Is it true that immigration turn pregnant pregnant women back at the point of entry or give them just 1 0r 2 months entry clearance? If yes, how can one beat the low entry clearance game?

yes its true, esp if the woman is obviously heavily pregnant without lots of cash to show as evidence dat she can pay her bills in the event dat she gives birth, so she shd try wearing clothes dat will conceal or hide it a little, she shd go wt loads of cash, her return ticket shd b a maximum of 3weeks< when she gets in she can reschedule the date of return for a fee,

any one with better ideas? pls share,

halle2:

tnx dancewith,

i e-mailed parkland hospital and they replied saying they are not receiving international patients at the moment, that they are only serving residents in dallas county, please anyone with info on a cheap birth center in houston? i really dont mind one since they are like one-third the average hospital price

Few hospitals will tell you upfront they will take in internationals. When you show up there you become a resident and most would attend to you.

Best of Luck

Birthing can really be expensive down here.

I had my 2 sons in the US (Houston and California). For the first, i paid about $12,000 and for the second i paid $5800!!! The reason for the difference, better planning.

You can get affordable hospitals that charge about $3000 for delivery and doctors that charge about $2000 to $2500. Inboth cases, i had the epidurial so it was stress free labour:-)

@Dance with; When calling, you dont need to tell them you are an international patient, just say you live in another city and will be coming over at whatever weeks to have the baby cos you'll be staying with your sisiter or whatever.

@ BabaOlu; the US immigration can be harsh especially when the plane comes with loads of Naija pple. We are unfortunately notorious for not paying our bills or taking medicare which is wrong, so they are on the offensive. However, i got in twice and since my last baby in 2009, 4 of my friends have had thiers too following my advice. One tip is to re-route your ticket so you leave the intl connecting country a few hours after the main flight most nigerians would take, that way you arrive the US without the bulk of Nigerians. Secondly, i dont advice going through Atlanta or New York cos most direct flights from Lagos land there, so they are well prepared.
Any more questions, i'm always available.

One man's meat is another mans poison I guess, but why people dont want to open their minds to birthing centers is a mystery. There are no interventions., you go through labour the natural and safest way possible. Epidural has its side effects, yes it reduces the pain, but what of the long term effect?
The experience of using a birthing center is best experienced, though the procedure of circumcison isnt carried out if you have a baby boy, because to them its a cosmetic procedure. You will have to pay out of pocket.

@ Wa Vixen. I think most people are not aware of the Birthing Center option which is usually cheaper than hospitals. However to go via this route, you need to have had an uncomplicated pregnancy, the baby is not breech amongst other things.

On second thoughts, think i should try bursting some of the myths people have of having your baby in the US.

Myth 1: Having your baby in the US is expensive: This is relative. However i have heard from people even on this thread saying that childbirth is about $15,000 to even as high as $25,000.

Is this true? Not necessarily. You will hear this proce quote mostly from US residents becuase most of them pay for childbirth via health insurance. Now because health insurance is a long term thing, the cost of childbirth can usually get as high as $25,000 even for a normal delivery. However, if you travel in to have your baby and pay cash, you'll get huge discounts.

From my experience (and the friends i have guided through the process); a normal delivery should cost about $6,000 in total and a C-Section about $8,000. This includes all doctor, hospital and even pediatrician's cost.


So how does one manage his/her medical bills so as to spend within this range (as much as possible).
I'll share 3 tips on this over the next 3 days.

1. Plan to have your baby in a big city vs. smaller cities. Hospitals in big cities leverage scale (i.e. access to more mothers) and charge less than hospitals in smaller cities.

Kalango:

@ Wa Vixen. I think most people are not aware of the Birthing Center option which is usually cheaper than hospitals. However to go via this route, you need to have had an uncomplicated pregnancy, the baby is not breech amongst other things.

+
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Yes, this is true. But you are told this before delivery, moreover what of women who fly in at 36 weeks, and have no medical records?

@ Wa Vixen, you know this also depends on where you go to and who is guiding one through the process. My first baby i flew in at 35weeks and had no doctor:-), I only had the letter written by my doctor. It took me forever to find a doctor that would agree to handle my case but i guess i finally found one,

And of course, when i did, i dint even think twice about his charge,

Which brings me to my next tip on managing one's medical costs.
2. Understand the system and plan ahead: Understanding the system means knowing the options available and how payment is expected for each option. E.g if you choose the hospital option, you will need to pay the hospital for using their facilities, you will pay the doctor for handling your final antenatal and birthing the baby, you will pay for all blood tests that are done during antenatla and even during labour (if any) and you will pay for a pediatrician that will take care of baby first medical check-up etc, If you then have a baby boy, circumcision is another cost:-)


However, if you plan ahead, then you can already check several options and settle for the one that works best for your pocket.

