child birth tourism canada

Giving Birth in Canada – Benefits, Cost, Citizenship, Tourism Visa…

Are you considering the possibility of giving birth in canada, if you are an expectant mum considering baby tourism in canada, this is the guide for you read on.

The Canadian Citizenship Act – paragraph 3(1)(a) – states that all individuals born in Canada are Canadian citizens, regardless of their parent’s status in Canada. The only exclusion is foreign diplomats who give birth to a child in Canada, cannot be Canadian citizens.

Therefore, if you are a temporary resident in Canada (e.g. a visitor, worker, tourist) and you give birth to a child in Canada, your child automatically becomes a Canadian citizen.

Did you know? The United States of America (USA) and Canada are currently the only G7 nations that have birthright citizenship.

Benefits of Giving Birth in Canada

What is the meaning of birth tourism and is it legal in canada , non-residents (visitors) wishing to enter canada for the purpose of giving birth – birth tourism, the cost and procedure of giving birth in canada, what documents do you need to have your baby in canada, best hospital to give birth in canada, how do you register your child in canada , how to apply for the child’s canadian passport, faq’s on birth tourism canada visa – temporary resident visa (trv), final words: childbirth in canada – birth tourism.

If an individual is born in Canada, the Canadian-born child has all the rights and privileges as every other Canadian citizen, including:

The right to live/reside in Canada or travel to Canada at any time without a visa.
The child is entitled to receive and enjoy benefits such as free health care benefits , free education , and free social benefits.

The act of travelling to another country to give birth and as a result getting citizenship for the child, even if the parents are neither residents nor citizens is known as baby or birth tourism.

Only a few developed countries allow this and Canada is one of them. It is also completely legal in Canada.

Like visitors or tourist visa holders, the expectant mother has to prove that she is financially capable and will return to her home country after delivery.

The expectant mother can provide a letter from the doctor who will deliver the baby in Canada and proof of funds for the doctor’s services to make the visa process easier.

If you will be delivering your baby while you’re in Canada as a visitor, tourist, or non-resident, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for your medical care. The Canadian health care system will not cover the cost. If you don’t want to handle this cost alone, then you should obtain international medical insurance.

The parents of the newborn can neither get a residence permit nor Canadian citizenship by virtue of their child being born as a Canadian citizen . However, when the child reaches the age of 18, he or she can sponsor his or her parents to come live permanently in Canada. You don’t have to wait till then though. Find the right Canadian immigration program for you here.

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A temporary resident who gives birth in Canada is not considered to have violated any terms or conditions.

According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), a TRV cannot be refused just because an applicant intends to have childbirth in Canada.

Assessment of the TRV application of a pregnant applicant should centre on the essential requirements of TRV just like any other applicant.

The fact that an applicant is pregnant should only be considered as a component in the TRV assessment but only in the manner that it affects the assessment of the main requirements for TRV issuance. They are:

Does the applicant have sufficient funds for the duration of the trip to Canada ?
Will the visa applicant depart Canada at the end of their authorized period of stay in Canada?
Is the applicant admissible to Canada ?

The intent to give birth in Canada (whether indicated or evident) and the pregnancy consideration must relate back to one of the three above primary requirements for issuance of the TRV.

COVID-19 Update: Due to COVID-19, there are travel restrictions that limit those who can come into Canada. Answer some questions to find out if you may be allowed to enter Canada.

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Who Covers the Health Care Costs for Childbirth in Canada?

As a visitor/tourist in Canada, deciding to give birth to a child in Canada has some associated costs ranging from $5,000 CAD to $20,000 CAD.

The cost is based on various factors, such as:

The health care costs in the province you decide to have your child (some provinces have higher health costs than others).
The medical facility that is handling the care (hospital vs. mid-wives)
The type of delivery (normal delivery vs caesarean section).

The parent of the child born in Canada is NOT eligible to have the costs of the child’s birth covered by Canadian healthcare.

The mother of the child will be required to pay out-of-pocket expenses for all the associated medical costs and bills related to the birth of the child. This is mandatory since the parent is not a Canadian resident.

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Take the stress out of managing your finances. Use a Wise debit card to pay and withdraw money from ATMs when you travel internationally.

If you are a temporarily residing in Canada resident (e.g. student, worker, etc.), you will usually have medical coverage through your educational institution or the provincial government, depending on how long you’ve lived in a specific province.

For example, if you are an international student studying in British Columbia, your educational institution will usually arrange for health coverage through a private insurer for the first 3 months before your provincial health care coverage takes effect.

What is the Procedure for Giving Birth in Canada for Non-Resident?

The procedure for giving birth in Canada for foreign nationals is:

Decide that you want to give birth in Canada.
Apply for a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) * .
If your TRV application is approved, arrive in Canada.
Give birth to your child in Canada.
Apply for your child’s birth certificate and the child’s Canadian passport.
Return back to your home country.

* Citizens of certain countries (such as the United States of America) do not require a TRV to give birth in Canada. However, you may need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA ) to enter Canada.

Applying for an eTA is a straightforward online procedure. The majority of applicants get their eTA clearance (through email) within minutes. However, if you are required to provide supporting documentation, some requests may take several days to complete. It is essential to get an eTA before booking a flight to Canada .

Need Help to Submit a TRV Visa Application for Birth Tourism? Contact Us!

⚠️ COVID-19 Update: Temporary Pause on our Birth Tourism Services

Due to the impacts of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Government of Canada (IRCC) is prioritizing applications from:

Canadians trying to return to Canada,
Vulnerable people, and
People who perform or support essential services.

Thus, it is not likely that you will receive a visa decision early enough for you to give birth in Canada. Check IRCC’s current processing times here .

Similarly, due to COVID-19, there are travel restrictions that limit those who can come into Canada.

Therefore, even if you have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) – tourist visa, you may not be allowed to come into Canada for birth tourism. You can find more information on the current travel restrictions here .

Additionally, the health care facilities are currently overwhelmed. Hence, medical practitioners and health authorities in Canada may be reluctant to provide a letter, if IRCC requests one.

Based on the preceding, our birth tourism services may not meet your intended purpose. Thus, we have put a temporary pause on our TRV visa application services for birth tourism in Canada. We will keep monitoring the situation and update this section accordingly.

You should bring certain documents along with you when going to the hospital to deliver your baby. These are copies of:

Your medical records if you have them with you.
Your birth plan.
Insurance cards and/or healthcare coverage.
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN), if applicable.
Your passports and visas.

If you’re a non-resident (visitor) thinking of having your baby in Canada, you may be wondering which hospital is the best place to give birth.

Every province and territory has different hospitals that offer different levels of care, so it can be tricky to figure out which one is right for you.

The following are the top ten (10) hospitals in Canada with the highest number of non-resident births:

Ste-Mary Hospital, Quebec
St. Paul’s & Mount Saint Joseph, British Columbia
Richmond Hospital, British Columbia
Mackenzie-Richmond Hill, Ontario
McGill, Quebec
Trillium-Mississauga, Ontario
St. Joseph’s Health, Ontario
Mount Sinai Hospital, Ontario
North York General, Ontario
Trillium-Credit Valley, Ontario

Keep in mind, however, that the above list is not necessarily the “best” hospital list – every province and territory has several excellent hospitals to choose from. So if you did not see your hospital of choice above, don’t worry – you’re still in good hands!

Each Canadian territory or province has its process for registering childbirth . If you have your child in Ontario, for example, you’ll have to register the baby within the first 30 days. So you should contact the local authorities for information specific to the province you are in.

When you register your child online, you can also sign up for Canada’s child benefits, register for the child’s birth certificate and his or her social insurance number.

After completing the birth registration and getting a birth certificate to prove Canadian citizenship, you can then proceed to apply for the child’s Canadian passport. To do this, you will have to:

Complete the Government of Canada form .
Provide your baby’s birth certificate.
Provide two photographs for the passport.
Get a representative (the representative could be a doctor that observed your child in the first days after birth).
Pay the stipulated fees.
Send the documents by courier or mail service with tracking, to: Government of Canada Passport Program Gatineau, QC K1A 0G3 Canada

Was Your Canada Tourist Visa (TRV) Application Rejected?

If you are considering reapplying , it is a good idea for you to first get the complete details on your previous application from ircc..

Should I disclose that I am pregnant or that I intend to give birth in Canada when applying for a Canadian TRV?

Yes, you should indicate in your visa application that you are pregnant or that you intend to give birth in Canada. This is important as it may be considered as a material fact in the evaluation of your TRV application.

If the Canadian visa officer is not advised of the pregnancy, it may go unexamined; the fact you are pregnant or that you intend to give birth in Canada may be significant to your TRV application assessment. For instance:

Have you made pertinent arrangements for your medical treatment in Canada?
Do you have the financial capacity to cover the full costs of childbirth in Canada, or
What is the likelihood that you’ll depart from Canada after the birth of your child?

Hence, in some circumstances, the deliberate cover-up of intent to give birth in Canada may result in a conclusion of inadmissibility for misrepresentation (under A40), thereby resulting in a visa refusal prior to visa issuance or refusal of entry into Canada on arrival at the port of entry.

Should I answer “Yes” or “No” in the TRV application form where I’m asked if I or “any accompanying family members have any physical or mental disorders that will require social or health services during their stay in Canada”?

The TRV application form asks whether the visa applicant or if any family member(s) that will be going along to Canada with the applicant, have any physical or mental conditions that will need Canada’s health or social services during the stay in Canada.

As pregnancy is not typically deemed as a “medical condition”, the visa applicant may answer “No” to this question. This is not usually considered misrepresentation in the instance of pregnant applicants, based on the wording used.

READ ALSO >> Chances of Getting Canada Tourist Visa after Refusal

Could being pregnant be considered as medical inadmissibility to canada.

No, pregnancy by itself cannot deem a TRV visa applicant as inadmissible to Canada .

Although a “high-risk” pregnancy could result in undue demand on the Canadian health care system, this would usually be hypothetical and would not be applicable to the unborn child, as the child born in Canada will become a citizen at birth.

