My wife from Hong Kong is pregnant.

[honeybunny]

Hi everyone.

I'm so glad I found this forum... I finally found some answers I couldn’t have from calling CIC. (99% of the time I ended up being told by a machine that all agent were busy and then the line closed)

Thanks to all the competent people who help and post here. That’s very useful, a big thank to the community.

Now I want to expose some specificities of my case that I couldn’t find on the forum.

I got married in Canada this year (I’m a citizen) with a girl from Hong Kong. She only stayed for a few weeks, and got back to work in Hong Kong.

But soon after she arrived in Hong Kong, we had the beautiful new that she got pregnant.

We already planned for her to come live here in September and then to apply in Canada for the PR. But now after reading on the forums, we realize that it might be better if she comes right away. (Because if the immigration agent knows she is pregnant, they will probably refuse her) (Because she won’t be able convince him she only comes on visit).

Now we were wondering, is there any possibilities she get refused by the immigration agent when she arrive? Because I guess they know we are married now. She will have a return ticket of course, and she will claim she only come to visit me. But after what I read, I want to know if they can still refuse her.

We never open any files with Immigration Canada yet. (we filled all forms already, and we prepared all proof of our relationship) But we waited because we wanted to apply in Canada.

I know when she will be in Canada, we have to cover all the hospitals fees and everything. My doctor already told me she will take over the follow up on pregnancy when she arrives.

We both hope she can give birth in Canada. And we think our only option is if she comes now. But since we are married, is it a reason she could get refused on arrival? Or In opposite, could it be a good reason for her visit? 

Please any advice will be really appreciated.

If you think I should know some things feel free to add up some info.

Thank you very much.

 

[steaky]

Your wife is probably holding a HKSAR passport (one of the visa-exempted regions), so she would have no issues of coming Canada to give birth and stay up to 6 months (unless there is a problem).

 

[honeybunny]

Hi Sir!
thanks for your answer.
Yes she have a Hong Kong passort, (not sure about SAR). When she was younger (before 1999) she used to have british passports
When she came last time, they gave her a 6 month visa on arrival. But they knew we were getting married, and they checked if she had a return ticket.

Now I was wondering, do you think they will let her in, even if its very appearant that she is pregnant? Or it would be better if she comes now?
thank you

 

[michaelab]

Just a thought maybe it better if she states that she is visiting you in Canada. I think they might deny her entry if she says she's coming to give birth in Canada. Make sure to buy a return ticket so she can convince the POE officers that she has an intention of returning even she is going to extend her visit.

One more thing to add, your wife is not going to be covered by the provicial health insurance. The baby will though if s/he is born in Canada. So it might be very expensive.

 

[steaky]

Good idea. Buy an open return ticket.

 

[honeybunny]

so does it matter if she look pregnant or not?
I mean, you guys think she can arrive at 30 week pregnancy and pretend she only come for visit?
even she had a HK passport, a return ticket, they cannot refuse her if her pregnancy is appearant?
(I know the airline told us the limit for an oversea trip is 35 week of pregnancy)

or she has to come right away while she still doesnt look pregnant?
thank you

 

[michaelab]

This is just my opinion so I hope you gather all the information before you make your decision.

If I were in her shoes, I would try to fly in before I look very pregnant. This way they cannot give me a hard time (as they do sometimes even we are not pregnant just cause we have loved ones in Canada so they assume we won't leave). And if I might look big enough that others can tell I am pregnant, then buy a return ticket for a couple of months before her due date...this way if they ask me (I would NOT voluteer unless they ask first) I can tell them I have a ticket home before my due date. Make sure she has a health insurance card (from her home country) with her. When I traveled before I was asked if I had a health insurance for both me and my daughter...but again don't supply the evidence til they ask.

Traveling in later months of pregnancy is very uncomfortable anyway she might want to fly in before she gets really big.

Just my opinon hope everthing will work out for you guys.

so does it matter if she look pregnant or not?
I mean, you guys think she can arrive at 30 week pregnancy and pretend she only come for visit?
even she had a HK passport, a return ticket, they cannot refuse her if her pregnancy is appearant?
(I know the airline told us the limit for an oversea trip is 35 week of pregnancy)

or she has to come right away while she still doesnt look pregnant?
thank you

 

[honeybunny]

yes, that all makes a lot of sens.
Thats what I think too.
thanks for your advice Michaelab

Please if anyone else want to let me know what they think, its very appreciated.
thank you

 

[steaky]

Unlike Canada, there are no health insurance card from the public sector in Hong Kong unless your wife is a civil servant. So, you can buy a tourist health insurance from private companies which can cover her in Canada (especially a Canadian company before she arrives Canada). You can check this out and ask for a quote:

http://www.biis.ca/

 

[honeybunny]

yes steaky, you are perfectly right regarding governement health care in Hong Kong. its a very good idear for the insurance, we will contact that company to get a quote. Many thanks I didn't thought about it.

 

[britincanada]

The one thing I would stress to you is to make sure your wife is 100% covered with her health coverage..I gave birth here in Ontario in Dec 2006 with no health coverage...I was supposed to go home where it is free for me to give birth but due to complications I was not allowed to fly! It cost us $10,000 for me to give birth and stay in the hospital doe 2 days!! 3 1/2 years later we are still paying!!

I don't want to worry you but I would also not recommend your wife travels in a plane at 30 weeks! Your wife can give birth anywhere between 36 weeks and 42 and the pressure and stress of flying can bring on early labour or if there are complications you did not know about your wife can give birth early!! Its the body's way of trying to save both mother and child.

I think you might have difficulty in convincing a customs officer that your wife will only visit..but saying that when travelling to Canada or any other country there is no guarantee you can enter even with a valid visa!! I agree with michaelab if your wife is going to come do it soon before she looks pregnant if that is possible, some women don't really "show" until they are 5-6 months!

Is Hong Kong visa exempt? In this case she would have 6 months..but its not a crime if her return ticket was for say 1 1/2 months after she arrived then decided to extend her stay longer..people do it all the time..just make sure to apply for an extension...

 

[steaky]

At least I know HKSAR passport is vias-exempted

 

[canadianwoman]

I think she should come to Canada before she looks pregnant. They might refuse her entry if she is obviously in late pregnancy.

 

[honeybunny]

thank you very much for all the advices.
really help us taking a right decisions.
We will try to get her in Canada as soon as possible

 

[honeybunny]

steaky, just to let you know, it seems quite complicated to find any insurance for an already pregnant woman!!
they all have exclusion for pregnant woman!!