₦airaland Forum

Vlesparza:
Yes. We are still seeing patients. Although we do have fewer Nigerian patients at this moment, the new rules did not affect other countries that provide 5-10 year Visas. These people process their Visas without the sole purpose of having their baby in the US, they are patients from countries in Latin America and frequent the US regularly.

Nigerians may want to explore getting a Visa before they are actually pregnant, in other words, not applying for a Visa with the sole purpose of having their baby in the US or applying for a medical Visa.

Or you mean they obtain their visas well in advance, with the intent of using it for childbirth later - knowing full well that they are protected by an active Hispanic lobby. Or simply cross the border illegally and show up at hospitals in El Paso?

Frankly the childbirth issue isn’t a Nigerian problem... it’s a purely a Hispanic problem... and Nigerians are the unfortunate collateral damage. Hispanics can simply disobey the law and walk across the border while Nigerians have to stand behind humiliating visa interviews. Thanks for ruining it for the rest of us.

lebienconnu:
How are you better than the blood thirsty terrorists? Tell us.

Meanwhile, RIP to the dead.

Why is it incumbent on him to be better than blood thirsty terrorist?

remoranger:
Good Day Everyone. We got our visa last year. Is it still advisable, considering the latest policy, to write to the embassy about our intent to give birth in the US? Thanks.

No.

Dhollargurl:
She didn’t ask if I would use it for pregnancy, she said for medicals, but then you have a point, I wasn’t even thinking along that line because I am not pregnant at the moment and don’t know when I’ll be cos I am not even trying. All this is just an afterthought. I was with my husband and we just blurted the No, cos it’s only for 3 weeks.

They are not permitted to directly ask if you are pregnant. But considering she asked that question right after acknowledging that you had your prior child in the US, it’s easy to speculate she was indirectly asking if you wanted to use the visa to have your next baby.

Dhollargurl:
I’m not pregnant, so I wouldn’t answer yes because how would I justify the yes. 2ndly, She didn’t ask for my receipts or anything which they did for the rest for some reason, maybe my position or my husband’s or they’ve seen the records of hotels we stayed at, so, she probably assumed we could afford it and above all, God’s grace. Hopefully, my PR would have come through by then so it is a futuristic question. Mr Twoods, before you come and start that your ITK on my thread, I am not pregnant yet and there’s no point stirring an intent when I don’t even know when it’s going to stick. For now, I’m just going to cool off in one of the best 4-star hotels in your country.

You’re being deliberately dishonest, as usual. The question the VO put to you wasn’t whether you were pregnant at that moment, but whether you ever intend to use that visa to birth at any point within the two year validity. As someone else noted, you could have said “sure, if I get pregnant at some point I’d like to know if I can still use this visa”. You didn’t, because you know he would have denied your visa... so you deliberately lied by omission and now come here to get validation for your plan.

And what’s with the vacuous boasting about spending money at a 4-star hotel? The average American can do that too.

Dhollargurl:
Well, there was no time at all, and trust me, you don’t want to overstretch your luck after you’ve been given yellow light out of the 10 people you entered together

You know for a fact, that based on the new rules, if you had answered “yes” to the childbirth question you would have been promptly denied a visa. That should answer your “question”.

Amother4life:
Maybe because Nigerians are persona non grata

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-imposes-new-travel-restrictions-on-six-countries-11580500874

Not true. The “ban” does not affect visiting visas.

Demicoker:
Cedar-Sinai Los Angeles gave me such bill and university medicine Chicago ..so yeah 92k bill is very very possible l

$60k for normal delivery without complications That’s completely crazy! They better be granting the child citizenship of heaven for that cost.

OmoBendel24:
Will only ask you: did you (or even I too) have @the bolded info before making the post I responded to? No sir! Who lacks forethought in posting then? Why not advise her to go and pay for it in full na!

Agreed that she has a lot on her plate already however, it remains her best option to ensure negotiations and payment complications got nothing on her on this one, she needs move some notch up the "perceived" Embassy's standard of today on this, we can begin to look at and advise her where necessary on how to look for on-time solutions to the previous. Okay?