Any concerns that the child after birth in Canada may be a burden on Canadian health and social services, cannot be used in evaluating the medical admissibility of the TRV applicant.

The focus of Canadian visa officers should be on available financial support, when utilizing the guidelines on temporary resident applicants seeking medical treatment in Canada, as part of their assessment of admissibility.

Will a medical examination be required from pregnant TRV applicants?

As per IRCC, a medical examination should only be requested in extraordinary cases. For instance, where the information from the medical examination would be material to the assessment of the TRV visa application.

Can I travel to Canada if I am pregnant?

Yes, you can travel to Canada if you are pregnant. Travelling to Canada is perfectly safe as long as there are no known issues or concerns with the pregnancy.

It is strongly advised that pregnant women who want to travel visit a health care professional at least six weeks before their anticipated departure date.

How much does it cost to deliver a baby in Canada?

The cost to deliver a baby in Canada for Canadian permanent residents and citizens is typically free in most Canadian provinces and territories.

On the other hand, the cost to deliver a baby in Canada for non-residents (visitors) depends on whether they have health insurance coverage or not. The cost ranges from $3,000 CAD to $20,000 CAD.

What countries allow birth tourism?

The countries that allow birth tourism are Canada and the United States. Furthermore, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico do not only allow birthright citizenship, they subsequently expedite permanent residency and time to naturalize as citizens for the parents of the child.

In the majority of European countries, the child of an immigrant is not eligible for citizenship.

What happens to a child born in Canada to foreign parents?

A child born in Canada to foreign parents is entitled to Canadian citizenship by birth. On the other hand, if the child’s parent does not already have Canadian permanent residency or Canadian citizenship, the parent will have to return to their home country with their child, despite the fact that the child was born in Canada.

If the parent wishes to become a Canadian citizen, there are legal ways to attain residency with a Canadian-born child; typically once the child attains the age of majority (18 years old).

There has been a consistent increase in “birth tourism” to Canada, whereby expectant mothers from other countries travel to Canada in order to give birth so that their children can acquire Canadian citizenship.

Some people are opposed to this trend, arguing that it amounts to cheating the system and gives an unfair advantage to children born in Canada over those born elsewhere.

Others maintain that as long as everyone is playing by the rules, there is no harm in birth tourism and it should be allowed.

What do you think? Got questions? Feedback? Leave a comment.

Read also >> cost of having a baby in canada – with or without insurance.

Charee Oisamoje is the founder of CanadaWiz. She leads the editorial team, which is comprised of subject matter experts that aim to create well-researched, highly detailed content related to studying, working, immigrating, and settling/living in Canada as a newcomer.

Charee's personal experiences as a Canadian immigrant and her professional competencies make her uniquely qualified on the subject matter.

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75 thoughts on “giving birth in canada – benefits, cost, citizenship, tourism visa…”.

I am a pregnant Nigerian female with the intention of going to Canada for delivery. I have a brother in Alberta who is currently a permanent resident with his family. What I would like to know is, does having my baby become a Canadian citizen by virtue of birth afford me a better chance of obtaining a permanent residency/citizenship status in the near future? I mean can my husband and I apply for permanent residency by virtue of our child being a Canadian citizen?

Ganiyat Abdulsalam Haway, Neither you nor your husband can apply for permanent residency/citizenship by virtue of your child being a Canadian citizen due to being born in Canada. However, in the future (if Canadian immigration law is still the same), when your child reaches the age of majority (usually 18 years of age), he/she can apply to sponsor you and your husband to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents. If you and your husband are looking to becoming Canadian permanent residents in the short-term, you will want to consider other immigration routes, for example, Express Entry .

Hello , I’m Kudirat and I want your help on how to go give birth in Canada or better still refer me to a trusted company

Hello, I need the process to travel to Canada for childbirth as soon as possible.

Just google it man !!! if you go to the IRCC website you will find all the information and process you need.

MY NAMES AR JOSEPH IDRIS. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION FOR TRV TO CANADA TO GIVE BIRTH. I WANT MY WIFE TO GIVE BIRTH IN CANADA AND I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MY CHANCES OF OBTAINING VISA AND THE REQUIREMENTS.

Idris Jiseph, The requirements for application for TRV to give birth in Canada is similar to a regular TRV. The only difference being that your wife has to indicate in her application that the purpose of her visit to Canada is to give birth and meet the additional requirements. Refer to the answer we provided above to the question “Should I disclose that I am pregnant or that I intend to give birth in Canada when applying for a Canadian TRV?” What country will you be applying from? If you will be applying from Nigeria, this post has detailed information on the Canada TRV process.

I’m permanent resident of Canada and living in Ontario , but my wife dose not have PR and she has TRV and also Expresses entry application in process , she is pregnant now and I’m wondering if I can use my Ohip coverages for some of her maternity costs or do I have to pay from my pocket

Al the best to you bro. i am in the same position and wondering the same.

Can you please help my wife with the process too, she will like to give birth in Canada my no is {your phone number has been deleted to protect your privacy}.

Adefemi, Check your email inbox (Also check your spam/junk folder too).

Can you also assist me in getting birth tourism.

Armin, To ensure that you get the most accurate information, we recommended that you contact OHIP to ask. Please come back and post a follow-up comment to let us know what you found out, so that others like Gaspar Raposo can gain from your knowledge. All the best!

Please help me out here I want my wife to deliver in Canada and I was introduced to an agent who took our money and for one year now story story from the agent and my wife have birth in my country Nigeria and this time I do not want to make the same mistakes again Please help us out here my email {your email has been deleted to protect your privacy}

Obuefuna Cyprian, Sorry to hear about your experience with an agent who defrauded you and your wife. To ensure that you do not make the same mistakes again, you want to first ensure that your wife meets the requirements to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) from Nigeria . If she meets the requirement, she can follow the step-by-step process here and apply on her own. Or if you/she requires one-on-one assistance, feel free to contact us for help.

Hello please my hubby wants me to give birth in Canada,please help us with the easiest way out

Good morning, do I need to register with a hospital while in Nigeria or when I get there.

In my place of work, I will only be allow to leave for Canada when I m about to put to bed, what maximum age limit(pregnancy age now) will be allo to travel

I want my wife to give birth in Canada. Can you help me with the process.

Maloof Olawale, Sure, we can help you with the process. Keep in mind that you will be expected to provide your own supporting documents . Feel free to contact us .

Hello, I am a Canadian permanent resident, my girlfriend is pregnant in the United Estates. I would like to know if she can come to gift birth to my kid in Canada where I live and if my health care will cover that?

Jon, Congrats to you and your girlfriend on the pregnancy. As health care varies by province, kindly confirm the province you live in to ensure that we provide you with accurate information.

Need some guidance.

I am a Candian Citizen. Born and raised here in winnipeg, Mb. My Wife is currently here on a visiting visa from Vietnam. She is expected to go back to Vietnam in March 2021. However I do t believe restrictions will allow her. I am in the process of sponsoring her.

My wife is now pregnant. I want to have the child here in Canada. Can I extend the visa? What options do I have to keep her here. And also, if my wife gives birth here in winnipeg, will it be covered under my health care?

Please help.

Best Regards, Andrew

Hello Andrew, We are in the same situation as you and your wife, down to my wife being from Vietnam (only difference is we’re in Sask). Did you get any answers? Any advice you’d be able to share?

Are there any travel ban for people from Nigeria who want to give birth in canada this year? Because i want to commence the process of obtaining TRV.

Oare Fredrick Ojehomon, The COVID-19 restrictions by the Prime Minister / Government of Canada stop most discretionary (non-essential) travel to Canada. An individual wanting to travel from Nigeria to Canada to give birth will fall into this category. As of today, people from Nigeria (or any other country for that matter) wanting to give birth in Canada cannot travel to Canada, even if they have a valid visitor/tourist visa. As travel restrictions may change with little notice, I cannot say if/when the restriction will be lifted this year.

Hi! I am pregnant and have a working visa and I have a valid health care card. Is my medical fees, and hospital bills will be free? I’m worried if not. Please help me. The father of my becoming child is Permanent resident but we’re not married.

Hello, I applied for Temporary Residence Visa for birth 2 months ago. My hospital appointment is in a month time. I haven’t received any response which is making me nervous. I paid medicals fees in full and attached all necessary documents. Is there hope for me? My due date is in 4 months

hi there, my name is Alan, I and my wife are originally from Mexico and we are permanent residents of Canada, we are trying to have family, but for us, in order to do that, we will need to use a surrogate mother. My brother’s sister in law (also from Mexico) has offered to be our surrogate mother. We also have already our own embryos in Vancouver and are ready to be transferred. So we need our surrogate to come to Canada for the transfer as soon as flights from Mexico are open again (right now there are no flights because of COVID until April 30, and then we would like to have the baby delivered also here in Canada. so is this all possible? and what kind of visa should be applied for her for this matter? is it the TRV as well? and what are the chances we will get approved?

Hi, Im a Canadian living in USA (for 2 years now) and I want to give birth in Canada, how can I get free health care again in order to delivery in Canada for free? Thank you!

Hi, I am a permanent resident of Canada but my partner is not. She is in Canada with me on a TRV (visitor visa). We are planning to have a baby in Canada, Ontario, where we are staying. I have OHIP only for me, but can I get coverage of some of our maternity and delivery costs using my OHIP? Also, how can I get OHIP for my partner? Thanks.

Hi, If your wife is on a visitor visa, she, unfortunately, cannot be covered provincially or federally. I would call OHIP to double-check.

Greetings I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION FOR TRV TO CANADA TO GIVE BIRTH. I WANT MY WIFE TO GIVE BIRTH IN CANADA. WE PRESENTLY HAVE 🇦🇪 UAE RESIDENT VISA.

Good day, I am a Nigerian whose wife is currently pregnant and I would like her to Deliver the baby in Canada in 3 months from now. Kindly advise on the possibility of having this done and the financial implication.