Kalago,
please am thinkin of moving to US soon to have my baby as well!
Can i hav ur email address to discuss some issues wit u, please?
Thank you

@ Iremi, no probs. You can send me a mail at myuscitizen@yahoo.com

Back to breaking the Myths. Myth 2: Being Pregnant will disqualify you from getting a visa.

Wrong!!! There is no crime in having your baby in the US as long as you can prove that you have permanent ties to Nigeria (e.g. a good job/business), a doctor to handle your case and enough funds to cover your bills.

Also never lie about being pregnant, it goes in the system such that when you have your baby; they can ascertain if you knew at the point of interview and lied about it. And if they confirm you knew then and lied about it, it will negatively affect future visa requests for yourself and even family members.

So how do you prove to the visa officer that you are good to have a baby in the US? It all lies in being well prepared.

One last thing which i should have written before clicking send is, As we burst the famous myths about having a baby in the US; if you have any gray areas you'd like clarified, please ask. Will try and answer as much as i can.

Cheers!!

After having a baby how long does it usually take to get all necessary documents for the child to enable one travel back to Nigeria? I mean childs birth certificate and passport.

@ Lalango,

pls can you explain the procedure for a pregnant woman or someone intending to come on visitation to deliver a baby in the state, like i will like my wife to deliver her next baby by God's grace here in the U.S. I just need to know how to prepare as soon as she confirmed the pregnancy, pld await ur response, note she no experience at the embassy before, it will be her first. thanks.

Kalango:

On second thoughts, think i should try bursting some of the myths people have of having your baby in the US.

Myth 1: Having your baby in the US is expensive: This is relative. However i have heard from people even on this thread saying that childbirth is about $15,000 to even as high as $25,000.

Is this true? Not necessarily. You will hear this proce quote mostly from US residents becuase most of them pay for childbirth via health insurance. Now because health insurance is a long term thing, the cost of childbirth can usually get as high as $25,000 even for a normal delivery. However, if you travel in to have your baby and pay cash, you'll get huge discounts.

From my experience (and the friends i have guided through the process); a normal delivery should cost about $6,000 in total and a C-Section about $8,000. This includes all doctor, hospital and even pediatrician's cost.


So how does one manage his/her medical bills so as to spend within this range (as much as possible).
I'll share 3 tips on this over the next 3 days.

1. Plan to have your baby in a big city vs. smaller cities. Hospitals in big cities leverage scale (i.e. access to more mothers) and charge less than hospitals in smaller cities.

I dunno about this. Cities like Maryland, Washington, New York, Chicago, NC has an average of $15k for non insured deliveries and go higher for complicated procedures

dancewith:

I dunno about this. Cities like Maryland, Washington, New York, Chicago, NC has an average of $15k for non insured deliveries and go higher for complicated procedures

Thank you.

@Kalango tanx alot for all ur tips. u mentioned dat u had an epidural, were there any side effects?

mamathrice:

Hello guys. Can you please advice me? I went to renew my visa and I was turned down. I went again a month later, and got turned down again. It was my fault. I lied when I got the visa that I wasn't pregnant. well, i was and I had a baby in the US. Now, it keeps coming up that I lied. Both times, I told them that I didn't know I was pregnant but they didn't believe me. My people are telling me to try again for the third time, and this time, to tell the truth and say I'm sorry I lied. Will it make any difference? Or will I just get turned down again and permanently blacklisted?

This is in no way to chastise you, but to let you know that you're not alone in this. The truth ALWAYS comes out. You scaled through and had your child and went to renew and got caught out. Going back again and again is a sign of desperation and believe me unless something miraculous happens you wont get it. A lady is also going through the exact thing, she has been refused a visa because she had her baby in the US withoust paying, she went back for re-newal and was refused. People forget that 2 yrs isnt that long when you come to think of it. Some times you get refused for no just cause.

Hold on for awhile and try after a few months or year. But once its on your record it takes God to make them give you.

Good luck.

mamathrice:

Hello guys. Can you please advice me? I went to renew my visa and I was turned down. I went again a month later, and got turned down again. It was my fault. I lied when I got the visa that I wasn't pregnant. well, i was and I had a baby in the US. Now, it keeps coming up that I lied. Both times, I told them that I didn't know I was pregnant but they didn't believe me. My people are telling me to try again for the third time, and this time, to tell the truth and say I'm sorry I lied. Will it make any difference? Or will I just get turned down again and permanently blacklisted?

I don't know how long apart you waited in between the two refusals. But some similar cases I have known were later issued the visa after about 3 yrs of the initial refusal. I don't know if their system has changed now but like someone here advised you need to give it time

@OP,

Best state for you to go is Texas. Most of the hospitals there have a non-immigrant delivery prepay package that ranges between $5k and $9k depending on the hospital, and type of birth. If its a CS, you should pay slightly more. That would be mostly government or teaching hospitals. Private (for profit) hospitals would be more expensive. You might also get some specialist charges, if you use anesthethologists, surgeons, paediatricians, etc.
Good thing, there is even a direct flight these days from Lagos to Houston on United Continental.

