# Entering USA while 7-8 months PREGNANT



## lochness (May 9, 2012)

Hello everyone

I would really appreciate it if someone can help answer these questions for me

I am a british citizen married to a US citizen and have both been living in UK for the last four years. My husband stayed in the UK on a spouse visa and never applied for british citizenship

I am now 7 months pregnant and my husband has returned permanently in US where I will join him. However we havent started the process of him filing for permanent residency for me in USA, so can I enter the US 7-8 months pregnant on a tourist visa

I want the child to be born in USA even if we cannot move to live there right away due to financial circumstances at present

I am worried they will not allow me to enter just so I can give birth there

I can physically hide it but I'm not sure if that's illegal. Also, if they ask me to walk into xray doors I cant and would have to tell them I'm pregnant

any informed advise would be helpful

thank you


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## JollyCynic (May 1, 2012)

lochness said:


> i am now 7 months pregnant and my husband has returned permanently in US where i will join him. however we havent started the process of him filing for permanent residency for me in USA so can i enter the US 7-8 months pregnant on a tourist visa
> 
> i want the.child to be born in USA even if we cannot move to live there right away due to financial circumstances at present


Hi Lochness.

My wife just finally finished the UK-to-US citizenship path last month. It's been 6 years, but I remember most of the journey pretty well.

The visa waiver program is intended to be used just for tourists. You'll be asked questions like why you're visiting, who you're visiting, what your relationship is to them, etc. Once you've stated that you're married to a US citizen, they'll want to see a spouse visa, regardless of being pregnant. (Further, if you enter on a Visa Waiver, you'll definitely have to return to the UK afterward before applying for your CR1 or IR1, as they won't adjust status from a tourism visa with obvious immigrant intent.)

You probably don't want to risk trying to hide the pregnancy, because if they notice and ask you directly, it'll seem like you were trying to hide it, and they'll get suspicious.

If anything goes wrong and they deny entry, you'll have to explain that on every form you'll be filling out going forward. (And possibly even permanently banned on material misrepresentation.) In short (too late), it's probably not a good idea to try to enter on the Visa Waiver program.

If your husband were still in the UK, you could have done Direct Consular Filing, which is typically quicker than a standard sponsored visa application from the US. CR-1 and IR-1 (spouse visas) take about half a year.

You'll probably just want your husband to apply for a CRBA (Consular Report of Birth Abroad). It basically takes the place of a US birth certificate, and allows all the rights thereof except running for president.

I'd recommend running over to the US forum for further advice. Also keep in mind that at 8 months pregnant, you also may not be allowed on the plane and if your husband doesn't have maternity insurance in the US, that's an additional headache as well.

I'm sorry that I don't have more uplifting news.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

lochness said:


> Hello everyone
> 
> I would really appreciate it if someone can help answer these questions for me
> 
> ...


You won't have medical insurance to cover the birth or any medical problems you might have during the birth etc etc.

You can bankrupt your husband and yourself with this hair-brained scheme.


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## lochness (May 9, 2012)

Thank you JollyCynic. I wont apply for spouse visa while im there. I just wanted to give birth then come back. My husband will be in military in about six months so i wouldnt mind waiting that long to enter because i have nobody to be with anyway

i will ask the US forum if its a good idea to risk it

thanks Crawford too but again i think its worth the money if my child is not going to have any social or legal problems in the future because of not being born there

i will update hopefully with good news

hav a.great day


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Hi, You need to check with which airline you will be travelling, as many have a limit as to how late in pregnancy you can fly, with some it is only 7 months,and you don't want to risk yours or the babies health.
Also if you have had no pre natal care in US or are booked into an American Hospital for the birth, you may have real problems. No NHS over there you will be charged.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

> i think its worth the money if my child is not going to have any social or legal problems in the future because of not being born there


Why would your child have social and legal problems because he or she wasn't born in the US? If your husband is American, he passes US citizenship onto the child automatically no matter where the child is born.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

Something to consider is that as the dependent spouse of an active duty service member (per your post that your husband is going back to perform six months US military active duty), you might be entitled to the US military medical care system for dependents. 

Additionally, as a pregnant dependent of an active duty US military service member you have other rights, including the recognition of your delivered child to US citizenship, and possibly to be born in one of the US military medical facilities here in the UK. Your husband needs to speak to someone in his base/post Omsbudsman office to be clear on your rights. For example, do you have a dependent ID card?

You can fly *IF* your GP or maternity care provider is willing to certify you as 'fit to travel by air' and is willing to put that in writing, and then *IF* your chosen airline will accept the letter. Some won't now as there have been a couple of 'in-flight' births and no airline wants to deal with the potential complications.

Personally, since you mention the US military connection, I think your very best bet is to stay in the UK and focus on getting your US military dependent ID. Make it a priority to find out via Internet and telephone research on your husband's military branch what you are entitled to, how to deal with the birth of a US citizen-active duty military service member overseas, etc.

And the best advice after don't take chances flying so late in your pregnancy especially without a proper visa? Post a thread asking for suggestions in the US forum on this site


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## mehemlynn (Nov 16, 2011)

Since the father is a US Citizen and you are married, I would stay in the UK to give birth. If you do come to the US, then you will be dealing with huge hospital bills (I think without my insurance it would have been in the tens of thousands - so if you can't afford the visa, you definitely can't afford a hospital birth in the States). In addition to the complications in flying and entering the US, you would have to deal with the differences in Labor and Delivery in hospitals stateside, you would have to look into the differences in the pain management options (no air and gas available in the States - many people get an epidural - which can have its own complications).

US Citizens pass on their Citizenship no matter where they are as long as they are still US Citizens when the child is born.

