Help! Due to leave Canada in Sept, baby due in Aug....panicking!!!

[jenrendo]

Hello,
We are in Toronto for 2 years due to my DH's work. THen we return to Scotland. Our work visas run out on 2nd Sept 2013. Our DC2 is due Aug 13th. We thought we couldn't have any more or else we would have planned it better!! Anyway, is there anyone out there who can answer these questions or who knows where I can look for answers?

1. Can we stay a couple of weeks after the visa expires as visitors (worrying that the baby may be late)?
2. Our health coverage will also run out on the 2nd Sept. Can we get any kind of insurance or extension in case of complications with the baby or me? Or is the baby automatically covered if born here? Can we get UK health/travel insurance of some sort?

Although we are obviously over the moon this little one is making things very complicated! Thanks for any advice you can offer :)

Have you tried contacting Immigration Canada? They would know the answer to the first question I would think. They might also be able to tell you if the baby is covered by OHIP if born in Toronto.

(Not sure if that is helpful?).

Thanks Napsalot I will look for a number for them. DH is now telling me he wants me to return to the UK to have the baby, but I don't want to be without him, even though I would have lots of support there :( I just wish we could have a good strong plan. I hate all the anxiety.

Definitely a tough situation. Might be worth finding out what Immigration Canada says as maybe the decision will be out of your hands anyway? I received great care when I had my first DC in Toronto if you do decide to stay.

Congrats btw!

Thanks! I have had a quick look and the baby wouldn't be covered after the 2nd Sept because he/she wouldn't be here long term. Looking now to see if we could even get private health insurance for a month just in case anything goes wrong....

I really feel for you -at least armed with this info you can make an informed decision.

What's your DH's situation with his employer? I would explain the situation to them and assuming they are reasonable employers they should agree to extend his (and by default yours) working visas, and then the healthcare is automatically extended. Is he still going to be working for them upon his return to the uk? If so I think any reasonable employer would do that or offer to cover your healthcare. Either way i think your DH should speak to them first and see what they are willing to do.

Strongly agree with mumbaisapphire. Is that not an option...? If nothing else, having your baby here in Canada would hugely increase opportunities for him/her in the future, by virtue of dual nationality... Having DH in Canada is probably the best thing MIL ever did for him

Yes DH will still be employed by the same company in the UK. We are just here for 2 years due to a secondment opportunity. They are one of the big 4 companies and have been extremely good in assisting us with coming here - DH asked to come voluntarily to broaden his experience. I am, of course, probably worrying about nothing. If the baby comes on time and is fine and healthy then we will leave on the 2nd Sept and all will be well, if not extremely exhausting. Parents are planning to come out before we leave to help us with the move, then flying back with us to help. I think DH is so preoccupied with work at the moment (it is his busy time coming up with tax stuff) that he can't see the woods for the trees. He does need to speak to his employer. I think there must be people like me everywhere and this situation cannot be unique! I agree, I would like DC to be born here, but I also feel really sorry for DS that he wasn't :( I have loved every minute of being in Canada. It is a fantastic country to live in :)

In that case then I really don't think you need to worry. He may have come voluntArily but that doesn't mean you should be put through the worry of what happens if this baby doesn't arrive on time. Get DH to speak to his bosses. Plenty of people come over on work permits and get them renewed. I can't imagine that this will be an issue especially if they are a big company and they are presumably used to dealing with relocating staff internationally plus their families and all that entails. You won't be the first I am sure about that!

Mumba I wish I could be as calm as you! I'm going to nag nag nag him to discuss with his employers. I have also e-mailed immigration to see what they suggest. Thanks!

I am so frustrated. I have e-mailed immigration and am awaiting a reply, but DH says he has spoken to their relocation lawyers and they won't extend the work visa as it's not cost effective (fair enough, we got ourselves in this pickle)! I have also tried phoning the British Consulate to ask about getting documents for the new baby in speedy time and every option is useless and prerecorded. Off to trawl the net again. Poor DS is entertaining himself this morning!

I remember it always being difficult to reach Canada immigration by phone but here is the number in case that helps

www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/call.asp

That is too bad about DHs work not extending the visa.

Wow Naps how did you find that? I have been looking nearly all day We have now gone a step forward and found that it will be easier and quicker for the baby to have a Canadian passport. Apparently if you turn up in person it only takes up to 10 days, so we will be able to travel quite quickly. I have been thinking things through further and was wondering about getting induced a week before I'm due (if they do that) or even getting an elective CS (which pains me to even think about) so that the baby will definitely be born before the due date, giving us at least 4 weeks to get home before the work permit and health cards run out. Lots to consider.

You will have to get a UK passport for the little one if you want to stay in the uk. We went home from NZ when my youngest was 5months and we had to get an Irish passport even though he already had his nz one as they still need to prove right to live in the country. We got an emergancy passport, the worst part was trying to get a picture with him looking at the camera

LOL, as someone who's had 2 c-sections (1 emergency, 1 elective) I did think about suggesting it but decided I'd probably get totally slated for it

And if you go in person for a Canadian passport, with proof of imminent travel, I'm fairly sure you can get it the same day, for a price. I have done once for my boys in the past, but I'm not sure if that was facilitated by the fact that they just needed their temp (1yr) passports extending, rather than having whole new ones issued?