The bold is incoherent.

My original post was that running off to another hospital won’t absolve her of the discount issue with the original hospital when she needs to renew her visa. She needs to fix that issue first. The fact that the discount is $82k makes it a whole lot worse.

OmoBendel24:
If she used that particular hospital for her interview, will you say the likely discounted bill wasn't visible to the VO? Did she tell them she was going to pay in full, disregarding whatever quote from the hospital she went to the embassy with? But you and I know that if she touches those crazy discounts as it were and as was seen at the embassy level, you will be the first to cry wolf and also be shouting at the mountain top that she has done wrong, that her visa shouldn't be renewed, etc. Worse still, you'll be the happiest to hear that she got denied at renewal, which will eventually happen anyways. So, oga park well abeg!

Now that she's applying wisdom looking for something less complicated, is it a bad thing if you Twoods let her be?

Meanwhile, I'm not even sure yet if this person in question actually have a visa for birthing purpose nor that she informed them of her birthing plan at the POE. That's another ballgame altogether.... I'm just interested in calling you out ON THIS right now, calm down oga, we all know you!

I will overrule my own best judgment and respond to you this one time. Most of you post without much forethought... and simply out of spite. Even if she goes to 20 other “less complicated” hospitals, you think the VOs will ignore an $82k discount at her next interview? Would it not make sense for her to clear that up first? A delivery costing $92k is crazy.

Miriam88:
i have already used the hospital with my first baby in 2018, and paid 10k but in the itemized bill i have a discount showing almost 82k dollar which i did not know cos the assured me it not a discount but its showing in my itemized bill so thats why i dont want to use the hospital again.this is my 2nd baby and my visa is still valid so i want to get a hospital with out the discount.cos i know i have to explain the first one when renewing my visa.

Huh?? $82k discount? There must be a problem... there is no way your delivery cost $92k! Did you have surgery?

You may want to ask the hospital to clarify. Even if you find another hospital, the discount issue will still come up at another visa interview so best to clear that up while you’re still in the US.

Miriam88:
hello house pls who have used this hospital Doctores Para Ti in el paso pls i want to know if i can use it with all this wahala!!! am already in america left a week before the announcement !!! cos the hospital i wanted to use before has many discount and i dont want wahala.

You obtained your visa based on the hospital you informed the embassy you were going to use. Why don’t you use that hospital? They aren’t forcing you not to pay in full are they?

Dudu18:
Congratulations chibertha, please I wanted to find out did you use a birth tourism visa?. I currently have a B1/B2 visa but wanted to appear for an appointment to inform VO was using it for child birth and visitation as the initial visa received was for business purposes.
But with the new law wondering if I should travel at all,
------------------------

“Birth tourism visa” does not exist. Use the existing visa at your own risk. You may face questions at the POE. However, if you return to the embassy and inform them that you intend to use the visa for child birth, your visa is 100% likely to be revoked based on the new rules.

DexterousOne:
Sixty years ago

Poles, Italians, Irish, Middle Easternere
- were not considered white. That were highly discriminated against, and treated like Aboki.
In the original sense, only those of North - Western European descent were considered white.

#Fact

Every decade after the 1960s saw their populations decline steeply, hence they had to start shifting the goal post, first by including the Irish, then the Italians; then the Poles, then the Hispanic; now even those ones from the Middke east to still reinforce that false psyche that America is still a white country majority (which in 2020, by the REAL DEFINITION OF WHITE THAT WAS ON GROUND, they are already minority)

Now the population is shifting more and more to the brown side, and we saw a fine gentleman Obama lead the country for two terms;

Let's see who they will shift the goalpost for again to accommodate to call white


Mad people.