Good luck with the birth and enjoy being with your little one.


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## lochness (May 9, 2012)

thank you all for your responses

my husband has not joined military yet he is on a waiting list. yes they now have waiting lists. so i wont get the medical benefits yet

since my child will be US citizen anyway then i would think they hsouldnt have a problem with me going there to just give birth

the only problem is medical bills. but from what i understand even in USA they have somethng called medicaid which is like NHS in the UK if u cant afford the bills


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## lochness (May 9, 2012)

the airline allows up to 8 months

can anyone tell me if there will be problem with entry seeing as i dont have thousands to pay for birth?


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

lochness said:


> thank you all for your responses
> 
> my husband has not joined military yet he is on a waiting list. yes they now have waiting lists. so i wont get the medical benefits yet
> 
> ...


No, Medicaid is not like the NHS, and trust me, you do not want to give birth on a Medicaid hospitalisation!

You probably won't have any problems at the US border because you are pregnant, but they might very well ask why you are there, and if you have sufficient funds to maintain yourself including an unexpected labour. If you tell them you are there to give birth and expect Medicare to cover it because the baby's father is an American, you may have some serious hassle from Immigration. You do know there is the real possibility you could be banned from the US for ten years, right?

Not to mention there is a real anger towards non-US citizens coming with the intention of giving birth on US soil for the sole purpose of guaranteeing the infant's US citizenship (even if Dad is an American). Does. Not. Go. Over. Well.

Perhaps it would be better to stay in the UK, register the baby upon birth with the US Embassy (see their site for instructions), and save money for the proper visa to join your husband in the US.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

> since my child will be US citizen anyway then i would think they hsouldnt have a problem with me going there to just give birth


Your child will be a US citizen. You are not. It's a big problem. 



> the only problem is medical bills. but from what i understand even in USA they have somethng called medicaid which is like NHS in the UK if u cant afford the bills


Since you're not a US citizen and won't meet state or federal residency or immigration requirements, you are not entitled to Medicaid. You're going to have tens of thousands of medical bills for no reason. Stay in the UK and the baby where you have medical care.


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## JollyCynic (May 1, 2012)

lochness said:


> since my child will be US citizen anyway then i would think they hsouldnt have a problem with me going there to just give birth


As stated, your child will be, you will not be. They WILL have a problem with you entering with such obvious evidence of intention to immigrate without an immigration visa. (Even if there's no intent, I doubt you could prove lack of intent.)

As to medical bills, there were *very minor* complications with my son's birth. Even with a natural birth, the medical bills for my child and wife would have been $96,000 without insurance.

Again, though, all of this is moot, it is unlikely that you'll be allowed to board the plane with how far along you are.

CRBA is absolutely just as good as your child being born in the US, except you'll get to use NHS, you'll get a midwife instead of a cut-happy surgeon, and you won't risk early delivery during air transit.


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## mehemlynn (Nov 16, 2011)

lochness said:


> thank you all for your responses
> 
> my husband has not joined military yet he is on a waiting list. yes they now have waiting lists. so i wont get the medical benefits yet
> 
> ...


Medicaid is not like the NHS, it is more like a way for the people who fall in a certain (low) income range to have some access to healthcare, but states have been making it more difficult to to qualify. I'm sure that there is a residency requirement, what I don't know is if even full green card holders are eligible (same as moving to the UK, no recourse to public funds).

I guess I don't understand why you want to be in the US for the birth (unless it is to have your husband with you, in which case it is probably better for him to do the traveling).


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## lovestravel (Apr 9, 2012)

I am a US citizen and have seen the public hospital version of 'free' prenatal care & childbirth. It is not pretty. I took a young girl without any insurance to the county hospital for her check-ups & birth. The girls were herded in group, lined up to take weights & measurements (I don't think they even saw a doctor unless there appeared to be a problem), then they had to sit through a childbirth & parenting class which was kind of basic information assuming the mother didn't know anything about anything. The delivery was even worse. The laboring mothers were all in a large room with beds all around the perimeter. The only time they had a private room was during delivery. On top of that they still got the bill which they did not nor could not pay. This girl was a US citizen but did not qualify for medicaid due to the value of her parent's cars. Even if she did qualify for medicaid she would have had to request a doctor within the first few months because of the waiting list & none of the doctors here will take on a perganancy patient after a certain point unless they had records from a previous doctor of prenatal care the whole time prior but even then it is difficult to find a doctor willing to even do that. I am sure if someone such as yourself showed up to a hospital about to give birth they would not turn you away but if you refuse to pay the bills it might effect your ability to gain entry to the country again or for your husband to enter the military.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

lochness said:


> the airline allows up to 8 months
> 
> can anyone tell me if there will be problem with entry seeing as i dont have thousands to pay for birth?




As they say in the good 'ol USA, Hell Yes ....... no money to support yourself, no insurance, no visa ...... when is the next plane back to the UK?

When are you going to get tired of asking ridiculous questions regarding a ridiculous idea?

...... or better still, why not just go and tell us how you get on?


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## mistheuk (May 8, 2012)

I really dont see them allowing her into the USA, they will take a look at her, see she's pregnant, ask her for proof of funds to cover an unexpected birth and if she cant show that she has thousands and thousands of dollars to cover it they will send her back on the next flight.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

This same thread has been running on the US forum and has received pretty much the same answers. http://www.expatforum.com/expats/am...6-entering-usa-while-7-8-months-pregnant.html

I wonder what the OP husband would say about this?? He should be the one guiding and advising, especially since he's in the US and should understand the rules of both the health system and visas

Jo xxx


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