₦airaland Forum

KC23:
Thanks for sharing your experience and I hope your son is going great. Could you please share more details how you were able to book an appointment with Dr Ted before your arrival in Canada? Any contact details for his office? Please help as we are due to arrival in Canada in 2 weeks.

Anyone with past experience in this area can also share info. Thanks at lot.

makylove101:
BIRTH STORY..Long Post alert:

VISA HISTORY:

My hubby and I got our TRV from VFS Abuja office via online application in 2019(4yrs and 10yrs visas respectively due to the validity of our passports). I posted about documents submitted and timeline in the Canada TRV thread. I wasn’t pregnant back then and had planned to use it for tourism in 2020 but then I lost my mum feb 2020 and COVID hit.

POE EXPERIENCE:

Got pregnant early this year and decided to give birth in Canada (we had our first son in the United States in 2018. We tried but couldn’t get a visa appointment date to renew our US visas which expired last year).

I am fully vaccinated so I travelled with my vaccination card and didn’t encounter any issues (From Sept 7th, foreign nationals are allowed to enter Canada if fully vaccinated and aren’t expected to quarantine either). I did my Covid test at Medicaid (N35k) and filled the Arrivecan form via the app 48hrs before my trip.

I landed in Toronto Pearson Airport, Canada from Abuja via British Airways on the 4th of Oct at exactly 32wks plus 6 days pregnant while visibly showing. Proceeded to fill the automated entry kiosk (filled in no of days to stay in Canada,Food items I came with etc) and then headed to immigration.
First officer asked my reason for being there, I told her that I came to give birth and for vacation. The immigration officer didn’t seem to know the questions to ask me and I was sent for secondary inspection.

The interview went like this;

Officer: Why are you here?

Me: For childbirth and vacation. Proceeds to give him my email appointment confirmation with a family doctor.

Officer: why would you risk traveling especially since blood clot at this stage of your pregnancy can kill you?. I know this cause my wife is pregnant and our doctor told her not to think of any long distance traveling as she is prone to having blood clots at this stage of her pregnancy.

Me: Well I have no history of blood clots during pregnancy and my doctor wasn’t worried about that being a problem for me hence my “fit to fly” letter

Officer: I am aware you have a fit to fly letter obviously cause you wouldn’t have been able to travel otherwise but still “blood clot” is a general thing for all pregnant women. Everyone knows this.

Me: I still insist it isn’t a problem for me. I am here and no issues obviously as you can see.

Officer: Okay so why give birth in Canada, why not in Nigeria?

Me: Better healthcare for baby and I and also cause I can afford it. Given how long it took me to have my first baby, I make it a point to get the best in terms of healthcare to avoid any stories.

Officer: But there is good healthcare in Nigeria too. Once you have money you should be able to get good healthcare.

Me: Sorry Sir, have you been to Nigeria before?

Officer: I have been to India and it’s the same thing with Nigeria. Same criteria applies to healthcare if you have money.

Me: India is not the same with Nigeria. Again I ask, have you been to Nigeria Sir?

Officer: I don’t have to be in Nigeria to know. It’s the same thing with India

Me: Yeah but the question is have you been to Nigeria?

Officer: * Pauses for a bit* Ok, so how much do you have with you?

Me: I came in with 9k US dollars cash. Do you want to see?

Officer: No, it’s fine. Generally it costs about 10k CAD to give birth in Canada but you are atleast expected to have minimum of 20k CAD in case of an emergency with the baby (not that we are praying for one)

Me: The estimate I was given is definitely less than 20k CAD. However, we are prepared in case of an emergency

Officer: Do you have proof of other funds just in case of an emergency?

Me: Yes. Logged into my USD domiciliary account in Naija and also showed him my husband’s BOA account statement.

Officer: Ok, I can see you have the funds in case of an emergency but do you have other funds or you are using all your savings for this childbirth?

Me: Yeah ofcourse. My husband and I work and earn monthly plus I have funds in money market investment and my hubby also has other savings. Do you want to see?

Officer; Yes please.

Me: Proceeds to login to my money market investment mobile app. He sees the amount in Naira and does a quick conversion.

Officer: OK, I see you have more than enough. Where will you be staying in Canada?

Me: Proceeds to give him the letter from my host with her phone no and the address I will be staying in and also stating that I paid her for a full basement apartment for a period of 2 months.

Officer: How did you get this apartment?

Me: It was a referral from a contact in Nigeria

Officer: Ok. Do have a lovely time in Canada, I wish you all the best and pray there is no complications with the baby. Congratulations in advance. Stamps me in.

Me: Thank you very much.

ACCOMODATION:

I got a two bedroom basement apartment to stay in for 62 days at Brampton Ontario. (I used a birth service company for this). Hired them to help with accommodation and doctor’s appointment but I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THEM. Crappy service to say the least!. Canada is a new turf for us and we barely have family or friends here. I was just tired after trying AirBnB and seeing some crazy rates. Our rent was a bit expensive ($1,900 per month plus cleaning fee $100 but better than what I got from Airbnb) plus the apartment was great and well situated. Most stores were within a walking distance so we were really good.

I bought my SIM card from Chatr mobile. See the link below for their data plans. It’s advisable to get one cause you will need to make calls, book appointments, use Uber etc.

https://www.chatrwireless.com/web/chatr.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PlanBrowse

*My hubby and son joined me in Canada on the 5th of Nov, exactly one month after. Hubby stated that he was coming in to welcome his new baby as wifey was in Canada to give birth when asked at POE.

