Relocating to give birth

[ClaireDaBear1001]

I'm pregnant and my partner wants us to go to Northern Ireland for the birth. He tells me that the baby will be able to get an Irish passport off the back of being born in Northern Ireland.

Not sure that I'm up for it. Has anyone done this, know anything about this, or even got any experience of relocating to give birth?

I don't know anything about getting the Irish passport etc but I'll be moving from England to the Isle of Man at 34 weeks pregnant but because that's where my partner lives and is from. We'll be living there for at least 12 months. As far as healthcare goes they too have an NHS system and I've spoken to them and been told all I'll need to do is register with a GP on arrival and get a referral to the hospital (although there is only one on the Isle of Man so it might be a simpler process!).

Fwiw I wouldn't have even entertained the idea if it wasn't that my partner lived there and I think your partner is absolutely batshit to think this is a good idea that you should get behind... sorry if that's too honest!

Also don’t listen to pps saying there is a residency qualification etc. There isn’t. A person born on the island of Ireland to Irish or British parents is an Irish citizen.

I think it’s worth it but get somewhere to live and healthcare sorted or don’t go. It’s not far to travel at all, it’s about half an hour flight. I think it’s fine op and worth doing if you have sorted logistics.

One question - why?! Why does your baby need an Irish passport?! Are you guys Irish?! What’s wrong with a UK one? Is this all to do with Brexit?

(I’m baffled, can you tell)

While I’m quite firmly against Brexit, it seems insane! Who knows where the country will be when your baby is 18 & able to travel alone. Until then, he’s stuck queuing through immigration with you and your UK passports!

Aside from the lack of support, the problem is that you could have a premature baby, you could develop a condition which means no Dr will give you a fit to fly note, there's no guarantee.

Don't underestimate how hard it would be to live in a new place with a newborn and your partner not there. I had my baby in a place we had lived in for 9.5 months by the time we arrived and it was horribly lonely and miserable.

Honestly, if you all really want EU passports, you'd be better off moving to somewhere like France and applying once you qualify on residency.

You aren't leaving the UK, but you will be traveling between NI and Britain. At the moment a birth certificate is fine for kids to either sail or fly between the two, but (if Brexit happens) who knows what the requirements may be?

The first six weeks after giving birth are tough, even if you have a completely straightforward birth and recover extremely well.

If I were you I'd be telling OH an unequivocal no.

I'm pregnant and would love my child to have an EU passport. I have to say though that the travel sounds horrific.

Check out: [http://irishbaby.uk/index.php/2019/09/25/journey-to-ni-when-heavily-pregnant/)]

This is absolute madness. Do not be railroaded into leaving your support network.

Incidentally, women in NI are the only UK citizens who are denied the reproductive rights available elsewhere in the country. The idea of going there as a maternal health tourist is ironic at best and pretty crass at worst.

@EstebanTheMagnificent good point.

As someone from NI yes a child born here with UK parents is entitled to both passports. It seems a bit crazy to do it on the back of just a passport?

Thanks for all your comments. I appreciate them!!

Thanks especially for the comments about the ferry (@posterthecherryontop and @posterLH1987). I hadn't thought about the sea being rough. It sounds terrible.

On the law, I'm sure that the plan would work. As @zsazsajuju said, there isn't a residency requirement for Brits. By the way, @zsazsajuju did you relocate at 36 weeks for nationality rights?

Sounds a bit bonkers to me personally and also as NI is still UK wouldn't that just entitle the baby to a UK passport? Surely you'd need to be in RoI to make it worthwhile?

Anyway sounds like you're not keen and at the end of the day you're the one given birth ... he needs to respect your wishes!

Anyone born on the island of Ireland is entitled to Irish citizenship. It was one of the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

It’s still an absolutely mad plan.

At the very least, get your partner to educate himself: firstly about the reasons why the Good Friday Agreement includes this clause, and the many years of violence which went before it; and secondly on the stark differences between antenatal care and reproductive rights between NI and the rest of the UK. You will, I presume, have been offered accurate screening to look for chromosomal abnormalities and if you needed or wanted to terminate the pregnancy then you have access to safe, legal abortion. The women in the next beds on the postnatal wards won’t have, and in your position I don’t think I’d be able to look them in the eye.

On @EstebanTheMagnificent's point about care, do they ever transfer from NI to elsewhere due to complications? If so you could end up not giving birth in NI.

@ClaireDaBear1001 I didn’t relocate for nationality rights, no. It’s complicated but basically it was where my dh was at the time so I went on mat leave slightly early. It was a 9 hour flight for me and it was fine so I would say the pps are being a bitty hysterical at an hour. You’re pregnant not dying. I was an old mother too.

Incidentally I did consider US (I had employer sponsored healthcare) so dd would have a US passport but decided against it.

Also reproductive rights in NI are neither here nor there in this situation.

I would sort care out beforehand though. Mine all ended up being a little last minute although I had done background on it.!