Non uk citizen to give birth in uk

[Baby2016]

Greetings,

I'm an American citizen, not married, my partner and family are from the uk, we're expecting our first child and thinking to give birth in London to be near his family to help carrying for me self in the newborn since we don't have family in the US. Currently I reside in the US. Can anyone tell me what are the requirements to give birth abroad, in terms of costs and baby travel docs etc ... Thank you
Ally

You probably want to check your health/medical insurance as a first step. Does it cover you for medical treatment abroad and will it cover child birth?

When are you planning on coming to the UK in advance of the birth? You would need to register with a GP and a maternity hospital asap I would think.

You could contact one of the private maternity hospitals in London (The Lindo Wing, Queen Charlotte's etc) and ask them.

Is it likely that your medical insurance would cover you for a planned birth abroad or to travel after 36 weeks?

Going birth in an NHS hospital will cost you 2-3 thousand, even if you have a normal delivery without complications; a C-section could easily put the bill above 5k, and if you have further complications, who knows? (you might find this helpful - www.maternityaction.org.uk/advice-2/mums-dads-scenarios/3-women-from-abroad/entitlement-to-free-nhs-maternity-care-for-women-from-abroad/)

Private healthcare could easily top 10k, before complications.

Assuming your partner is a UK citizen then your child would be and thus charges for care they would require post birth would be covered by the NHS, but yours wouldn't, and if you ended up in hospital for a number of days you could end up with a very large bill.

We are Americans who reside in the UK and have access to the NHS so I can't answer about cost.

But I can tell you this. After the birth, you will need to make an appointment with the US embassy in London to register the birth of your baby. They will give you a certificate of birth abroad, a social security number, and you can apply for the passport. (you will also register the baby's birth in the UK and get a UK birth certificate). You will not be allowed to bring the baby back to the USA until the passport is sorted because if you are entitled to US citizenship you cannot enter the USA on any other passport than a a USA passport. It is expensive and a huge pain.

You should also expect that giving birth in an NHS hospital will not be nearly as comfortable as giving birth in an American hospital. BUT -- we don't mind because we don't pay for it and it tends to less medicalised because it is more midwife and less OB led (unless you have complications).

If you have health insurance in the USA, it will be much easier to give birth there.

Hi sorry just wanted to double check, so my partner and I have decided to have the baby in London and I am a US citizen. The father has UK citizenship; does this mean the costs for the baby are covered until I give birth. And that I will only be liable for charges for myself if there are any complications after the birth and I needed to maybe stay longer?

No - the cost of YOUR prenatal care will need to be met as well as the cost of the birth, unless you have a longer-term visa that allows access to the nhs (spouse/ student visa for example...).

You might not be allowed into the uk by the entry clearance officer if they suspect you will overstay you visitor visa - which with a newborn and British partner is not a crazy assumption! But you may sail through!

It will take several weeks for the registration with the American embassy and getting the passport. You are allowed a MAX 6 month visitor visa (which might be shorter if the entry clearance officer decides - they could let you in for a week, a month or more... it's up to their discretion).

Loads more useful info can be found at the uk-yankee website!! Which is a website for Americans moving to and living in the uk!

I, for example, would highly advise against giving birth in the uk on a visitor visa, but others on that website might have another take on things!!

Good luck!