third trimester
You should ensure that you travel at least two months before you are due to have your child. Once you are close to or two months is medically advised. This is to watch out for pre-term births or complications that arise due to multiple births.
- Choose the hospital facilities that will give you a return of funds in case you need to cancel your trip or have been denied a visa
- Do not present false information at the U.S embassy
State your travel intentions honestly and once you can cover the expense in most cases, you will most likely be given a visa.
Also, note that a travel agency has relevant experience in this regard. You can be sure to employ the service of a trusted travel agency and get started.
Need a Trusted and Experienced Travel Consultant
Need A Trusted Travel Agency to help with Giving Birth in US? Kindly contact Travelwaka
Website: www.travelwaka.com/contact_us
Instagram: www.instagram.com/travelwaka_tours
Facebook: facebook.com/travelwakatours
Twitter: www.twitter.com/travelwakatours
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