How long does it take to process the birth certificate and passport of the child once born in canada 🇨🇦?

This depends on your province. I would give it 3 weeks to 1 month for birth certificate and for non-urgent passports, 3 weeks to 1 month as well. If travel is imminent, indicate it when applying for your child’s passport.

Hello I would love to have my baby in Canada , please what are the procedures?

like a month i think

As you said there is no certain of opening for birth tourism visa but still can i process to apply for tourist visa,( due date is in september)??

Hi, i’m lebanese and pregnant and want to give birth in Canada. Is it possible to get visa for that matter? Where should i mention the purpose of my trip? Will i be granted the visa?

I’m 18 years old on a student permit – if I give birth will the government support me ?

Hi, I would like to give birth in Canada, Montreal to be exact. Could you give be options of hospitals, OBGYN sound that area and costs associated with giving birth.

God Bless Great countries like Canada, I would love to have a direct chat with the admin if given an opportunity.

Warm Regards

Can you please help my wife with the process too, she will like to give birth in Canada

I am Canadian and my wife is not she is currently pregnant and needs a visa to enter Canada. I would like for my child to be born in Canada I have the means to pay for all hospital bills and any other expenses. What is the process time? her visa application has been summited but when it was summited we were not married and we were not pregnant.

Hi, I am engaged to a Canadian citizen, and we live in the UK (I’m from Southern Africa). I’m 4 months pregnant and we were hoping to travel to Canada together before the baby is born to be with family. Would I qualify for healthcare (and would I be able to deliver the baby for free) in BC if we were to do so (assuming that the visa application was processed in time, of course)? Because I will be married to a Canadian, we did not think this counted as ‘birth tourism’, but its not clear from the website exactly what visa we should apply for, and whether I would have to pay all medical fees out of pocket…

Thanks for your guidance!

Can I apply for a Canada visa now to give birth ?? And do I have to go for a interview?

Greetings Please, I’m from Ghana and 5 months pregnant. I want to know if is possible now to get a visa to give birth in Canada?

I’m an overseas Canadian that wants to return to Canada to give birth, but I have lost my OHIP. I can only stay in Canada for about 3-6 months based on the nature of my husband’s job. Can I get OHIP for my Canadian family members if we stay the 153 days, which will cover the cost of labor and delivery and any other health care required upon return if I show proof of PR. What if I have to leave before the 153 days? How do I pay taxes after?

hiiii. my name is pradeep saini me and my wife we have been permanent residency of alberta .my wife is pregant nd i just want to about the delivery cost or free of delivery ..our health is working on delivery or not ..please help me out this ???

Hi, My name is blessing from Nigeria, my husband and I will want to give birth to our child in canada. Please can you provide us with every information we will be needing on the process. The cost of the hospital bills, the best city and probably hospital to have our baby, and how long the process will take. Am aware of the covid restrictions but I need the info pending when restrictions will be lifted. This is our contact 07062318302 Thanks.

Hi I have been applying for a student visa for almost 2 months and my wife has applied for an open work permit visa. My wife recently found out she was pregnant. If our visa is issued and my spouse gives birth in Canada, will the delivery costs be free for us or do we have to pay out of pocket?

Congratulations to you and your wife on the pregnancy.

As an international student in Canada, you will typically have health insurance coverage arranged through your school or you may be eligible for Provincial health coverage after a period of time. Thus, if you add your wife as a dependent on your health insurance and she gives birth in Canada, the delivery costs should typically be covered either through your school’s group health insurance plan or the provincial health insurance plan.

I’ll recommend you check with the educational institution in Canada, where you’ll be studying for precise information.

Dear Sir or Madam, I am a non-resident from Poland wishing to deliver a baby in Canada. I would like to get some information on the costs of delivery at hospitals in Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto. Could you provide me with any list of hospitals in said cities that accept non-residents? I am especially interested in C-section. Also, I would like to ask how much time it takes to have an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) granted (I am a EU citizen)?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Hi, I have recently applied for study permit to Canada online. one month later I discovered that I am pregnant, is this will affect on the officer decision? However I still didn’t do the medical exam.

Is my Ecuadorian common-law girlfriend covered for medical support if she is carrying my child? I am a Canadian citizen and my now pregnant common-law girlfriend has been in Canada with me on a visitors visa since Jan 2020. We have received two Visitor Records to extend her legal status and have just requested a third out to 2023. We are also applying for her PR status, but it could come after the baby is born.

Cannon, Canada health/medical insurance coverage varies from province to province. Which province in Canada do you currently reside?

Hello, I’m a canadian citizen by birth while my wife is under open work permit status. We both live together in Canada. I’m sponsoring her under the family class, spouse in Canada path. If we have children, while she is waiting for her PR, will we have to pay out of pocket costs for child birth?

To clarify, we both live in Manitoba. We are both legally married to each other. The civil marriage took place in Manitoba.

Hello, If an international student in Alberta is pregnant and decided to come home to home country after giving birth (due to hardship as the husband is inadmissible to Canada). Can the student still come back to finish the study after the husband’s 5 year ban is done?

KP, You can take time off your studies in Canada with the intention of returning back to finish the study afterwards, but keep in mind that there is no guarantee that IRCC will approve your study permit at that time. I recommend you discuss your unique circumstances with an educational counsellor at your institution in Alberta. All the best!

Hi .. I’m 3 months pregnant.. I’d like to know the possibility of having my baby in Canada with my spouse being the sponsor … we both live in Nigeria .. thank you

Dear Canadawiz team, We’ve (non-Canadian) had a child born in Canada. My wife is pregnant again and we are hoping to deliver the second in Canada as well. I understand that immigration officer cannot stop anyone from coming into the country for birth as long as you prove you have the funds but, can there be any sort of repercussion at immigration when they find out my son is Canadian and parents are not. And decline us from any future deliveries in Canada.

Good day, can you please recommend some insurance company and type of insurance for non- residents to give birth in Canada, thank you.

As a non-resident of Canada, our recommendation is that you get maternity insurance coverage from an insurance company in your country of residence before you get pregnant.

This is because most insurance policies will not cover maternity costs for people who are already or soon will be pregnant. There are usually 6 to 12 months of paid maternity coverage before insurers start to cover pregnancy, birth, and newborn care. This is called a “moratorium.”

I am writing to you for the purpose of inquiring about how to make an appointment for my wife to give birth in Quebec, as the date of her birth is in July 2022, as she will be in Canada at the beginning of June. Please provide me with the required information and if it is necessary to send some medical information about her.

Dear canadwiz team, I am appreciating you to give me any information about the cost of giving birth in vancouver for non-resident…thank you very much in advance

Dear Canadawizteam, Please I would like to know how one can get the International Insurance cover for childbirth. Thank you.

This is very fantastic, I’m grateful for such a detailed article, thank you so much.

Work permit holder’s wife can give birth in Canada? All the medical fees-free? need to pay by pocket? Please clarify.

Hello , I’m Abimbola and I want your help on how to go give birth in Canada or better still refer me to a trusted company

Dear Canadian team, My wife is pregnant and wishing to deliver baby in Canada, kindly advise if necessary to do arrangement with hospital in Canada to give us quotation (cost of birth) before submitting application for TRV. Also advise how much time need processing to get TRV from Nigeria as all requirements complete to submit Thank you for your help Regards,

I am from India and I have received an open work permit visa . I will be travelling to Canada with my husband who is the primary applicant and holds work permit . As we are expecting ,I want to know what will be the process to give birth over there in Canada . For Eg, do we need to have an insurance before we want to give birth or how many days does it take to get an insurance once we reach there. How much time does it take to book an appointment with an obstetrician ? P.S. I will be moving to Halifax, NS.

Hi! I’m a US citizen and is currently 4mos pregnant. My boyfriend is a Canadian citizen. We want to give birth in BC. I dont have insurance or international insurance. He doesn’t have one too. Is there any way for him to apply for kne and extend it to me?

Is there any immigration childbirth packages that you can offer?

Thank you!!!

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Welada is proudly the leading facilitator of child birth in Canada for non-Canadian residents.

Welada is a registered Canadian corporation that helps you secure the future of your newborn with a Canadian citizenship.

We make it possible for non-Canadian residents to legally give birth in Canada and obtain Canadian citizenship for the newborn, by coordinating the birth travel experience from start to finish.

Welada promises to help manage the birth process in Canada for non-residents while taking care of their every need along the way, including medical/health, legal, accommodation, transportation, and comfort perspectives.

Welada's highly professional team of doctors and agents are trained to go above and beyond to facilitate your birth experience in Canada, while focusing on the following:

Prioritize the health and well-being of mother and baby.

Ensure everyone's safety and comfort.

Take care of the necessary legal procedures and documentation in Canada.

Giving birth to a healthy baby with a Canadian citizenship.

Welada facilitates your birth travel experience in Canada from start to finish.

Primarily, we put mother and baby's health and safety above everything else. Additionally, we take care of your day to day needs, comfort, and entertainment. We're with you every step of this life-changing journey.

WE ARE YOUR:

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We register you with the top family doctors and gynecologists in the country.

We schedule and arrange all the necessary appointments and communicate your medical history and status to your doctors to ensure you receive the best medical care upon your arrival.

We support in your hospital registration process

Post-delivery, we support & consult filling your baby’s birth certificate application, as well as passport issuance and any other legal documents necessary in Canada.

We provide free of charge consultancy your accommodation booking in addition settling down tips and tricks

SUPPORT SYSTEM

& FAMILY

Our agents are with you every step of the way to provide emotional support during your birth process and throughout your whole stay. We are your family in Canada.

Contrary to common belief, non-residents have the right to give birth in Canada and secure Canadian Citizenship for their newborn.

Our Package

Welada provides two different packages to accommodate your needs.

Our package covers all medical and birth-related matters. It includes doctors appointments, check-ups and follow-ups, labor and delivery, birth certification, passport issuance, and more.

