₦airaland Forum

I did.

I did my test at Heal 360 In Houston.

They have locations in other states too

Kesspru:
Pls house. This is important pls. HAS ANYONE USED THE FREE COVID 19 TO TRAVEL TO NIGERIA. LET ME KNOW PLS. ILL APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT GOD BLESS

Yes it was a Normal B1/B2 visa. I got a letter from my Doctor in Nigeria and my Doctor in the US. Though the VO didn’t request to see any of the documents, but it’s best to have it in place.

AwesomeGod:
please how did you go about your visa application? I want to put in my own application now. Was it a normal B1/B2 application? Did you get any letters from a dctor in America or here?

Hello house,

I have some questions for the mamas who have returned to Nigeria between July to September.

1. Did you travel with your baby’s American passport? If yes, did you have to pay for Visa on arrival? Did you still require an ETC?
2. Did you travel without the passport and was the ETC the only travel document used?

3.What was the experience leaving the US- immigration and all? What was the experience arriving Nigeria- immigration and all?

4. Did you pay for an infant ticket or not (I hear some airlines don’t charge for infants). If you paid for ticket, did the ticket automatically come with a bassinet for the baby or did you have to pay additional money for a bassinet?

5.Are there any payments to made at the airport when you arrive? I just heard from someone who just arrived Nigeria that they asked to pay some money because of their plenty luggage.

Looking forward to reading from you all

Congrats on getting your baby’s passport.

Had your previously applied via post office before calling the passport office to book an appointment to hasten the process?

Also would you require a VOA for the baby on arriving Nigeria?

Lochinny:
Good afternoon! Thank you so much for your advice especially @purpleribbon and @Demmy2021
Been trying to complete everything as my return is next week. I’ve gotten my baby’s passport. Called them and gave them my flight itinerary and booking reference. They gave me an appointment but also told me that they may hasten the process and so that I might get the passport before I go for the appointment and that was how it happened so I had to cancel the appointment as they asked me to.

@Demmy2021, did you eventually pay for the cvs test? Saw on their site that it’s $139 and also did you pay for the NCDC test? And still did you repeat the test when you got back to Nigeria?
If you did, how much did you pay? Been checking their site for the price and saw nothing

@Purpleribbon, I heard there’s a punishment for those who don’t repeat the test 7 days after return. Do you know?

Hi, I gave birth in MH and didn’t need email correspondence from the hospital for my visa interview. I just went with the Appointment letter from my DR. Though the visa officer didn’t ask to see any documents from me in the end.

MissEvey:
Hello everyone,
Please I need your assistance.
Mums/dads who used Memorial Hermann Sugarland recently, how did you get email correspondence from the hospital? or is the correspondence from the doctor enough to take to your interview?

I intended to use Oakbend before and I got email correspondence from the hospital as well as my doctor, but after the reviews I have seen recently, I am considering changing to MH. Please help.
Thank you.

What state are you in please?

Zfunky:
Covid has made things slower. My LO’s SSN came in a month after I gave birth even though I applied at the hospital ( it never used to take that long), not to mention that I kept calling them because their office has been closed since last year March, PreCovid all you needed to do was walk-in to one of their offices but now, you have to call and ask for an appointment and justify the reason why the appointment is a dire need ( they give appointments on dire need basis).

For us passport, it currently takes about 12 weeks to expedite and 18 weeks for routine. Am guessing this is due to high volumes of application during this summer period plus they were closed for many months last year due to covid.
It is almost impossible to expedite at a passport agency or center cause there is always no available appointment online when you check and the customer care number is always engaged. The most available ones are passport acceptance agents at libraries and post offices and you get it back in 12 or 18 weeks depending on which option you choose.

I have also tried exploring the option of getting a Nigerian passport (cause every individual even a baby must travel by air with a passport, the only exception was during the covid period when they had to get people home last year) and getting a US passport at the embassy in Lagos but getting a Nigerian passport isn’t that easy and straightforward too.