HOSPITAL:

My first appointment was at Humber River Hospital with Dr Ted on the 19th of Oct at exactly 35 weeks. I eventually found out I didn’t need a referral from a family doctor to see him even though I could have gotten one from my appointment with a family doctor if they wanted.
Dr Ted was super nice, I liked him right away and he is quite familiar with Nigerian patients.

First Appointment fee: 120 CAD
Subsequent(went twice again): 60 CAD per visit. Overall total 240 CAD
Doctor: 2,500 CAD
Assistant: 500 CAD
Hospital (mum & baby): 0 CAD. Apparently due to COVID 19, some hospitals here in Ontario is free for all patients till the end of Nov 2021. I tried but they aren’t accepting payments even for Intl patients.
Peadetrician: 500 CAD
Epidural: 1,000 CAD
Lab: 99.03 CAD (I used Dyna care, it was just a walking distance from where I stayed in Brampton)
Scan: 82 CAD
Pediatric visit: 100 CAD (We used Dr Wise. subsequent visit 50 CAD. We went twice so a total of 150 CAD)

Ps: I am a CS mama.

*Baby boy was born on the 10th of Nov. I stayed at the hospital for about 36hrs before I was discharged.

Circumcision: We will be doing this in Naija as we did for our first son.

BABY DOCUMENTATION:

Birth certificate (Long & short): 60 CAD
We requested and registered baby’s birth online and paid for birth certificate on the 13th of Nov. It took 7 working days to arrive.
Baby’s Passport photo (4 copies): 33 CAD.
Intl Passport: 107 CAD. It took two days before we could pick up
Visa on arrival: $195 and N30k processing fee. It took two days.
BA ticket for baby: 355 CAD


SUMMARY:

Accommodation for Two months: 3,900 CAD
Doctor’s Appointment fee: 240CAD
Doctor’s fee: 3,000 CAD
Hospital Peadetrician: 500 CAD
Hospital fee: 0 CAD
Scan: 82 CAD
Lab: 99.03 CAD
Epidural: 1000 CAD
Pediatric visit: 150 CAD
Long & short Birth certificate: 60 CAD
Passport Photo for baby: 30 CAD
Intl passport (expedited): 107 CAD
Visa on Arrival: $195 and N30k processing fee
BA ticket for baby: 355 CAD

We are leaving for Abuja in 5 days time.

Ps: Please note that this is exclusive of money spent shopping for food, Uber and other essentials. We used a lot of Uber rides which didn’t come cheap. Hubby tried to rent a car but they kept insisting on a Canadian driving license and a Canadian credit card so it was Uber all the way for transportation.

I hope this helps someone...the thread has been quite dry for a long while.

It’s a shame that there is a ban against Nigeria due to the new covid 19 variant but hopefully that changes soon enough.

megastu:
Your analysis is quite detailed and congratulations on the birth of your baby. Can you state why the agency you referred to as 'Crappy' did?

Also, it seems birthing in Canada is a lot cheaper than in America. The rates you gave seem really cheap.

Zaja:
Hello BBA & Lollystar,

When you applied for your visas, did you say it was for child birth? & at the Point of Entry,what was your experience like.

Thanks in advance.

Lollystardamsel:
Hi BeeBeeA, seems we are in the same boat, can you be kind to drop an email when you get any details? i'll sure drop a message if i have any update too. i was at Dr Ted's Office on tuesday.

Mrsoriginality:
ll Good evening. Please we about to apply for a Canada visitors visa, we don't have family over there. Might use the visa for birthing in the nearest future. What documents do we need? We have travel history well look. Birthed my 2 girls in the US.. Please help sis.

Hwaji:
I don't trust Cradlehavven.
I sent them some documents to support my application and few weeks later I saw 1 of my children's birth certificate (i had him abroad) on their Instagram page like it was 1 of their successful client's child's birth certificate.
Also poor customer service.

marveltrades01:
Hello,

Anyone here? This thread is too quite.

Are people no longer traveling to give birth in Canada?

Please let’s revive this thread. I need recommendations of hospitals in canada, Alberta. We have an international insurance to cover the fees.


Help please.

KA24DETT:
Stop passing wrong information. One of the parents have to be a Canadian Citizen or permanent residence for the child to be a citizen . Giving birth to a child in a Canadian hospital does not give the child automation citizenship like the USA. Get your info right .

KA24DETT:
Stop passing wrong information. One of the parents have to be a Canadian Citizen or permanent residence for the child to be a citizen . Giving birth to a child in a Canadian hospital does not give the child automation citizenship like the USA. Get your info right .

josephb:
Hi,

Are you using a tourist visa for this purpose?

Secondly, how did you go about the international Insurance?

Regards,

marveltrades01:
Please those who applied for medical visa for the purpose of giving birth, ideally how long did you indicate you will be in canada for?
Also around how many weeks into the pregnancy is ideal for flight departure date: Is it 32 weeks?

marveltrades01:
I plan to use Medical as advised.

My international insurance came with where i work.

josephb:
Oh, you got the medical visa already?

For the purpose of birthing?

Let's ear the full gist so others can learn.

Regards,

marveltrades01:
Please house: for someone applying to canada to give birth , is it in the section of why do you need a visa that I’m to choose ‘medical treatment’?

Please help. I attached the screenshot

Sicaron:
Please I will like to know the procedure for applying for visa on arrival. I had my baby in Canada and have already booked a ticket for the baby.
I read that I need a visa approval letter but don't know how to go about it and I don't want to use an agent. Please can someone kindly put me through the process. Travelling in less than 2 weeks