Starting at CAD 12.9K

Canada is one of the few high-income countries that offers citizenship automatically to those born in the country.

Even if a child is born to parents who are not Canadian citizens or residents, the child automatically becomes a Canadian citizen.

As a Canadian citizen, the child is entitled to numerous benefits offered by the Canadian government, such as free healthcare, free education, and visa-free travel to most countries across the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of using Welada's services? Welada's main goal is to guarantee the health and safety of mother and child. We achieve this by: - Working with the best doctors in Canada. - Placing you in the highest rated hospitals in Canada. - Providing you with immediate help and attention for all medical and non-medical-related matters. We also facilitate the necessary Canadian legal documents, including the issuance of your child's birth certificate and Canadian passport. Additionally, we ensure your comfort and satisfaction by providing modern, clean, and pregnancy-friendly accommodation, along with your day-to-day necessities in terms of food, beverages, transportation, phone number, entertainment, and more. Contact us for more information.
Is it legal to give birth in Canada? Non-Canadian Residents have the right to give birth in Canada. This right is protected and honored by the Canadian government and ensures Canadian citizenship for the newborn baby. As per the 3(1)(a) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, any person born in Canada is automatically designated as a Canadian citizen. This right is further upheld by applying the regulation to all newborns irrespective of the citizenship status of the parents. This directly implies that non-Canadian parents can give birth in Canada to secure Canadian citizenship for the newborn.
What are the current restrictions about giving birth in Canada due to COVID-19? The Canadian Government still applies strict restrictions on entering Canada if you are not a Canadian resident or citizen. Exceptions may apply. For more information visit https://travel.gc.ca/ or contact us.
What happens if I have complications before, during or after labour?" You are required to inform our team of your exact medical condition/status. Welada will place you with top medical doctors that provide you with the best medical care possible. If you fail to inform us of any important information about your pregnancy or medical history, it might put you at risk of complications. However, in case of any complications arising before, during or after labour, your medical team will provide the utmost care possible at all times to ensure the health and safety of you and your baby. If complications arise necessitating additional medical care, investigations and/or services, extra charges may apply.
How long does it take to issue a birth certificate and Canadian passport? The necessary documents are issued by the Canadian Federal and Provincial Government offices. The Government does not disclose an exact duration for this process. However, it usually takes between 2-4 weeks.
What happens if my Canadian visa gets declined? Welada does not guarantee the issuance of your visa, as it is out of our control. However, we may be able to guide you on the required documents for applying for the Canadian visa. Contact us for more details.

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Childbirth in Canada followed by citizenship

Rating: 4.8/5 (voted 268)

A representative of the Legal Department at iWorld. Author of articles on Migration Law.

Young family after giving birth in Canada

Having children in Canada is an opportunity to ensure that your children automatically become Canadian citizens under the principle of «jus soli». This right also applies to foreigners. In order to become a Canadian citizen by right of soil, you must legally enter the country and give birth to a child in Canada.

Despite the fact that giving birth in Canada with obtaining citizenship is a fairly common practice among foreigners and is welcomed by the state authorities, the process of organizing the trip itself involves a lot of nuances. Parents-to-be must obtain a visitor’s visa, confirm that they have the funds to cover all related expenses, and provide the government with proof that they will be returning to their country of citizenship after the baby is born. Even a short trip to Canada requires careful preparation and adherence to many conditions, as described later in this article.

Citizenship by birth given in Canada

The Citizenship Act states that Canadian citizenship by birth is automatically granted to a child born within the state (unless the laws of the countries of which the parents are citizens contradict this). However, the child’s mother must be legally present in the country. Immediately after the birth of a child, parents are not given the opportunity to obtain citizenship. They can only apply for a residence permit when their child is of legal age and acts as a sponsor.

How much does it cost to give birth in Canada

For Canadian citizens and permanent residents, medical care is free, because they pay taxes. Foreigners without a permanent residence permit should take care in advance to have funds to cover not only the doctor’s services, but also accommodation, travel, and other expenses. When all expenses are taken into account, including travel to and from Canada for non-residents, arranging the birth will cost about 40,000 USD.

Delivery and preservation prices depend on the clinic and province/territory chosen by the foreigner. Note also that a multiple pregnancy increases the cost by about 40%.

Average prices for childbirth in Canada

Pros and cons of giving birth in canada.

Canada has the lowest infant mortality rate due to its advanced health care system.

Other advantages of giving birth in Canada:

family members and close friends are allowed to be present during the birth;
anesthesia is administered solely at the request of the woman in labor;
mother and baby can be discharged from the hospital on the same day;
each delivery room is equipped with a separate bathroom and two hours after the birth, the mother can use it;
food is brought directly to the room;
the baby stays in the same room with the mother.

Some of the disadvantages of traveling to Canada to obtain citizenship for a child by birthright include the fairly high cost of medical services and accommodation, as well as bureaucratic difficulties in obtaining a visa.

Childbirth planning

In order to give birth in Canada, it is enough for foreign nationals to open a visitor’s visa, but this requires prior preparation and careful planning of further steps. Parents-to-be must not only justify the purpose of the visit, but also confirm it with documents. To do this, you will need to go through several steps.

Choosing a hospital and doctor

The first step in organizing a birth in Canada is to find a hospital and a doctor. To do this, parents-to-be need to choose a province or territory. Toronto and Vancouver are the most common places for foreigners to give birth, but less well-known Canadian cities also have good clinics and hospitals.

Top 5 maternity hospitals in Canada with good reviews :

Toronto Birth Center . You can find all the information you need about the doctors, nursing staff and services at the Toronto hospital website. One can also book a visit to the doctor of their choice.
St. Paul’s Maternity Care . The hospital is located in Vancouver, British Columbia. On the official website, you can not only choose a doctor and book a visit, but also find useful information for a mom-to-be.
Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre . The hospital is located in Ottawa, Ontario. On the hospital’s website, you can find a hands-on guide to birth planning as well as a doctor and obstetrician to choose from.
Maternity Care Clinic . The clinic is located in Calgary, Alberta. It provides medical services not only for childbirth, but also for breastfeeding support.
North York General . The hospital is located in Toronto and is the most popular among foreigners who come to Canada to give birth.

Signing a contract with a doctor

There is always a list of doctors on the websites of Canadian clinics. But before signing a contract, parents-to-be need to talk to the doctor in person, because some do not accept foreigners or do not have free time. Obtaining a doctor’s consent and signing a contract is a mandatory requirement when planning a trip to give birth in Canada.

In order to give birth to a child in Canada, parents-to-be must obtain a visitor visa (temporary resident visa). They must create an account on the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website and upload the following documents:

visa application;
a valid international passport and a copy;
information about family members;
2 photos 3,5 x 4,5 cm;
proof of financial support (for example, a bank statement);
a signed contract with a doctor that explains the purpose of travel to Canada;
certificate of no criminal record;
proof of good health.

The list can be expanded with other proofs. After uploading the documents, you will also need to pay the state fee for their review.

Relocation to Canada

After opening a Visitor visa, parents-to-be can enter Canada. You should bring all the original documents with you. Before the visit, foreigners also need to take care of the housing for the entire period of stay in the country and confirm it with documents (hotel reservation or rental agreement). Keep in mind, that some airlines refuse to let pregnant women over 28 weeks, so this information should be checked before buying a ticket. Foreigners who do not speak English should use the services of an interpreter, who will accompany them throughout their stay in Canada.

Childbirth and the postpartum period

It is possible to give birth in Canada, either in a hospital or at home. If the second option is chosen, parents-to-be should ask for help from a doula — a specially trained companion. In case the delivery is performed in a clinic, the mother-to-be is admitted to the delivery room when she has contractions. In Canada, partner delivery is widespread, and not only a family member, but also a friend can be present during the process.

A woman and her baby are transferred to the postpartum ward after 2 hours, and her condition is monitored before that. In polyclinics there are general rooms (2-4 people) and «family rooms», where only mother and newborn are staying — the average price of such a room is about 300 USD per day.

Doctors and assistants monitor the condition of the mother and baby at all times — from the moment of admission to the maternity ward until the mother is discharged. If no health problems are detected, you can leave the clinic in 2-3 days after delivery.

Obtaining citizenship for a child

To obtain Canadian citizenship for a child at birth, parents must obtain two documents for the child: a birth certificate and a passport. After birth, foreigners are given a certificate, which contains the data of the child, the parents, as well as the place of birth. The document must be taken to the Registry Office. The birth certificate process takes 1 to 4 weeks.

To become a Canadian citizen, the child needs a passport. The parents need to prepare the following documents:

birth certificate;
passport size photos of the child;
a receipt for the payment of the $44.9 USD state fee;
the application form completed and printed in duplicate on the Government of Canada website.

The passport manufacturing process takes from 10 to 20 days. The document is valid for 5 years.

Are parents eligible for Canadian citizenship

Foreign parents of a newborn baby in Canada cannot immediately obtain citizenship based on the birth. Once the child’s papers are processed and the period of permitted stay in the state has expired, they need to leave the territory of Canada.

Parents can apply for Canadian citizenship when their child reaches the age of majority and can sponsor them under the Family Sponsorship program . In addition, the Canadian authorities give citizenship to qualified personnel and investors, which can significantly reduce the time of obtaining a passport of the country.

The benefits of Canadian citizenship for a child

The Canadian passport ranks among the world’s top 10 most powerful every year, according to Global Passport Ranking. As of 2021, North American citizens can enter 184 countries without a visa. In addition, if a child is born in Canada, he or she will have a number of other privileges:

quality and free medical care;
a high standard of living;
free education in state universities (among the best in the world);
social benefits;
apply for any available vacancy in the labor market;
the right to vote;
the opportunity to hold public office and engage in political activity.

Today Canada is not only one of the most economically developed countries in the world, but also one that is safe and environmentally friendly.

But despite the support of the so-called birth tourism by the government, this way also has its risks. If foreigners do not adequately justify the purpose of their visit to Canada, the authorities may consider it as immigration fraud. To minimize the risks in preparation, many people seek help from licensed professionals.