The joke is on you... the so-called brown folks are mostly Hispanic, who are just as virulently racist to blacks. Even AOC refused to support reparations to descendants of black slaves, arguing that such reparations should also apply to her people too. While she fights to break up ICE so Hispanics can walk across the border unhindered, she’s been awfully silent about visa restrictions that prevent Africans from getting visas to come here. She has an opinion on every attempt to restrict illegal entry at the southern border... when it comes to Muslim bans and bans on Chinese and Africans seeking to give birth in the US, it’s silence from her. Yes America is getting browner... as brown as mexico and Guatemala, who have no room for you and me. We’ll see who laughs last.

I hate to also break it down to you, America is what it is today BECAUSE of those whites you despise. Remove them and America will be no better than El Salvador in no time.

DexterousOne:
That law is only applicable to diplomats

Diplomats are not subject to laws in America

But even if you are a visitor
You are under the jurisdiction of USA when I'm USA. You commit crime, you will be arrested.
But it's not same for diplomats.

Just like many of his supporters

Trump is a dunce low iq person

He thinks Executive order can cancel a constitutional amendment
Olodo oshi

Birthright citizenship will continue.
Nothing his racist ass can do about it

Except closing the gate as much as he can

Nothing racist about reviewing the 14th amendment. Most Americans are in favor of this.

tbaby123:
Please house, has anyone used memorial hermann hospital in sugarland

I read on Google its a non profit hospital. I dont want the embassy to use it to deniel me visa

Memorial hermann is an excellent hospital.

SmartKitty:
Why do you think this rule was issued? For to stop ANY pregnant woman, ANY who travels to give a birth on American soil.
Watch from today ANY woman to travel for birth purpose if she has NO confirmation there is no medical care for to have a child in her own country. ANY airline can stop her and the POE Officer can stop her. And the POE Officer even doesn't need to explain to her anything, they stop and send back ANY foreigner with NO explanation, they have the power to do so and you can't sue them.

The rule does not apply to the D.H.S. So unless she’s misrepresented on her visa or cannot afford the costs, why should they send her back?

SmartKitty:
she will be sent back at POE. POE officers apply this new rule from today.

The rule does not apply to CBP and since birthing isn’t illegal, there is no reason to think that she will be sent back at the POE. She didn’t lie at her interview and the visa was obtained before the rule.

Sunshine1980:
I can see your whole aim in this forum is to scare people. The policy document is clear. You don't need to twist it to suit your agenda. What I stated earlier is absolutely correct.

What is 'impermissible' is 'travel to the US with primary purpose of obtaining US citizenship for a child by giving birth in the US'

It is very permissible to 'travel for the primary purpose of obtaining medical treatment for reasons related to childbirth for maternal and infant health'

The rest of your statement is just regurgitating exactly what I stated earlier in my submission. I have taken time to read the policy document and I do not know what you gain by scaremongering.

The summary of the policy is that giving birth is no longer classified under pleasure. You can no longer just feel like coming to the USA to give birth and obtain citizenship for your child. It is now tied under medical treatment. If you are pregnant, be prepared to prove you need special medicare not accessible in Nigeria or any country close to Nigeria and not that you want to come and have baby to obtain US citizenship for the child.

At this point, you’re simply arguing just to argue. To claim I have an agenda is unserious... to also claim that US media agencies, most of whom got the scoop before the policy was published, do not understand the policy better than you is downright laughable.

99% of Nigerians who get a birthing visa do so expressly to obtain US citizenship for their children. There is practically little medical reason for a Nigerian to have a child in the US since most birthing-related medical issues can be addressed in Nigeria. Here is Time magazines’ take on the issue... feel free to lecture them too - https://time.com/5770372/us-birth-tourism-visa/

gratefulalways:
Na wa o.

Women don suffer for this life. There is no way this policy won't impinge on gender issues. Particularly if they resort to mandatory pregnancy tests at POE.

From the cable sent to Consular Officers by the State Department, I think the Consular Officers were guided on how to address this issue of not directly putting across the question of pregnancy to female applicants.

Not really. Western women are having the time of their lives. See Finland’s government for example.