Yes, looks like they offer "urgent pick up" for $70 more with a 24hr turnaround, but I expect a first ever passport is likely to require more processing than a renewal did...

Shelly did you have to get an Irish one before you left NZ? Or did you do it when you got back? They seem to take a lot longer to obtain over here :( If we landed with only the Canadian one would they send us back?!!

Lazydog I just don't know if I can do it electively. I've never even considered having a CS at all. Would I still be sore to fly? The thought of having a CS scares me. I will be spending a lot of today on the phone and googling I think.....

perhaps you need to fly to UK before 27weeks, then rest up at your mums or somewhere so your birth and last trimester is stress free as possible? You'll want lots of rest to establish feeding etc once its born, I dont think I'd stay in Canada unless you extend the entire stay with your DH employers by another year or two - would he want to stay longer with them? Would that even be an option?

ifso he has been offered another 2 years. Although the lifestyle here is brilliant he really hates the job. He has taken a step down in the company to come here and doesn't enjoy the office ethos or the fact that he only gets 3 weeks vacation time a year. He has gained all the experience he needs to be promoted immediately on returning to the UK and is looking forward to getting back to his team. We have the added complication of owning our house in Scotland, which we have been renting out. If we stayed we would have to sell it as we can't afford to keep renting. We make a loss every month and what with life insurance, gas insurance and landlord insurance it isn't worth keeping. I shudder at the thought of even trying to market and sell an empty house when living in a different country. We have a good amount of equity in it which I wouldn't want to lose either.

If I flew back early DH wouldn't be able to come. Yet another option is going back at 38 weeks, which is the latest I can fly with my carrier, with a doctor's letter issued within 24 hours. DH could save up his vacation time and swap overtime for days (not great, not sure how we would pay our mortgage) and follow me the next week, but I am terrified I would go into early labour and not have him there :( This is looking like a better option though. I would be very sad to leave Canada right in the middle of the beautiful summer time but maybe being huge in 35 degrees isn't ideal anyway. My parents have already offered to have us (me, DH, DS and dog) until our furniture arrives 6 weeks later.

It certainly helping me to write all this out and collect my thoughts!

shellybr my first thought was about trying to get the passport pic done as well! (Took 5 separate tries with DC1, 5 mins with DC2!).

I have had two CS -would have felt fine traveling at 4 weeks (went back to gym at 6 weeks with DC1) but everyone is different. I wouldn't let the fear of a CS put you off that option as I found they were not as bad as I had thought they would be.

Going back at 38 weeks -I think it would be better to go earlier as what if baby comes early? At least your parents are there and you can get settled. (Maybe I am saying this as my Dc2 came 5 weeks early out of the blue!).

This will work itself out -I know it's hard not to worry though.

Well, looks like the decision has been made for us. The obs doc said he wouldn't do an induction for social reasons, only for health reasons (fair enough) and a lot of them end in emergency C Sections anyway. He also recommended that I don't fly for a couple of months after a CS because of blood clot issues. DH finally managed to get some answers too, and although the baby could have a Canadian passport he/she could be refused entry to the UK with no visa (which can take up to 12 weeks to obtain). The issue of trying to get a decent photo will be nigh on impossible anyway. And, at last, one of my friends who has 4 kids (2 born in Canada, 2 born in Australia) told me she though I was mad to even be considering leaving with a newborn. All my other friends here don't want us to leave and so are trying to see all the benefits of staying, lovely but completely unhelpful!!

DH has spoken to his mobility team and they have said that because of the unusual circumstances he can leave a month early, so I will prbably fly home at 36 weeks (all being well in the pregnancy) and he will come home a week before the baby is due, organising the packers and shipping of the dog, leaving me to rest up and not worry. This, of course, makes me worry, but if I do go into labour my lovely mummy will hold my hand, and funnily enough my dad was a GP who specialised in obs so he will be on hand while I'm labouring at home (although I don't actually want him doing anything!!!!). The hospital is about a half an hour drive from their house so it will be reassuring to have them on hand. I will be sad for DH though if this wee one does come early :(

I feel so sad but yet so calm. We have absolutely loved living here but the job just wasn't great for DH. He has hated working here, sadly, but the lovely summers make up for it. There is always the option to go elsewhere in Canada or the world so we will see how we get on back in Scotland. I am also now just starting to plan everything in my head (I can't help it, I'm an organiser). My parents will be over the moon that I will be there for such a long time, and with the new baby too, and mum especially will be in her element. They have missed us dreadfully.

Thanks for all your sound advice. I really do love Mumsnet! :)

Sounds like a good plan. The fact that you feel calm is great -it is nice to have everything planned out as best possible (especially when you are an organizer!). That is very reassuring that you have your parents there to help should you need it and that you can get rest while DH packs up (that's so exhausting!).

All the best for the arrival of your little one!

Thanks Naps. Just told my parents and they are brimming with excitement!

Awwwww that is wonderful !

Even more so because my DSis is due in June so we will all be together again :)