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Pregnancy + Baby birth in USA or Canada???

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00iris00

Full Member
Dec 20, 2020
48
24
Hello, we just found out my wife's pregnant and I couldn't be happier. But here are some complications: Where should she receive her pregnancy care and deliver the baby?? I work in the US and she works in Canada. We are both Canadian PR (no citizens). I am in the process of getting green card for the both of us, and we should be getting it approved this fall (before the baby's birth).
Wife has health insurance in both Canada and the USA. Delivery a child in the US will cost about 4k USD after the insurance.

So here are some thoughts regarding my question of where to give birth, I hope folks here can help me think more clearly.
  • Obviously, I hope the baby can eventually get dual citizenship or citizenship in one and PR in another.If the baby is born in Canada as citizen, and if wife have the green card, wife can simply bring the baby into the US (before 2 years old), and the baby will automatically get Green card.
  • On the other hand, if the baby is born in the US, we will have to apply for Canadian PR for him/her as a dependent of us, which is not hard but annoying and can take up to 14 months. So logistically, (Canadian citizen+ Green card) is easier than (US citizen + Canadian PR).
  • One other consideration regarding immigration is that I would probably lose my Canadian PR in 5 years, since I am mostly in the US. But if I have a Canadian citizen (the baby) living with me in the US, I think those days can count towards days in Canada when renewing Canadian PR?
  • Lastly, about our family, if wife gives birth in Canada, I will go to Canada and WFH for a few months for my job and later return when she is better or when her parents can come take care of them. We'd keep both our apartments in the US and in Canada. But if she gives birth in the USA, she can simply stay in the US with me through her 1 year mat leave. We will get a bigger place but she won't have to pay a year's rent for her apartment in Canada (~1.5k per month?)
I know she likes her life in Canada and will respect and support whatever decision she makes, but as a couple, we are a little clueless right now. So if you have comments or insights, regarding any aspect of this decision please share. much much appreciated.
 
Copingwithlife

Copingwithlife

VIP Member
Jul 29, 2018
3,944
1,904
Earth
00iris00 said:
Hello, we just found out my wife's pregnant and I couldn't be happier. But here are some complications: Where should she receive her pregnancy care and deliver the baby?? I work in the US and she works in Canada. We are both Canadian PR (no citizens). I am in the process of getting green card for the both of us, and we should be getting it approved this fall (before the baby's birth).
Wife has health insurance in both Canada and the USA. Delivery a child in the US will cost about 4k USD after the insurance.

So here are some thoughts regarding my question of where to give birth, I hope folks here can help me think more clearly.
  • Obviously, I hope the baby can eventually get dual citizenship or citizenship in one and PR in another.If the baby is born in Canada as citizen, and if wife have the green card, wife can simply bring the baby into the US (before 2 years old), and the baby will automatically get Green card.
  • On the other hand, if the baby is born in the US, we will have to apply for Canadian PR for him/her as a dependent of us, which is not hard but annoying and can take up to 14 months. So logistically, (Canadian citizen+ Green card) is easier than (US citizen + Canadian PR).
  • One other consideration regarding immigration is that I would probably lose my Canadian PR in 5 years, since I am mostly in the US. But if I have a Canadian citizen (the baby) living with me in the US, I think those days can count towards days in Canada when renewing Canadian PR?
  • Lastly, about our family, if wife gives birth in Canada, I will go to Canada and WFH for a few months for my job and later return when she is better or when her parents can come take care of them. We'd keep both our apartments in the US and in Canada. But if she gives birth in the USA, she can simply stay in the US with me through her 1 year mat leave. We will get a bigger place but she won't have to pay a year's rent for her apartment in Canada (~1.5k per month?)
I know she likes her life in Canada and will respect and support whatever decision she makes, but as a couple, we are a little clueless right now. So if you have comments or insights, regarding any aspect of this decision please share. much much appreciated.
Click to expand...
You can’t use the baby being a Canadian citizen as a anchor for your residency obligations
It’s your spouse, which won’t work because they are a PR
It sounds like you want it all, having Canada as a backup . Having a Canadian citizenship for the child won’t mean anything in the short term , and you’re focusing on the United States .
https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1466&top=10

You travel with a spouse or common-law partner
Your spouse or common-law partner needs to be:

  • a Canadian citizen, or
  • a permanent resident working outside Canada, full-time for:
    • a Canadian business, or
    • the Canadian federal, provincial or territorial government
 
Last edited:
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0

00iris00

Full Member
Dec 20, 2020
48
24
Copingwithlife said:
You can’t use the baby being a Canadian citizen as a anchor for your residency obligations
It’s your spouse, which won’t work because they are a PR
It sounds like you want it all, having Canada as a backup . Having a Canadian citizenship for the child won’t mean anything in the short term , and you’re focusing on the United States .
Click to expand...
Thank you! That's very useful information. I guess that consideration about using the baby as an anchor won't matter then. The rest of the list still stands though. And just to be clear, I don't want everything, I just want to consider everything so we can make the best decision in this complex situation. My wife's job is in Canada, so once her mat leave is over, it is likely she will move back to Canada with the child. I will try to go often of course. So it is ideal that the child will have citizenship and/or PR in both countries so we don't have worry about getting a visa for the child..
 
C

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,981
12,774
If your wife gives birth they need to remain in Canada for a certain amount of time during the following year to remain compliant with the residency obligation to qualify for healthcare. Depending on the province that will be the next 6-12 months fir the baby and likely 5 months for your spouse. If they both plan on being in the US for mat leave you would be breaking the residency rules required to receive healthcare. That also goes for maternity care though not just for delivery. Will you ever get caught…no guarantees but there are residency requirements to receive healthcare so people don’t use healthcare and then leave.
 
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