The only reason this policy is an issue is because our government has failed to support our basic needs. If the Nigerian passport wasn’t useless, only a tiny few Nigerian women would consider spending money to give birth in the US. Let’s lay the blame where it should. The future of our children is not America’s problem.

Gerrard59:
First, I don't support illegal migration for various reasons ranging from the humiliation to it being illegal and unnecessary stress. However, for prospective students, his policies are not favourable to them. The Chinese are suffering from them, now imagine students from Nigeria and other African countries. I do understand that it is his responsibility of protecting the country from "invaders", however, I prefer someone whose policies will favour my interests.

No US president will favour your (Nigerian) interests. The Chinese are not suffering from US immigration rules, most Chinese F1 students go back to China after their studies. Sorry to disappoint but the overwhelming sentiment is that even among those who hate trump, his immigration policies are broadly (if not grudgingly) supported. The only reason the rules are not tighter is simply because of the Latino lobby within the Democrat party. The Latinos want a lax US immigration policy so their South American kin can cross the border as they please. In my view, they are largely the only reason that jus solis still exists.

Nukilia:
Trump is a big time spoiler!

He is only protecting his country. No surprise, this rule has broad support, even among those who hate trump. If you notice, no one in the US is raising any objections to this. It means the next administration is unlikely to remove the regulation.

Sunshine1980:
I can see people are still misrepresenting this issue. The issue is straight forward. People should read the actual policy document and not the false intepretations that are tailored to what ever intended purposes.

The B2 visa is generally used for tourism, pleasure and medical treatment. What the new policy says is that having a baby in the USA will no longer be classified as use of the Visa for pleasure purposes. Having baby in the USA will now be classified as use of visa for medical treatment and the consular officer will evaluate the applicant as required. You cannot just show up and say I wish to have my baby in the US as before. Now you need a strong medical reason for going to the US to have your baby and also evidence you can pay for the medical services. All these are with respect to your visa interview with consular officer and not the POE.

The rule also does not affect the POE CBP officers in any way. Please read excerpt from the federal register below for reference.

That is absolutely untrue. The rule is clear - obtaining a visa for the sole purpose of having a baby in the US is now “impermissible” (that is the word used in the rule). Unless you have a clearly defined medical procedure, in connection with your pregnancy, that cannot be treated in your home country, you cannot simply show up at your interview claiming giving birth as your medical need in the US.

Voltron4191:
Hello Nairalanders.

Thanks so much for all the relevant experiences and details shared on this platform.

Please is there anyone that has recently had a baby at Texas? How was the experience with the VO and POE? Any bad vibes about the place? Abi should I rather consider another state?

Would you be at advantageous position if you pay all your bills upfront before the Visa Interview (at least to show you can pay your bills)?

My sister is looking to have a baby in the US by July/August 2020 so I will appreciate any info shared

Thank you so much in advance for your response.

If your sister doesn't already have a visa, you should consider an alternative country to have a baby.

Sunshine1980:
Folks should please read the new policy as captured in the Federal Register (https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-01218.pdf).


The different news outlets are interpreting the policy in very different ways, sometimes in ways that are completely wrong. Some news outlets do not even know the difference between consular officers and CBP officers.


There is only one fundamental change in the new policy and that is that a pregnant lady or someone suspected to have intentions of having a baby in the US would be treated as someone requiring medical teatment for visa purposes. You would no longer get visa to give birth in the USA just because you would like to. Consequently you need to prove that you require specialized medicare and it is not available where you are. You also need to establish that you have enough funds and that a doctor in the USA has accepted you as a patient. Actually, there are other reasons you can give to get the visa but you can not just say you would like to give birth in the US. Other than this nothing has changed.

Another thing to point out is that the new rule was released by the Department of state not the Dept of Homeland Security. The Dept of homeland security is in charge at the border and have not changed any of their rules. B1/B2 visa allows you to have baby in the US...period. Actually there are no immediate plans for the dept of homeland security to change rules regarding birthing. Any rule change of this magnitude by a US agency needs to be published in the 'Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions' and it will go through reviews over months. The new policy by the state dept had been advertised probably over a year ago and it had gone through all the stages... through proposed rule and ended as final rule after input by relevant bodies.