30weeks

pufframmy:
congratulation what month is ur pregnancy when u travel ? wish u safe delivery

I’m so grateful to God for his Favour and mercies throughout this process.

My POE experience at JFK was a breeze!

I was asked just 4 questions:

Purpose of trip: I told the officer that I was here to give birth

How long will be staying: I told him the duration. (3 months)

How much do I have: I told him the amount of cash at hand, the rest in my bank account.

Any goods to declare: None

My mother-in-law and I were stamped for 6 months.

Thank you all for the tips on this page. It was so helpful! From Visa application to POE. As at February/March this year, I wasn’t sure of embarking on this journey. Glad that I gave it a shot!

I declared the purpose of my trip for both visa interview and POE and it was positive.

The only bottleneck I experienced throughout this process was leaving the Nigerian airport. The officials almost didn’t let me fly because of my tummy size. They claimed that my fit to fly certificate was not true because my tummy looks like someone who is due ��. It was the most ridiculous thing i had ever heard. I was sent to the airport clinic for the DR on duty to confirm my pregnancy gestational age and thankfully, she was able to confirm that I was telling the truth. Naija and wahala!!! I had initially planned to travel in July but changed my mind because of my ever increasing tummy. It was a good decision in the end.

Just to add, traveling through JFK was very hectic in terms of flight duration especially since I was still headed to Houston, my final destination. I couldn’t get direct Delta flights to JFK. Delta’s only option was to arrive at Atlanta as first POE in the US before heading to Houston. I had to travel via Turkish Airlines which was a longer route and definitely more stressful.

Wishing all the other expecting Mama’s a smooth experience.�

Thanks for the response.

I have gotten rates for Maryland. They are so high. I’m running back to Houston. Lol.

Did you arrive at Atlanta airport as your first POE? How was the experience?

mamsiey:
Hi,

I used Holy Cross Silverspring and Dr Moore in 2019 because it was 5mins away from home. It turned out to be the best decision because I was 9cm dilated when we got to the hospital. Anne Arundel is very far from Silverspring unless you are open to it. I’d suggest you get there and go and inquire from the hospitals. Someone posted the hospital costs for Maryland some years ago. You can use the search button to find it but I quite remember it wasn’t cheap! Most hospitals in Maryland aren't cheap.

Currently, I’m in Atlanta using Northside and North Atlanta Obgyn. I didn’t use Holy Cross again because of accommodation but I really liked my experience with them and Dr Moore if that helps.

Hello,

Trust you are well.

Which of the below hospitals are you using now? And do you have the cost implications for University of Maryland Hospital?

Also, how many hrs was your Qatar flight to Washington?

Thanks

purpleribbon:
Thank you very much. These are my hospital options for now
1)Holy Cross hospital (Dr. Moore OBGYN)
2) university of Maryland hospital
3) medstar

I’ve started visiting these places as my previous medical records were collected. I need to 5-7 days to know whether my case would be accepted.

I currently do not know the total cost implications.

Hello Everyone,

I’m considering switching from Houston to Maryland.

I had booked an appointment with a Dr at Center for Women’s health and planned to use Oakbend, but after reading through and speaking with people, I’m making a switch. I’m still considering other options in Houston- Methodist sugarland etc.

But I’m also open to Maryland especially because I have family there.

Does anyone have details on:

UM Baltimore Washington Medical Centre
Anne Arundel Medical Centre

Does anyone also have details on Doctor’s that are affiliated with either of the above hospitals?

Also regarding flights, for those arriving at JFK which airlines are you using? Delta is mostly passing through Atlanta. The one i saw for JFK, has a layover stop at London and I would require a transit visa to pass through London.

Please share options.

Thanks!

Hello,

What airline did you use please? And was it direct to JFK?

Thanks

Lochinny:
Hi guys! Wanted to give my POE experience coz I’ve learnt a lot here and I believe mine would help someone. Sometime in March I told you guys about having a visa that’ll expire in May and that I was thinking of using it to give birth. I was encouraged most especially by @debbieeeeee
and @pointednose to go ahead.. and I actually did.

