Filed I130, got pregnant

[pushbrk 12,913]

19 hours ago, yuyul said:

Thank you, its a relief to read this!

 

They have hardly any information on this in the US embassy in Sg

Study here.  I used the word study for a reason.  https://sg.usembassy.gov/consular-report-of-birth-abroad-crba/

 

[SansTortoise 27]

For what it’s worth if you do want to give birth in the U.S.: medical tourism is a perfectly valid use of ESTA and your husband still has time to add you to his health insurance for next year. You would not need to apply for a B visa.

If open enrollment has closed for 2025, he should be able to email HR to make changes (usually) and regardless getting married is a qualifying event to change health insurance elections.

 

Advantage of a U.S. birth certificate is that they’re incredibly easy to replace when they inevitably get lost. Less so for CRBA.

 

What you prefer to do really depends on your preferences and situation.

 

On CRBA also make sure your husband meets the physical presence in the U.S. requirements if you choose to go that route (5 years in the US, two of which must be after 18.) You need proof of this. Easiest way to prove is school transcripts and employment verification letters. If he has easy access to university and high school transcripts it should be fine. There’s other ways, but transcripts are the easiest.

Edited Sunday at 10:47 PM by SansTortoise

[OldUser 6,760]

1 hour ago, SansTortoise said:

For what it’s worth if you do want to give birth in the U.S.: medical tourism is a perfectly valid use of ESTA

Not sure I agree with this statement

[appleblossom 2,594]

1 hour ago, SansTortoise said:

(5 years in the US, two of which must be after 18.) 

14, not 18. 

[pushbrk 12,913]

13 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Not sure I agree with this statement

Yes, it certainly is ok to use a tourist visa to seek medical care.  Not sure I agree that visiting to give birth is "medical tourism".  Presumably, there would be additional valid reasons for visiting.

[SansTortoise 27]

1 hour ago, appleblossom said:

14, not 18. 

Yep — typo, apologies.

 

1 hour ago, pushbrk said:

Yes, it certainly is ok to use a tourist visa to seek medical care.  Not sure I agree that visiting to give birth is "medical tourism".  Presumably, there would be additional valid reasons for visiting.

Medical tourism was probably loose language. I think I pulled it from a Reddit AMA with a CBP officer where this topic came up and that was the language they used to explain why they’d admit pregnant people.

 

The important thing to note in OP’s case is she has a valid ESTA and is from a VWP country and they would be coming to the US on an ESTA to give birth. Medical treatment is listed as a valid use of an ESTA, and if they needed additional reasons visiting a spouse so that they could be present for the birth would be a reasonable use: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html

 

CBP has a help article on the topic of both the decision at the border and at the consulate: https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article1838?language=en_US

 

The primary consideration at the border is whether or not they’ll be a ward of the state, which presumably if OP’s husband adds her to his health insurance she wouldn’t be. There is not a blanket policy of denying pregnant individuals coming to the U.S. to give birth by CBP.

 

Applying for a B visa for the primary purpose of giving birth is automatically denied by the consulate. Singapore is a VWP participant so that wouldn’t be applicable. There’s not a separate visa needed to visit the U.S. for medical treatment if someone has an ESTA.

My point was it’s an option for OP because she’s from a VWP country. Whether she prefers that or CRBA is up to her, 

Edited Monday at 01:57 AM by SansTortoise

[OldUser 6,760]

1 hour ago, pushbrk said:

Yes, it certainly is ok to use a tourist visa to seek medical care.  Not sure I agree that visiting to give birth is "medical tourism".  Presumably, there would be additional valid reasons for visiting.

In a context of giving birth of course, that was the whole point of my reply.

[SansTortoise 27]

16 minutes ago, OldUser said:

In a context of giving birth of course, that was the whole point of my reply.

It’s a reasonable question; my reply to pushbrk mentioned that I think I got the medical tourism phrase from an AMA with a CBP agent on it. Wasn’t able to find the exact thread but did find one of them by the same confirmed agent: https://www.reddit.com/r/askimmigration/s/Vt5GothEfk

 

Used to do it annually before deleting his account and this question always came up. Response was always that CBP viewed it as a medical use of a ESTA or existing B2 and the primary concern was becoming a public charge.

 

That’s one agent, but it’s consistent with the information posted on the CBP website, which gives it credibility.

[Boiler 45,584]

I have no end of birth tourists refused entry.

 

As an aside Travel insurance would not cover a regular delivery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

[yuyul 1]

9 hours ago, SansTortoise said:

For what it’s worth if you do want to give birth in the U.S.: medical tourism is a perfectly valid use of ESTA and your husband still has time to add you to his health insurance for next year. You would not need to apply for a B visa.

If open enrollment has closed for 2025, he should be able to email HR to make changes (usually) and regardless getting married is a qualifying event to change health insurance elections.

 

Advantage of a U.S. birth certificate is that they’re incredibly easy to replace when they inevitably get lost. Less so for CRBA.

 

What you prefer to do really depends on your preferences and situation.

 

On CRBA also make sure your husband meets the physical presence in the U.S. requirements if you choose to go that route (5 years in the US, two of which must be after 18.) You need proof of this. Easiest way to prove is school transcripts and employment verification letters. If he has easy access to university and high school transcripts it should be fine. There’s other ways, but transcripts are the easiest.

Thank you so much for the clear explanation!!