In the coming weeks, many folks would come here and report how they passed through border with ease and had their babies.

Maybe this rule will change a lot for other countries but definitely not Nigeria considering the number of denials in the past one year.

Reading the policy, what I felt was that the US govt just wanted to register their dsipleasure with birth tourism and attempt to reduce the number of births by foreigners within the limits of the constitution.

The rule is far stricter than you've made it appear to be. It is not intended merely to "register displeasure", it is a clear binding rule on all US consulates around the world and the news agencies have reported the intent of the rule correctly. Yes you are correct that the rule only applies to the D/S and not to the DHS. This simply means the rule applies to every consular officer who has to make a determination as to whether you can obtain a visa to the US or not. As i read the rule, unless there is a specific medical reason that you cannot have your baby in the US that cannot be treated in your home country, simply stating "i want to have my baby in the US so he can have citizenship" is no longer a permissible reason to obtain a B visa. Not only are you required to state what the medical reason is, you also have to prove that a medical facility in the US has agreed to treat you and has provided you a projected duration and cost for the medical procedure. Based on this rule, i would wager 99% of cases here will no longer qualify for a visa.

As you said, the rule does not affect the CBP, so folks who have current visas and intend to have their babies in the US may still have the chance to do so (please do your own homework before you travel). Those affected are those who will be applying for a visa after tomorrow sadly.

NothingDoMe:
Isn't that discrimination? I mean wouldn't that cause a lot of trouble by stopping only those coming in for birthing from seeking medical care in the US? Won't the proponents will pick this discrimination and challenge it in court?

A court challenge is very unlikely, consular officers already have wide latitude to grant or deny a visa. I don't see how you can claim discrimination in this case.

NothingDoMe:
Maybe they'll remove medical from B2 visa category and create a B3 visa category for it. Limiting the broad use of the B2 visa will effectively reduce birth tourism.

They may add testing before entry later on like was done in Saipan to ensure you don't use a B2 Visa for birthing.

Or they can adopt a process whereby you have to submit your proof of status in the US, and if it has B2 on it, your child won't be given a US passport or SSN.

Not read the full rule yet (anticipate it will be out tomorrow) but it won't require the creation of a new visa category (that would be easier to challenge in court and be more difficult to implement right away. The rule will simply state that giving birth in the US is no longer a legitimate purpose for obtaining a B visa - it does not mean having a baby in the US is illegal, just that the State Department is not lawfully obligated to facilitate that purpose by giving you a visa to travel to the US.

The rule will likely give consular officers the right to deny you outright if you do not have an alternative primary reason for a visa outside going to give birth.

Frankly, anyone still thinking of having a baby in the US should reconsider their plan effective tomorrow. Likely the rule will apply to CBP as well so even if you get a visa for a legitimate reason then wait to use it until you are ready to give birth, you may risk being sent back at the border.

Vlesparza:
The constitution is the supreme law of the United States and birthright citizenship is protected under the constitution.

It’s never really been adjudicated by the Supreme Court. My read is the new court is likely to come down 5-4 that non-citizens are not under the jurisdiction of the US, same as diplomatic staff.

TheEnforcer:
Twoods,there has been talk about your brother misusing his visa.Im not sure you have cleared the air on that issue till date.You went AWOL at the time.m not in support of people misusing their visa bit he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.Dont form sanctimonious here if there is the baggage of your brother hanging on your neck.You cannot be accusing people of something your own brother is probably guilty of.

My brother is a plastic surgeon in Cleveland, married to a US citizen and two US citizen children. That I choose not to waste my time responding to bogus claims does not make them true.

The idea that those who despise visa abuse are “sanctimonious” is why nothing changes in Nigeria and why you will continue to be denied visas encases. It also explains why the Nigerian passport is worth nothing out there. Good luck.