So here’s my experience:
I traveled with my Child which I gave birth to with the same visa 2 years ago. It wasn’t an easy journey. Went with Qatar airways. (One of the best airline I must say, just that the journey was quite long)
My POE was JFK which I used the previous time. When I got there, I was directed to join the citizens line because of my child. While on the line, a lady saw me and asked me to come forward (obviously a helper from God plus she saw I was pregnant and carrying a child) mind you, I didn’t try to cover it my pregnancy. did same 2 years ago infact I was almost due when I traveled the last time.
So back to my story, I met the POE officer who asked for my passport, he collected my child’s own and asked what I’m here for, I told him to have my 2nd baby. He looked at the computer for a while without saying a word to me, then stamped my child’s passport. Then he collected mine and asked where I was going to stay and asked for how long. I told him the town I was staying and I’m looking at 3months Or more. He now asked if I came with any food stuffs and I told him just spices, he now asked to see my face and I removed my face mask. He then stamped my passport 6 months and said have a nice stay.

From this, I can tell you two things
1) prayer is the key. I and my husband prayed seriously for a smooth Poe. Even told my pastor

2) Be truthful. Just say the truth to them. I learnt it here that being honest pays so when I traveled to have my first child, I told them exactly the same thing, (then I was obviously pregnant so I couldn’t even dare lying) and it was an easy Poe and I used the same JFK.
After hearing people say that 2nd time is always tougher, I got scared and people advised me to cover up since my pregnancy isn’t that obvious but I still couldn’t see myself doing it. I just said what will be will be. I made sure I was with every single receipt from the first one and a letter from the hospital showing I didn’t collect any Medicaid from them. Still they didn’t ask of anything..

These people appreciate honesty and I think if we keep being honest, they’ll start seeing Nigerians in a good way.

Thanks @Debbieeeeee and @PointedNose for the encouragement.

Hello,

Yes I did. I applied on medical grounds.

I have travelled to about 7 countries but never been to the US.

ibukunpops:
Congratulations

Did you apply on medical grounds for the birth?

What other countries have you visited?

Thanx

Hi for everyone asking,

I did declare that I was going to give birth.

It was not the easiest of conversations with the VO.

To summarize, he asked for the purpose of the trip, what I do, how much I & my husband earn, what countries we have traveled to before, why we chose the US to give birth, what other countries we considered for the birth etc.

I had my dr’s recommendation letter on the need to seek better medical care due to complications in previous pregnancies. I had to explain in detail what the medical conditions are.

This would be my first time in the US. It would be my first birth in the US. My other two kids were born here.

A lot of prayer was done. I believe so much in the power of prayer. I had to disclose my purpose of the trip. I’m heavy and physically very pregnant.

I watched some other pregnant women get denied and I already became tensed.

I had to prove to the VO my purpose of the trip, the other countries I considered to give birth before considering the US

All in all, God came through. He will come through again at the POE. Amen

All the best to everyone.

babestell:
You axtually told the VO that you were going to give birth and they granted you visa just like that?

based on everything we have read and experienced. that is highly doubtful.

Yes sure.

Fikky1234:
Congratulations ma’am please can I private chat you? I will like to a question thank you

Congrats Mama!

I got my visa approved today too.

It’s my first time traveling to the US. I declared my purpose was to have my baby and I will also be declaring at the POE.

I am actually going to Houston too. Can I private message you especially about Oakbend please?

Thanks!

rozeybid:
It’s a long story but worth the read and someone might find it useful[/color]

I had my son at Oakbend Hospital 2018 and all bills were cleared with the zero balance letter issued . Fast-track to 2019, my husband was chosen as one of the Obama scholar to study at Colombia University NY and needed a J1 visa {That’s where my story began}

I wrote on this platform 2019 , how my husband was denied 3times because the VO keep saying we got discount which was what majority of applicant was going through because of the trump rules as regards people that have birth in the US .