Express Entry System for Immigration to Canada
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) is the pilot Atlantic immigration program to Canada
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
The Self-employed person immigration program in Canada
Immigration to Canada for programmers and IT-specialists

Alexey Nosovsky

«The market of immigration services is permanently evolving. There is a need for expert evaluation of new proposals, directions and programs. I hope my articles will help you navigate and make the right choice. Regards, Head of Legal Department of iWorld Alexey Nosovsky. »

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I am considering which province would be cheaper to have my baby. I know you already gave an average cost but do you have more details as to what the recommended hospitals charge or which province charges less than the others?

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Is birth tourism about to return now that travel restrictions have been lifted?

COVID-19 continues to provide the perfect natural experiment to assess the extent of “birth tourism” – when women visit Canada for the purpose of giving birth here and thus obtaining Canadian citizenship for their child. Two years in, the data shows a decrease of almost eight per cent, compared to 2020-21 and almost 52 per cent compared to the pre-pandemic 2016-20 average, in the number of “non-resident self-pay” births in Canada.

As Figure 1 indicates, there was a steady increase of non-resident births prior to the pandemic. But after COVID-related travel restrictions were implemented in 2020, there was a sharp drop, with no recovery in 2021. This provides a very good indication of the extent of birth tourism in Canada. Now that the restrictions are loosening and travel is once again opening up, it’s time for the federal government to revisit its policy on non-resident births and Canadian citizenship.

The decline to 2,245 in 2021 from 2,433 in 2020 occurred in all provinces save Quebec, which remained relatively stable (Table 1). The decline was particularly notable in British Columbia, where most birth tourists pre-pandemic were from China – a country most affected by travel restrictions. The drop is in stark contrast to steady increases over the previous five-year period.

A similar decline in visitor visas and birth tourists has been noted in the United States.

The percentage of non-resident births in Canada fell from slightly less than two per cent of total births in 2019 to 0.7 per cent in 2020 and has remained at that level. Given increased immigration, the percentage of non-resident births also fell during the same period.

As noted in previous articles , the non-resident self-pay code that is the basis for the analysis is broader than that of women who arrive on visitor visas. It includes international students, about half of whom are covered by provincial health plans, and other temporary residents. Visitor visas recovered to only 57 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in 2021-22 while visas for temporary workers have more than recovered from pre-pandemic levels. Visitor visas for Chinese nationals, one of the major groups, have recovered to only 21 per cent of former levels compared to 57 per cent of previous levels for all visitor visas. Chinese government travel-related restrictions are likely a significant factor in the reduced number.

Table 2 provides a hospital-level view of the impact of COVID, contrasting pre- and post-pandemic years in terms of non-resident and total births for the 10 hospitals with the largest percentage of non-resident births. Non-resident births continued to decline in most hospitals. British Columbia’s Richmond Hospital – the epicentre of birth tourism with its supportive “cottage industry” of “birth hotels” – has been the hardest hit. There was a decrease of 95.6 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels.

This suggests that my initial estimate from 2018 that about 50 per cent of non-resident births were due to birth tourism was conservative, and that the percentage of “tourism births” is about one per cent of all births (or about 0.4 per cent of current immigration levels).

Three federal immigration ministers later, the government has not have followed up on its 2018 commitment to “better understand the extent of this practice as well as its impacts” following the first release of the Canadian Institute for Health Information numbers and related media attention. The 2021-22 decline understandably reduces political interest and pressure in addressing the issue, particularly at a time of government and stakeholder support of increased immigration, as the proportion on “non-resident” self-pay is only about 0.5 per cent of permanent resident admissions, having fallen from 1.7 per cent pre-pandemic.

Given the current focus on increased immigration, it is highly unlikely that the government will take action. The numbers are very small compared to the planned level of 500,000 immigrants to Canada in 2025 and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s current policy and operational challenges. However, given that visitor visas have largely reverted to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, growth in birth tourism can be expected in future years.

The government should address the policy deficit in this area. There appears to be public support for some action. A 2019 Angus Reid survey indicated that the vast majority of Canadians would support removing birthright citizenship for children born to women on visitor visas.

The use of CIHI data to quantify the extent of birth tourism, albeit approximately, highlights the potential in greater linkages between immigration and health data. With respect to birth tourism, the ability to distinguish between non-resident births for visitors, international students and temporary workers would provide greater precision on the extent of the practice.

It would also allow for more informed analysis and understanding of the health outcomes of immigrants and would identify opportunities for improvement.

The policy and operational questions remain as to whether the extent of birth tourism warrants an amendment to the Citizenship Act, visa restrictions on women intending to give birth in Canada, or other administrative and regulatory measures to curtail the practice. Because visa restrictions would be difficult to administer, and because regional administrative and regulatory measures may well encourage hospital and jurisdiction “shopping,” the “cleanest” approach would be an amendment to the Citizenship Act that would make Canadian citizenship dependent on one parent being a citizen or permanent resident, comparable to the situation in Australia .

A note on methodology

The data is from the CIHI ’ s Discharge Abstract Database, more specifically the responsible for funding program (RRFP) “ non-resident self-pay ” category, as well as totals for hospital deliveries. The RRFP data include temporary residents on visitor visas, international students, foreign workers and visiting Canadian citizens, and permanent residents. While Quebec has a slightly different coding system, CIHI ensures its data is comparable.

Health coverage for international students varies by provinces, but most are covered by provincial health plans. This is not the case in Manitoba and Ontario , and for some students in Quebec whose country of origin does not have a social security agreement with Quebec. The pre-pandemic baseline is the five-year average 2016-20.

Mackenzie Health ’ s Woman and Child program moved from Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital when it opened to the community in June 2021 .

You are welcome to republish this Policy Options article online or in print periodicals, under a Creative Commons/No Derivatives licence.

Republish this article

by Andrew Griffith. Originally published on Policy Options December 9, 2022

This <a target="_blank" href="https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/december-2022/birth-tourism-may-rise-again/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://policyoptions.irpp.org">Policy Options</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://policyoptions.irpp.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=105278&ga4=G-GR919H3LRJ" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

Questions persist as Ottawa prepares Citizenship Act amendments

An improved civic education will help sustain our democracy

B.C. bill on international credential recognition is a good start but needs improvement

Birth tourism a growing concern as health systems struggle

Society of obstetricians and gynaecologists of canada to study the trend.

Social Sharing

Doctors say it's time to take a closer look at birth tourism, both in Alberta and across the country, and consider whether the federal and provincial governments need to take a tougher stance against it.

A birth tourist is a non-resident who comes to Canada specifically to give birth in this country and they don't qualify for publicly funded health care.

"I think we need to address it. We need to decide how we're going to approach this," said Dr. Colin Birch, a Calgary obstetrician gynecologist.

According to Birch, birth tourism has the biggest impact on cities with international airports — the trend slowed when air travel was shut down early in the pandemic.

"We're seeing a slow creep back up again. Will we make pre-pandemic levels? I firmly believe we will."

Birch, who co-authored a recent Calgary study on birth tourism, noted several key reasons Canada is a destination.

The retrospective analysis, which looked at 102 women between July 2019 and November 2020, found 77 per cent of patients cited birthright citizenship — the system through which Canada grants automatic citizenship to anyone born in the country — as their primary reason.

One-quarter of the birth tourists were from Nigeria. Travellers from the Middle East and China were the second and third most common.

Most patients reported coming to Canada on a visitor visa.

A balding man in a white shirt and blue sports jacket poses for a photo.

Financial, social impacts

But Alberta's health system, like others across the country, is under intense strain.

And that has physicians questioning the impacts of this trend.

"In the health-care system the way it is now, we haven't got the space to accommodate these people," he said.

He noted birth tourists can displace local patients — forcing them to deliver at a different hospital with a different health-care provider.

Birth tourists can also be costly.

In Calgary, a system is in place to identify birth tourists and distinguish them from other groups of uninsured patients, through a centralized triage service. A $15,000 deposit is collected for physicians' fees, with any unused portion being returned to patients.

"Really, it's the only place in the country that has attempted to put this into a process," said Birch.

But outside of Calgary, doctors have to try to recoup fees on a case-by-case basis. And Birch's research shows those deposits don't always get paid.

There are also separate hospital costs, and the study reveals unpaid fees to Alberta Health Services for the 16-month period amounted to nearly $700,000.

Preterm twins can cost the system hundreds of thousands of dollars alone, Birch noted.

A health care provider holds a stethoscope up to the abdomen of a pregnant patient

Alberta government 'concerned'

Data provided by Alberta Health shows the number of non-residents who gave birth in the province more than tripled — from 83 to 287 — between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 fiscal years.

The numbers dipped slightly after that. And the most recent data shows 256 non-residents gave birth in 2020-21, and 245 in 2021-22.

"Alberta's government is concerned about birth tourism and its impact on Albertans and Alberta's health system," said Alberta Health spokesperson Andrew Livingstone in a statement.

"In most cases, birth tourists are patients who have access to quality health-care in their home countries and are not vulnerable individuals, refugees or asylum seekers."

According to Livingstone, emergency or urgent care will always be provided, but individuals without provincial health coverage are expected to pay.

"In some cases … the cost of hospital care for the mother and newborn remains unpaid. We are currently considering a number of options for addressing these circumstances and recovering health-care costs."

The province said it's too early to share details on what options are being considered.

A doctor looks directly into the camera while sitting in his office. There are files stacked on the desk behind him.

National doctors group to study issue

This week, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) decided birth tourism warrants further investigation.

It was a key topic at an SOGC conference in Banff, where Birch gave a presentation on Thursday.

"It became very clear that SOGC wants to be involved. So we are going to take this on," said Dr. Douglas Wilson, SOGC president and professor emeritus at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine.

Wilson said the group decided to form a committee to look at birth tourism and related issues, and it plans to begin collecting data from the provinces.