Also, in Texas you can on average get your birth certificate and process the US passport (expedited) within 2-3 weeks of birth. But I advise that you wait at least 3 weeks before you travel back home, for the same of the baby. It's not good to subject infants to cabin pressure so early in their birth, and it's a rather long flight.

My advice for the embassy? Don't lie to them. If you really want to do this, get the cash together and show them that you have it. However, if you have never been to the USA before . . . *sigh*. They are likely to fall your hand. It always looks better if you've been married for a while, and have been travelling on holidays or whatever. The USA is not advertising medical tourism, so don't think your cash alone opens the door. They actually value their citizenship at a premium.

One question was asked earlier, and no one seems to have given a straight answer. My wife is in the US, and is due (birth) in February, but at the border, it was stamped on the passport 'to leave the US Dec 15, No Extension'. Our intention was that she'll give birth there (I will cover 100% of the bills). What should we do now? stay and give birth? leave and come back(pregnancy is very well visible)? Please I need advice,

Plutonium:

One question was asked earlier, and no one seems to have given a straight answer. My wife is in the US, and is due (birth) in February, but at the border, it was stamped on the passport 'to leave the US Dec 15, No Extension'. Our intention was that she'll give birth there (I will cover 100% of the bills). What should we do now? stay and give birth? leave and come back(pregnancy is very well visible)? Please I need advice,

When did she arrive in the USA?
She should have said at point of entry that she intends to give birth there and show proof that she would pay her bills.
I don't see the point of lying. Most likely the immigration person figured it out and decided to stymie your move. Normally you are granted 180 days stay in the US.

That's on the i-90. Its tricky, if you go ahead and over stay and have the baby she will get citizenship for the baby. But heavily jeopadies her return. They are very strict about those dates they issue.

Plutonium:

One question was asked earlier, and no one seems to have given a straight answer. My wife is in the US, and is due (birth) in February, but at the border, it was stamped on the passport 'to leave the US Dec 15, No Extension'. Our intention was that she'll give birth there (I will cover 100% of the bills). What should we do now? stay and give birth? leave and come back(pregnancy is very well visible)? Please I need advice,

You have only yourselves to blame. She was obviously spotted by an immigration officer but instead of being honest about her intentions she had to do the Nigerian style of claiming she was seeking entry for a short visit. I had someone that came to NY that had similar problem but her I-90 was not endorsed 'no extension' so she was able to seek extension from DHS when the 2 weeks they gave her expired. This proved fairly easy but since your case is different I dunno.

I believe she should seek for extension and see how it goes. If it fails then she can still stay and give birth and overstay the validity of her I-90. Its not as if the immigration people are infallible. I have heard (not seen) of people who overstayed but were not detected. However the choice is yours but I think you cannot come this far and falters

Good luck

bomly:

After having a baby how long does it usually take to get all necessary documents for the child to enable one travel back to Nigeria? I mean childs birth certificate and passport.

Varies from state to state.
Typically it would take you 2-3 weeks to get a birth certificate, and 1-2 weeks to get a US passport expedited for the baby.
Nigerian visa on that passport is easier than trying to get a Nigerian passport for the baby. Unless you are in NYC, DC, or Atlanta. Visa processing is around 2-3 days. Like all things Nigerian, it's usually better if you know somebody.

@ DAncewith,

I am currently in houston, and i have been searching for hospitals, its not been an easy task at all, infact the hardest is getting a doctor, u said a close friend of urs had her baby for less than 5k dollars in houston? thats cheap compared to what am seeing here, did she have an epidural as well? please let her give u d name of the hospital and doctor that treated her case, its over five days i have been hospital hunting with not much success,
its really getting to me right now, its either doctor's appointments are fully booked till next year or they cant take me cos am over 24weeks gone, some ppl r suggesting i go to ER of one of these hospitals but i know that is gonna cost me an arm and leg, pls HELP!!!!

@halle,

Kindly give me your e-mail address or send me a mail on temibello@yahoo.co.uk. I want to discuss something with you. Thanks.

halle2:

@ DAncewith,

I am currently in houston, and i have been searching for hospitals, its not been an easy task at all, infact the hardest is getting a doctor, u said a close friend of urs had her baby for less than 5k dollars in houston? thats cheap compared to what am seeing here, did she have an epidural as well? please let her give u d name of the hospital and doctor that treated her case, its over five days i have been hospital hunting with not much success,
its really getting to me right now, its either doctor's appointments are fully booked till next year or they cant take me cos am over 24weeks gone, some ppl r suggesting i go to ER of one of these hospitals but i know that is gonna cost me an arm and leg, pls HELP!!!!

Go to Memorial Hermann. Call them on 713 704-2026

Ask for Mum's birth plan

Good luck

Hello House, this forum has really been helpful. I have someone that is 29weeks and already in the States. She is looking for cost of an average cost that will not rob the bank for a C-section in Maryland. Any useful information including Hostpital names will be appreciated.