To cut the long story , we got an immigration lawyer and Oakbend was able to give us the real itemized bill WITHOUT discount ...
we paid 10,000 to have the full zero balance letter .

My husband got his J1 Visa after the payment and proceeded for the program ... fast forward to December 2019, I applied to go and visit him and was DENIED .. After presenting all payment and documents , tried again and was placed on administrative processing, afterwards , my expired visa was REVOKED[color=#990000].

I totally gave up ..........................
2020 .... Corona happened

2021 ....
We were able to get an appointment date for May after paying an agent 200,000 for both of us within 3weeks .

May 5th ... We were at the embassy , the VO didn’t ask lot of question..
- Asked my husband why we were visiting the US and what he does for a living
- Looked through his passport and continue typing
- Faced me, and ask what I do for a living
- Looked through my passport too and saw the REVOKED visa .
- Approved my husband’s visa and placed me on administrative processing because he need to know why the previous visa was REVOKED .
I explained in my ds-160 that their must have been a mistake because revoked was written with pen on my expired visa and the dates didn’t align .

Today , May 25th, my visa got APPROVED and passport is ready for pickup .

Will be having my second child at Houston but definitely not OAKBEND.
And will be declaring at the POE my intent to come give birth .

Thank you for reading and hope someone find this useful .

NB - At the embassy , I noticed lot of people were granted visa and they didn’t ask for any receipt if you gave birth in the US before .

rozeybid:
It’s a long story but worth the read and someone might find it useful[/color]

I had my son at Oakbend Hospital 2018 and all bills were cleared with the zero balance letter issued . Fast-track to 2019, my husband was chosen as one of the Obama scholar to study at Colombia University NY and needed a J1 visa {That’s where my story began}

I wrote on this platform 2019 , how my husband was denied 3times because the VO keep saying we got discount which was what majority of applicant was going through because of the trump rules as regards people that have birth in the US .

To cut the long story , we got an immigration lawyer and Oakbend was able to give us the real itemized bill WITHOUT discount ...
we paid 10,000 to have the full zero balance letter .

My husband got his J1 Visa after the payment and proceeded for the program ... fast forward to December 2019, I applied to go and visit him and was DENIED .. After presenting all payment and documents , tried again and was placed on administrative processing, afterwards , my expired visa was REVOKED[color=#990000].

I totally gave up ..........................
2020 .... Corona happened

2021 ....
We were able to get an appointment date for May after paying an agent 200,000 for both of us within 3weeks .

May 5th ... We were at the embassy , the VO didn’t ask lot of question..
- Asked my husband why we were visiting the US and what he does for a living
- Looked through his passport and continue typing
- Faced me, and ask what I do for a living
- Looked through my passport too and saw the REVOKED visa .
- Approved my husband’s visa and placed me on administrative processing because he need to know why the previous visa was REVOKED .
I explained in my ds-160 that their must have been a mistake because revoked was written with pen on my expired visa and the dates didn’t align .

Today , May 25th, my visa got APPROVED and passport is ready for pickup .

Will be having my second child at Houston but definitely not OAKBEND.
And will be declaring at the POE my intent to come give birth .

Thank you for reading and hope someone find this useful .

NB - At the embassy , I noticed lot of people were granted visa and they didn’t ask for any receipt if you gave birth in the US before .

rozeybid:
It’s a long story but worth the read and someone might find it useful[/color]

I had my son at Oakbend Hospital 2018 and all bills were cleared with the zero balance letter issued . Fast-track to 2019, my husband was chosen as one of the Obama scholar to study at Colombia University NY and needed a J1 visa {That’s where my story began}

I wrote on this platform 2019 , how my husband was denied 3times because the VO keep saying we got discount which was what majority of applicant was going through because of the trump rules as regards people that have birth in the US .