"We'll start to get a handle on it. And we'll start to look at some provincial and federal discussions, because this is an issue where the delivery is provincial but immigration is federal, and in most cases, they don't talk to each other," he said.

A key concern, he said, is ensuring safe care, because many of these patients have other health problems, such as diabetes and hypertension.

"If you don't have a chance to watch and look after those women before … and they just show up, then you're going to have a much more complex delivery with potential risk involved."

Meanwhile, Birch said a number of options could be considered, ranging from eliminating birthright citizenship to implementing a universal system — similar to the one in Calgary — that would ensure physician and hospital fees are collected.

"This is not new. But I think we have to decide, is it a big enough issue for us to bother or are we just going to forget it and say, 'this is a part of giving care' and … accommodate as best we can."

Corrections

An earlier version of this story said a system is in place to identify birth tourists and distinguish them from other groups of uninsured patients, such as conventional refugees. However refugees are covered under the Interim Federal Health Program. Mar 19, 2023 1:09 PM MT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Lee is a CBC News reporter based in Calgary. She worked at CBC Toronto, Saskatoon and Regina before landing in Calgary in 2002. If you have a health or human interest story to share, let her know. [email protected]

Childbirth In Canada

Canadian Citizenship Through Childbirth

Welcome to the world of possibilities! At Jane Katkova & Associates, we are proud to offer an exclusive opportunity for your child to become a Canadian citizen through childbirth in Canada, embracing the cherished principle of “jus soli” – the right of soil. Let us do all the work while you enjoy your journey of becoming a parent.

With over 20 years of experience and strong connections with top doctors and hospitals in Toronto, Greater Toronto area and throughout the province of Ontario, we have the expertise to support you on a seamless journey to welcome your baby in Canada.

Why Choose Canada For Childbirth?

Canada stands proud as one of the few developed countries in the world that grants unconditional citizenship to children born on its land. Regardless of your citizenship, your child becomes a Canadian citizen upon birth, unlocking numerous advantages for a brighter future. The Canadian passport is now ranked 7th most powerful in the world with possibilities to visit 185 countries visa-free.

Benefits of Canadian Citizenship

Passport and Travel

Canadian passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to numerous countries worldwide.

Residency and Employment

As citizens, individuals have the right to reside and work in Canada without any time restrictions or work permits .

Social Benefits

Canadian citizens are eligible for various social benefits, including access to publicly funded healthcare, education, and social assistance programs.

Economic Opportunities

Citizenship provides access to a wider range of employment opportunities, government contracts, and certain professions that may be restricted to Canadian citizens.

Multiple Citizenship

Canada allows multiple citizenship, so someone born in Canada can maintain their Canadian citizenship even if they acquire citizenship in another country.

Family Sponsorship

Citizens have the right to sponsor their close family members for permanent residency in Canada .

Let's Get Started

How to get citizenship through childbirth.

Signing the contract

We secure a highly reputable doctor and hospital in Ontario

Preparing for your arrival

First doctor appointment and follow ups before childbirth

Your baby is born!

Newborn’s first Pediatrician visit

We get Child Birth certificate and a Canadian passport in 3-4 weeks

Childbirth In Canada vs US

It’s considered 45% cheaper to give birth in Canada compared to childbirth in the US. Other advantages include:

Advantages Of Childbirth In Canada

Lower Birth-related Costs : In Canada, the cost of giving birth and prenatal care is often lower than in the United States, where healthcare costs are significantly higher.

Education Benefits : Canadian citizens have access to publicly funded education, including primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. This means that the child born in Canada would have access to quality education without the burden of high tuition fees.

Immigration Sponsorship : A child born in Canada can sponsor their parents for permanent residency in Canada when they reach the age of majority

Safe and Inclusive Society : Canada is known for its reputation as a safe and inclusive country, with a strong emphasis on diversity and multiculturalism.

This message is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration case manager with whom you work at Jane Katkova and Associates or send an email to [email protected] .

Frequently Asked Questions About Childbirth

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My minor child is applying for a visitor visa and will travel alone to Canada. What documents must they present with the application?

In addition to the required documents for a visitor visa, you must include the following documents:

A copy of the child’s birth certificate
A letter of authorization, preferably in English or French, signed by their parent(s) or legal guardian.

The letter of authorization should include:

the parents’, or legal guardian’s, address(es) and telephone number(s), and
the name, address and telephone number of the custodian (the adult who will be responsible for the child while in Canada).

For more information, see Minor children travelling to Canada .

New entry requirement now in effect

Visa-exempt foreign nationals need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through Canada by air. Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid Canadian visa. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens , and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA.

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‘Birth Tourism’ Is Legal in Canada. A Lawmaker Calls It Unscrupulous.

By Dan Bilefsky

Dec. 31, 2018

RICHMOND, British Columbia — Melody Bai arrived in Vancouver from China in the late stages of pregnancy with one goal: to give birth to a Canadian baby.

Awaiting her was an elaborate ecosystem catering to pregnant women from China, including a spacious “baby house” where she spent four months, attended to by a Mandarin-speaking housekeeper.

Caregivers offered free breast massages to promote lactation, outings to the mall, lectures on childbirth with other Chinese mothers-to-be and excursions for high tea.

“It’s an investment in my child’s education,” Ms. Bai, a 28-year-old flight attendant, said by phone from Shanghai, months after returning to China with her newborn and passport in hand. “We chose Canada because of its better natural and social environment.”

Ms. Bai is part of a growing phenomenon in Canada known as birth tourism, which is not only generating political opposition, but mobilizing self-appointed vigilantes determined to stop it.

It is perfectly legal.

Under the principle of jus soli — the right of the soil — being born in Canada confers automatic citizenship. But as more pregnant women arrive each month to give birth, some Canadians are protesting that they are gaming the system, testing the limits of tolerance and debasing the notion of citizenship.

In Richmond , a city outside Vancouver where about 53 percent of its roughly 200,000 residents are ethnic Chinese, nonresident mothers account for one in five births at the Richmond Hospital, the largest number of nonresident births of any hospital in the country, according to a recent report .

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“Birth tourism may be legal, but it is unethical and unscrupulous,” said Joe Peschisolido , a Liberal member of Parliament in Richmond, who brought a petition against the practice to Ottawa, where the immigration minister, Ahmed Hussen, said he would examine the issue.

The practice underlines how Canada, and British Columbia in particular, has become a favored haven for well-heeled Chinese seeking a refuge for wealth and kin away from authoritarian China.

The issue of birthright citizenship gained global attention in October after President Trump said he wanted to eliminate it, though it is enshrined in the American Constitution.

At least 30 other countries , including Canada, Mexico and Brazil, grant automatic birthright citizenship. Others like Britain and Australia have tightened their laws by requiring that at least one parent be a citizen or permanent resident at the time of the child’s birth.

Indicating that immigration could be an issue in federal elections next year in Canada, the opposition Conservative party this summer endorsed a nonbinding motion calling for unconditional birthright citizenship to be abolished.

In the recent report , from the Institute for Research on Public Policy , Andrew Griffith, a former director general at the government department responsible for immigration, showed that the number of children born to nonresidents in Canada was at least five times as high as previously thought — close to 1,500 to 2,000 annually.

Mr. Griffith argues that Canada intended birthright citizenship for those who wanted to live in and contribute to the country. “Since those engaging in birth tourism have no or barely any real link to Canada,” he said, “the practice is challenging a very Canadian value of fair play.”

With its sprawling Chinese food markets, Chinese-language newspapers and large number of caregivers speaking Mandarin, Richmond has become ground zero for birth tourists from China.

About two dozen baby houses are in operation. Visits to about 15 addresses showed that some operate openly while others work under licenses as tour agencies or present themselves as holiday rentals. Some are in homes. Others are in apartments. Many are booked through agents and brokers in China.

In a visit to one, the Baoma Inn, a modern house across from a park, a woman in the late stages of pregnancy could be seen in a second-floor window. A young man who answered the door confirmed that the inn was a baby house before another angrily slammed the door.

But during a telephone call in Mandarin inquiring about the Inn’s services, a man said it offered a one-stop package including “guaranteed appointments” with “the No. 1 obstetrician in British Columbia,” who spoke Mandarin and had “a zero accident rate.”

Customers usually stay for three months, he said, including one month after the birth, to allow time to apply for a passport for the newborn and to recuperate, as is the Chinese custom.

He added that his agency had seven sales offices in China. The bill for a three-month stay at a two-bedroom apartment, not including meals and prenatal care, is about 25,000 Canadian dollars ($18,331).

“The women all go back to China,” he said. “They don’t enjoy any social benefits from the Canadian government and don’t need it.”

Bob Huang, who with his wife runs Anxin Labour Service, a birthing center in the nearby city of Burnaby, said he was frequently contacted by agents in China who wanted a 50 percent commission on every successful referral. He said he preferred to post his own ads on local Chinese classifieds websites.

Some Richmond residents say birth tourism is undermining the community’s social fabric.

Kerry Starchuk , a self-described “hockey mom” who spearheaded the petition championed by Mr. Peschisolido, documents baby houses in her neighborhood and passes the information on to the local news media and city officials.

On a recent morning, she received an anonymous tip on Facebook that as many as 20 pregnant “birth tourists” from China were being housed in a nearby modernist high rise.

Rushing to her minivan, she drove to a parking garage beneath a Chinese supermarket. She then hurried outside to case out a nearby building, suspiciously eyeing a pregnant Chinese woman walking by. After entering the building, Ms. Starchuk was foiled by a locked stairwell, adding the high rise to her list for another day.

Ms. Starchuk complains that birth tourists bump local mothers from maternity wards, a concern echoed by some local nurses, and get access to public services without paying taxes.

She also said the so-called “ anchor babies ” threatened to burden Canada by emigrating and studying here, and sponsoring their parents to become permanent residents.

The issue has become conflated with resentment in the Vancouver area against soaring housing prices, which some residents blame on an influx of wealthy Chinese.

