UK Citizen giving birth in Canada

[Lovecakesandbakes]

Hello, I’m seriously considering giving birth in Canada. I’ll be giving birth as a non-resident as I’m a UK citizen. Does anyone have any experience of this or knows how to go about it? Will I need insurance or a letter from my doctor? Any help will be much appreciated!

This is batshit OP. You could end up with a newborn that isn't cleared to fly and has no passport and you need to leave the country or illegally overstay. You'll then risk getting yourself banned from entering again. If you enter as a pregnant woman without a return ticket until after the baby is born immigration may well not let you in as your intention will be clear. You really need the opinion of an immigration lawyer.

@Lovecakesandbakes apply for permanent residency in Canada. If you relatives there they can sponsor you. Then you can stay as long as you want. There is a wait period before you become eligible. If you live on uk best to apply for baby's passport while in uk so you don't get the uk by descent passport which gives your child less rights. They may not let you in with ETA.

I’d fly family over to U.K. for birth rather than fly to Canada. It would probably be cheaper than paying for birth private in Canada.

It would also be safer as it’s also true you cannot travel right after childbirth/with newborn as I missed my GMs funeral due to that situation. Dr wouldn’t clear us to fly.

I would not want to make child British citizen by descent as that means they can only pass on their British citizenship if their children are born in U.K.

Too, your timing is off. You’d have to register their birth with British embassy in Canada. You’d have to get Canadian birth certificate. All this sorted before you fly back. As well as the passport for baby that others mentioned.

@Lovecakesandbakes I meant there is a wait period for Healthcare once you activate your PR atleast in Ontario. I think its about two months.

Thanks so much everyone. I really appreciate you all taking the time to respond to my query. I think that’s all the info I need for now. There’s lots to ponder on and think about.

Hi Op,
Just to say - and I know it’s different as the distances are shorter - but I flew with a less than ten day old baby in December 2019. My little girl had been born by EMCS and spent time in NICU, we both needed family support and family were not in a position to travel themselves (daily caring responsibilities for older grandparents). So we traveled. I had to have medical sign-off (at consultancy level) for both of us. BF baby on the plane. We pre-organized it with the airline (they had forms we had to complete) and booked spare seats so we had a row to ourselves on the plane. For us, it was the right decision. But the flight was an hour. Little things, like having to tuck a baby seatbelt on a newborn was not ideal, and carrying her, and luggage was tough. We paid for extra assistance at the airport and (I was in a wheelchair) so also had to consider mobility support.
There was a lot of organization in terms of getting access to birth registration - had preorganised an emergency appointment but had to attend in person the day we left the hospital which was physically hard and exhausting, the birth certificate meant I could get an emergency quick issue passport. I’m not sure any of this would be possible with covid, or that I would chose to travel, given the changed level of risk.

It’s usually 90 days, but they have waived the waiting period at the moment due to COVID. I don’t know when they’re planning on reinstating it. Although I read that Ontario is one of the only provinces that still has the waiting period in place.

OP - if you’re just relying on the 90 day ETA, as others have said the potential post birth period could be pretty short and you may not get the benefit that you’re hoping from of having family near once the baby arrives.

One option to extend your stay as a visitor would normally be by taking a quick trip across the border to the US, and starting a new 90 day visitor period. But non essential land border crossings are not currently allowed (again COVID related) and no indication on when they’re going to be permitted again.

@Lovecakesandbakes did you still follow through with this? I’m currently in a similar position atm and I’d like some information on this please.

@Talesunderthestars I didn’t in the end. Baby came 2 months early so gave birth in the UK. I hope you get the information you need!