To cut the long story , we got an immigration lawyer and Oakbend was able to give us the real itemized bill WITHOUT discount ...
we paid 10,000 to have the full zero balance letter .

My husband got his J1 Visa after the payment and proceeded for the program ... fast forward to December 2019, I applied to go and visit him and was DENIED .. After presenting all payment and documents , tried again and was placed on administrative processing, afterwards , my expired visa was REVOKED[color=#990000].

I totally gave up ..........................
2020 .... Corona happened

2021 ....
We were able to get an appointment date for May after paying an agent 200,000 for both of us within 3weeks .

May 5th ... We were at the embassy , the VO didn’t ask lot of question..
- Asked my husband why we were visiting the US and what he does for a living
- Looked through his passport and continue typing
- Faced me, and ask what I do for a living
- Looked through my passport too and saw the REVOKED visa .
- Approved my husband’s visa and placed me on administrative processing because he need to know why the previous visa was REVOKED .
I explained in my ds-160 that their must have been a mistake because revoked was written with pen on my expired visa and the dates didn’t align .

Today , May 25th, my visa got APPROVED and passport is ready for pickup .

Will be having my second child at Houston but definitely not OAKBEND.
And will be declaring at the POE my intent to come give birth .

Thank you for reading and hope someone find this useful .

NB - At the embassy , I noticed lot of people were granted visa and they didn’t ask for any receipt if you gave birth in the US before .

Hi. Thanks for sharing this.

Can we get more details on what the interview questions were like and the sort of documents that she had to present?

Thank you

babestell:
My friend was visibly pregnant and she got her medical visa.

She was able to prove to the application agents hat she was a special case and required medical treatment in the abroad. However she is one in a million.

Also for mamas who have birthed before. I think they are giving visas to them as long as you are not pregnant now.

I know the temptation to cut corners is there but lets try our best to do the right thing by ourselves.

I do.

Oak bend Ob/gyn rates:

$2,100 for vaginal and $2,600 for CS
$2,500 for vaginal and $3,000 for CS is highrisk.

For Oakbend hospital fees
$3,700 for vaginal
$5,200 for vaginal with sterilisation/tubal ligation
$ 6,600 for CS

All the above excludes additional fees like In-house Ped about $384, then tests etc.

Eilenora:
Please does anyone have recent quotes for Oakbend and HNWMC? Obgyns as well please

Thank you so much for the response. I appreciate it.

I am visibly pregnant, now I’m confused on what to say.

babestell:
The people I know who got visa are not visibly pregnant. And they do not say anything about going to give birth. the challenge has been whether they can renew their visa because they had a child using the previous one.

My friend went to embassy on tuesday and she said out of the 6 visible preggies she saw there. Only one got visa and that one hubby is american so maybe that helped.

POE is a personal experience. There is no direct flight from Nigeria to Florida so how do you plan to book the ticket. Also local flight has luggage limit, will you be able to cope with the smaller plane and hassles of changing flight,.

Houston POE is one of the most favourable from my experience and many others on this thread. Dont let they say they say scare you off.

Newbie here!

This forum is supposed to be about people wanting to go and give birth in the US. So far so the transcripts I have read from people who got their visas this year are people who are not necessarily going to give birth I.e honeymoon.

As a newbie here, I need guidance from someone else who is to give birth this year and has gotten a visa recently or has an interview date sometime soon.

My questions are:

Are you visibly pregnant?

Did you state or will you be stating that the purpose of your trip is to give birth? If not what is the best thing to say?

I intend to have my baby in Houston and have made the necessary arrangements with Dr and hospital. Still trying to sort out accommodation via Airbnb options. I hear and have read through that Houston POE is not exactly friendly. I’m considering travelling to Florida first before booking a domestic flight to Houston by the second day. Is Florida a good option?

I will appreciate your responses please. My interview date is in May.

Thank you �

Hello everyone, is anyone due to give birth this year and went for visa interview stating clear reasons as giving birth as purpose of travel and was granted the visa?