But Ms. Bai, who had her baby in Vancouver in February, said that given the hefty price she had paid to give birth here — 60,000 Canadian dollars, including housing and hospitalization — she was subsidizing the Canadian health care system and contributing to the local economy.

“My child won’t be enjoying any Canadian health benefits, as we are living in China,” she said.

Since her son is Canadian, however, she and her husband, a pilot, could save about 150,000 Canadian dollars on tuition fees at an international school in Shanghai.

After gaining fluency in English and Western culture, her son could also later attend a Canadian university at the discounted local rate. Eventually, the entire family could emigrate to Canada.

Some first- and second-generation immigrants oppose birth tourists for jumping the queue.

“I don’t think it is fair to come here, give birth and leave,” said Wendy Liu, a Richmond resident of 11 years, adding that she had been repeatedly harassed after Ms. Starchuk mistakenly put her house on a list of birth tourism centers.

Birth tourism at Richmond Hospital recently came under the spotlight because of a so-called “ million dollar baby .”

A nonresident, Yan Xia, gave birth there, racked up a bill of 312,595 Canadian dollars in maternity and neonatal care for her newborn because of complications, and then absconded without paying the bill, according to a civil claim the hospital filed at British Columbia’s Supreme Court in April, six years after Ms. Xia gave birth.

Including six years’ worth of interest, Ms. Xia’s bill would amount to about 1.2 million Canadian dollars.

Daisy Xiong contributed reporting from Vancouver.

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What is "birth tourism"?

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So-called “birth tourism” is when pregnant, non-Canadian women fly into Canada in order to give birth and secure citizenship for their babies.

In addition to receiving benefits, like healthcare and education, when the children become adults, they can also sponsor their parents to immigrate to Canada.

The Canada Border Services Agency has said previously that pregnancy is not a reason in itself to refuse entry to the country to a tourist.

However, if a foreign national is seeking entry to Canada for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment and can’t show he or she has the money to pay for it, then that person could be deemed as a potential excessive demand on health service.

The practice has been a hot topic for many years, especially in Richmond, due to its Chinese population and proximity to Vancouver International Airport.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, B.C. hospitals recorded 110 non-residents of Canada who paid to give birth, based on data obtained from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI). Last year, 194 such births were recorded.

However, in the year prior to the pandemic, a record 868 self-paying non-residents — the vast majority of whom are understood to be Chinese nationals on tourist visas — garnered automatic citizenship for their newborns.

Richmond Hospital has been, for many years, at the epicentre of the industry, with 502 non-resident births in 2019-2020.

And the so-called “birth hotels” in the city are not breaking any laws.

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Public Opinion Polls and Analysis

Concerns About Birth Tourism Drop Slightly in Canada

More than seven-in-ten Canadians still want the federal government to investigate the full extent of the practice.

Vancouver, BC [November 4, 2022] – Canadians are currently not paying as much attention to the issue of “birth tourism” as they did in 2020, but a sizeable majority believe the practice should still be scrutinized, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 28% of Canadians say they have followed media stories related to the issue of “birth tourism” in the past year “very closely” or “moderately closely”, down 13 points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2020 .

British Columbians and Quebecers are significantly more likely to be paying attention to news related to “birth tourism” (36% and 34% respectively) than their counterparts in other Canadian provinces.

“Birth tourism” is the practice of traveling to a specific country for the purpose of giving birth there and securing citizenship for the child in a country that has birthright citizenship. Canada allows expectant mothers who are foreign nationals to gain automatic citizenship for their children born in Canada.

Over the past few years, there have been reports of unregulated “for profit” businesses that have facilitated the practice of “birth tourism” in Canada. More than half of Canadians agree that “birth tourism” can displace Canadians from hospitals (54%, -2) and can degrade the value of Canadian citizenship (53%, -6).

More than three-in-five Canadians (64%, -7) believe “birth tourism” can be unfairly used to gain access to Canada’s education, health care and social programs—a point of view shared by 76% of British Columbians.

More than seven-in-ten Canadians (73%, -5) believe the federal government should establish a committee to investigate the full extent of “birth tourism” in Canada.

“A federal inquiry into the full scope of birth tourism would not represent a political liability for the federal government,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (82%), the Conservative Party (77%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) in the last federal election are on board.”

Almost half of Canadians (48%, -6) think the country should ponder establishing new guidelines for birthright citizenship, while more than a third (37%, +3) would prefer to keep existing regulations.

Support for developing a new framework to birthright citizenship in Canada is highest in Ontario (50%), followed by Manitoba and Saskatchewan (49%), Quebec (48%) and Alberta, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada (each at 47%).

More than three-in-five Canadians (62%, -5) agree with the notion that birthright citizenship may have made sense at one point, but now people have taken advantage of existing rules.

Results are based on an online study conducted from October 24 to October 26, 2022, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 .

Find our data tables here and download the press release here .

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

Andrew Henderson

Founder of Nomad Capitalist and the world’s most sought-after expert on global citizenship.

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Birth Tourism: 31 Countries Giving Birthright Citizenship

Last updated October 28, 2020

Dateline: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

If you have spent any time on our blog, you probably already know that there are a number of ways to get a second passport , depending on how badly you want one.

We recently discussed 13 citizenships you could get rather easily by using one of the oldest tricks in the book: marrying a foreigner .

However, obtaining second citizenship for your children and future generations is just as important – if not more so.

For years, surveys such as The Best Places to Be Born , the Better Life Index , the Human Development Report , and many Quality o f Life Indices have chronicled where children are likely to have it best.

I recently discussed this in my article on tips for parents-to-be , suggesting that parents who apply our principles of international diversification practice something called “ birth tourism .”

If you live in the United States, you have probably heard the term “anchor baby” – when a non-citizen gives birth to a child in a country with birthright citizenship to gain residence and citizenship advantages – positioned in a bad light. However, there is nothing stopping you from using the same principle to give your kids a head start in other countries around the world.

Parents have a unique opportunity to choose the best country to give birth in. It’s an opportunity even western citizens should consider since even the “first world” United Kingdom failed to crack the top 20 places in which to give birth, falling behind the likes of Montenegro and Lithuania . The study concluded that children born in Britain suffer higher infant mortality rates than many emerging countries.

So, how can you take advantage of the quality of life in other countries to give your child a better future by securing them a second passport just by being born? In this article, we’ll tell you how and where you can take advantage of birthright citizenship to do just that, and maybe even earn a second passport for yourself in the process.

How to Get Citizenship through Birth Tourism

How Does Birth Tourism Work?

When it comes to determining a child’s citizenship at birth, countries usually apply one of two rights: jus soli (right of soil) or jus sanguinis (right of blood). Jus soli grants citizenship merely on the basis of being born “on the soil” of the country in question. Jus sanguinis determines the child’s citizenship based on the parents’ nationality.

Birth tourism is simple: give birth in a country that grants citizenship based on jus soli and provides benefits to all children born there. This will not only give your child a better qualify of life but also entitle them to a second passport immediately from birth. In many cases, parents of such children enjoy a faster naturalization timeline as well.

The process of “ jus soli ” is generally available to anyone who has a child within the territory of a country with birthright citizenship, even if they are a temporary resident or an illegal alien. The only people whose children do not qualify for instant citizenship are diplomats.

These countries offer what is called “ absolute jus soli ,” meaning that the biggest hurdle you’ll face in some countries is having to register your bundle of joy with the local authorities to secure their passport.

The United States and Canada are the only “first world countries” that offer unconditional citizenship to children born in the territory, although there are plenty of other excellent places that I would actually prefer to live in that offer this as well.

Here in Asia, Mainland Chinese parents often seek to give birth in Hong Kong to obtain the “right of abode” for their children. (Hong Kongers are Chinese citizens, but with special privileges to reside in Hong Kong.)

Of course, we know that the United States offers birthright citizenship for the same reasons that ancient Rome did: to increase the number of US tax-payers needed to pay off the country’s catastrophic debts.

Giving birth to a child in the United States is setting them up for a lifetime of taxes which they can’t even get out of without renouncing their citizenship. That means even opening a bank account for their college savings will require you to file paperwork with the US government.

What Countries Offer Birthright Citizenship?

For those who want to bestow their child with a second citizenship outside of the highly taxed western world, there are a number of places that offer “jus soli” or birthright of the soil.

Any child born within that country’s territory becomes a citizen at birth, and there are dozens of countries whose laws allow the practice. So, which countries automatically give a passport and citizenship to children born there, regardless of the nationality of the child’s parents?

Almost two decades ago, Ireland amended its constitution to end their practice as the last European country offering unconditional citizenship rights to children born to two foreign parents. Malta had amended theirs earlier, too. Other countries, such as Australia , have similarly tightened their laws.

But when you follow the birth tourism blueprint, you can forget about dual citizenship and give your child multiple citizenships .

Here is the full list of the best countries in which to give birth when seeking birth tourism options, excluding countries where a ban on the practice is currently underway.

El Salvador
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
United States

*For a child to become a Chilean citizen at birth, their parents must already have a temporary or permanent residence in Chile at the time of their birth.

**As of September 2020, Portugal is just a few formalities away from expanding its jus soli laws granting birthright citizenship to children born on Portuguese soil. Currently, children born in Portugal to foreign nationals can obtain citizenship at birth if at least one parent has been a resident for two years or more. The new law would reduce that timeline to one year.

This is an especially attractive change for Golden Visa investors in Portugal as they will now have the opportunity to bestow Portuguese citizenship on their children after just one year of residence.

The Best Birth Tourism Countries

Out of that list are a few gems…

Panama, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina are particularly noted for their quality medical care , including for world-class facilities that make giving birth there not only easy but much cheaper than any country in the West.

Two of the countries — Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis — sell economic citizenships for six-figure price tags and even charge for your children to receive a passport, as well. Other countries that used to offer citizenship by investment programs, such as Belize, are also attractive birth tourism options.

Similar to how US persons complain of illegal immigrants getting access to welfare benefits for their US citizen child, several countries on this list offer the ability to fast track your own naturalization as the parent of a local child.

In Brazil, the wait is only one year, prompting my friend Neil Strauss to suggest “knocking up a Brazilian girl” in his book Emergency . But in all seriousness, even foreigners on tourist visas can give birth on Brazilian soil, earning their child immediate Brazilian citizenship and a one-year timeline to their own naturalization. You can learn more about Brazil’s birthright citizenship laws here .

Most other countries will fast track the parents’ naturalization so that you will be able to get citizenship in two to seven years.

And surprisingly, some of these countries offer remarkably good passports . Holders of passports from Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico , Panama , St. Kitts and Nevis, Uruguay , and Venezuela enjoy visa-free travel to all of Central and South America as well Europe’s borderless Schengen Area and almost every country in Europe.

Some even offer travel privileges to countries that westerners do not have visa-free access to, like Russia.

Guatemala passport holders enjoy all of these privileges save the right to travel to Mexico. Nicaragua citizens enjoy Schengen area access, but more limited options within the Americas. And even some of the lesser passports here allow for visa-free travel of some sort to the UK, Ireland, Malaysia, and Singapore.

For someone interested in raising their family in the world’s emerging markets, the Peruvian passport allows for more visa-free travel to Southeast Asia and South American countries than most “first world” passports.

Outside of Canada and Chile , none of these citizenships will allow your child to visit the United States visa-free. But if you’re reading this, you might actually view that as an added benefit rather than a detriment.

Keeping your child in a growing, more laissez-faire environment is the best way to make the most of his or her birth tourism citizenship.

Be careful that you have the most up-to-date information before giving birth overseas, as a number of countries have ended their policy of giving citizenship based on birthplace; these include Australia, most recently, as well as New Zealand, Ireland, France, Malta, the Dominican Republic (which led to tens of thousands of deportations ), and India.

Of course, only you can determine how far you want to take the second citizenship and birth tourism game in an effort to bestow as many nationalities on your children as possible.

And if you happen to be pregnant now, you could always book your hospital stay and join us for one of our upcoming events on the beach.

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COMMENTS

Giving Birth in Canada
As a visitor/tourist in Canada, deciding to give birth to a child in Canada has some associated costs ranging from $5,000 CAD to $20,000 CAD. The cost is based on various factors, such as: The health care costs in the province you decide to have your child (some provinces have higher health costs than others).
'All about the money': How women travelling to Canada to give birth
In the fall of 2019, Cathy Shi arrived in Richmond, B.C., from Shandong, on China's east coast, to give birth to her third child. She said through a translator that she wanted her unborn child to ...
Temporary residents: Persons wishing to enter Canada for the purpose of
Concerns regarding the demands that may be placed on health and social services by the child after birth in Canada may not be used in assessing the medical admissibility of the TRV applicant. In applying the guidelines on temporary residents seeking medical treatment in Canada, officers should focus on available financial support as part of ...
Giving birth in Canada
Our package covers all medical and birth-related matters. It includes doctors appointments, check-ups and follow-ups, labor and delivery, birth certification, passport issuance, and more. Starting at CAD 12.9K. Canada is one of the few high-income countries that offers citizenship automatically to those born in the country.
Giving birth in Canada as a tourist: Birth Tourism. Is this legal
I am Niladri Mukherjee, RCIC (R709205), and the Founder & the CEO of Nuvonation Immigration Consulting Inc, based out of Mississauga ON. If you would like us...
Childbirth in Canada: cost, how to give birth and obtain Canadian
In order to give birth to a child in Canada, parents-to-be must obtain a visitor visa (temporary resident visa). They must create an account on the Immigration, ... But despite the support of the so-called birth tourism by the government, this way also has its risks. If foreigners do not adequately justify the purpose of their visit to Canada ...
Childbirth in Canada
If you give birth in Canada, does your child become a Canadian Citizen? What about you? Does having a child born in Canada help you with securing a status in...
Birth tourism in Canada dropped sharply once the pandemic began
The COVID-19 pandemic provides a perfect natural experiment to assess the extent of birth tourism in Canada now that we have 2020-21 hospital delivery data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI).. The latest data respond to questions regarding the accuracy of CIHI data in assessing the extent of birth tourism following my initial analysis in 2018 in Policy Options, given the ...
Birth tourism is rising again post-pandemic
Birth tourism is rising again post-pandemic. The government needs to get serious about better understanding the extent of non-resident births and consider amendments to the Citizenship Act. The COVID-19 pandemic provided the perfect natural experiment to assess the extent of birth tourism in Canada. Dramatic declines of 50 per cent compared ...
Is birth tourism about to return now that travel restrictions have been
This provides a very good indication of the extent of birth tourism in Canada. Now that the restrictions are loosening and travel is once again opening up, it's time for the federal government to revisit its policy on non-resident births and Canadian citizenship. The decline to 2,245 in 2021 from 2,433 in 2020 occurred in all provinces save ...
Minor children travelling to Canada
Children under the age of 18 are considered minors in Canada. They must follow the same rules to enter Canada as any other visitor. Minors who try to enter Canada without the proper documents, or who are with adults other than their parents or legal guardian (s), will be checked more closely. Border services officers are on alert for children ...
Birth tourism a growing concern as health systems struggle
The numbers dipped slightly after that. And the most recent data shows 256 non-residents gave birth in 2020-21, and 245 in 2021-22. "Alberta's government is concerned about birth tourism and its ...
Canadian doctors say birth tourism is on the rise. It could hurt the
Birth tourism highlights some really interesting philosophical tension around the Canadian health care system, the spirit of which is to make sure everyone is taken care of. Here, we see the ...
Childbirth In Canada
Advantages Of Childbirth In Canada. Lower Birth-related Costs: In Canada, the cost of giving birth and prenatal care is often lower than in the United States, where healthcare costs are significantly higher. Education Benefits: Canadian citizens have access to publicly funded education, including primary, secondary, and post-secondary education.
What to Know About "Birth Tourism" in 2024
This is part of an industry known as "birth tourism", in which a pregnant woman enters Canada to give birth to a child who will then automatically be given citizenship. They typically travel to Canada as a tourist, and either book hospital rooms, rent apartments, or "baby houses" for the birth. These numbers have been growing in recent ...
My minor child is applying for a visitor visa and will travel alone to
In addition to the required documents for a visitor visa, you must include the following documents: A copy of the child's birth certificate; A letter of authorization, preferably in English or French, signed by their parent(s) or legal guardian.
Birth tourism
Birth tourism is the practice of traveling to another country or city for the purpose of giving birth in that country. The main reason for birth tourism is to obtain citizenship for the child in a country with birthright citizenship ().Such a child is sometimes called an "anchor baby" if their citizenship is intended to help their parents obtain permanent residency in the country.
Canada Visa for the Purpose of Giving Birth
The visa for women to give birth in Canada is a simple Temporary Resident Visa. There are no differences in the procedures or what is allowed, except for the fact that the woman might or will be giving birth in Canada. This visa is temporary, usually valid for 6 months of less. It allows women to go to Canada to visit family, friends, or travel ...
'Birth Tourism' Is Legal in Canada. A Lawmaker Calls It Unscrupulous
"Birth tourism may be legal, but it is unethical and unscrupulous," said Joe Peschisolido, a Liberal member of Parliament in Richmond, who brought a petition against the practice to Ottawa ...
Here's what you need to know about birth tourism in Canada
Listen to this article. 00:01:42. So-called "birth tourism" is when pregnant, non-Canadian women fly into Canada in order to give birth and secure citizenship for their babies. In addition to receiving benefits, like healthcare and education, when the children become adults, they can also sponsor their parents to immigrate to Canada.
Concerns About Birth Tourism Drop Slightly in Canada
Vancouver, BC [November 4, 2022] - Canadians are currently not paying as much attention to the issue of "birth tourism" as they did in 2020, but a sizeable majority believe the practice should still be scrutinized, a new Research Co. poll has found. In the online survey of a representative national sample, 28% of Canadians say they have ...
Birth Tourism: 31 Countries Giving Birthright Citizenship
When it comes to determining a child's citizenship at birth, countries usually apply one of two rights: jus soli (right of soil) or jus sanguinis (right of blood). Jus soli grants citizenship merely on the basis of being born "on the soil" of the country in question. Jus sanguinis determines the child's citizenship based on the parents ...
Birth tourism in Canada. Why??? : r/immigration
canada is very good place for rich boys specifically those become rich illegally! Moneyyyyy, it's an who birth tourism is a whole economy. We need the moneyyyy. Most Canadians don't want birth tourism. Why does Canada allow birth tourism (when foreign nationals come to the country to give birth so that their child becomes a citizen and then ...
Supplementary Information: Humanitarian and Compassionate
country of birth; date of birth and ; address; Additional information or documentation. This information will be used to determine if there are sufficient humanitarian and compassionate grounds to: grant your request to process your permanent resident application from within Canada, and/or
Create a MyTravelGov Account
MyTravelGov. MyTravelGov provides a modernized platform where you can submit and check on requests to the Bureau of Consular Affairs. To get started, create MyTravelGov account. With an account, you can apply for an electronic Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) in most countries.

Giving Birth in Canada – Benefits, Cost, Citizenship, Tourism Visa…

The Canadian Citizenship Act – paragraph 3(1)(a) – states that all individuals born in Canada are Canadian citizens, regardless of their parent’s status in Canada. The only exclusion is foreign diplomats who give birth to a child in Canada, cannot be Canadian citizens.

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⚠️ COVID-19 Update: Temporary Pause on our Birth Tourism Services

Was Your Canada Tourist Visa (TRV) Application Rejected?

Should I disclose that I am pregnant or that I intend to give birth in Canada when applying for a Canadian TRV?

Should I answer “Yes” or “No” in the TRV application form where I’m asked if I or “any accompanying family members have any physical or mental disorders that will require social or health services during their stay in Canada”?

READ ALSO >> Chances of Getting Canada Tourist Visa after Refusal

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