How to Immigrate to Canada While Pregnant – Detailed Guide

Have you ever wondered if being pregnant will hinder your immigration to Canada? It might be a good idea to have a child in Canada. It provides access to top-notch medical treatment, a welcoming environment, financial support, and the chance to learn about Canada’s rich cultural diversity. From the time of conception till after, expectant parents should consider moving to Canada.

Well, let us discuss how to immigrate to Canada while pregnant, and by reading through this content, you will find answers to every one of your questions on how to immigrate to Canada as a pregnant woman.

Implications of Immigrating to Canada while Pregnant

Immigrating to Canada requires specific processes, and some of these processes may have particular implications or demand more from you as an expectant mother. By getting to know these processes and their impacts (which can be positive or negative), you will be able to plan your movement to Canada better.

Implications for Expectant Mother

Before accepting your visa application, you must undergo some medical examinations, including X-rays. However, X-rays can be pretty challenging for expectant mothers, especially those who are heavily pregnant. Therefore, some of your medical tests will have to be postponed until after your delivery and when you are deemed fit for them.

Being pregnant does not exempt you from going for the immigration medical examination expected of immigrants. However, you may only be unable to complete the process until you have delivered your baby.

Implications for the Baby

If you are already 7 or 8 months before applying for a visa, the immigration officer will likely have some medical test processes delayed until you give birth. In that case, your newborn baby will be regarded as your dependent. However, the baby will also have to go through all formalities needed for immigration, such as:

• A medical examination
• A passport and a birth certificate
• A child PR visa fees for children below the age of 22

Also, your proof of funds amount will increase since you have a new person to care for asides from yourself and your other family members.

Suppose you can immigrate to Canada before the end of your pregnancy, and you give birth on Canadian soil. In that case, your child automatically becomes a Canadian citizen, will be regarded as a dependent child until they reach the age of 22, and will enjoy all rights and privileges to which all Canadian citizens are exposed.

Canada Immigration Options for Pregnant Women

A pregnant woman can choose to immigrate to Canada based on any of these reasons:

• As a resident (permanent residency, working, etc.)
• As a student with a study visa
• As a visitor
• To give birth

All of the above options follow their unique processes whether you are pregnant or not. However, your pregnancy may delay your visa application process, especially if you are already heavy before you apply.

Suppose you wish to visit Canada to give birth or make your child a citizen. In that case, you need to start your visa application as early as possible in the first trimester so all tests and screenings will be carried out, your application will be accepted, and your visa will be ready towards the mid or last stage of pregnancy.

How to Apply for Visa as a Pregnant Woman

If you are pregnant and seeking a Canadian visa to give birth in the country or as a visitor or a student, the application process is not so different from that of a visitor visa. You will be given a visa known as a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and will need to follow these steps:

• Confirm eligibility for the pregnant woman’s Canadian visa;
• Provide all necessary documents required;
• Submit your application;
• Respond to additional requests from the IRCC while awaiting your response;
• Send your passport for stamping;
• Pay all fees required for your application to be completed;

Do not try to conceal your pregnancy while applying for a visa, or you may be discovered by the Canadian embassy and disqualified. Instead, in your declaration letter, you can state your reason for traveling to Canada and indicate that you are pregnant.

Pregnancy in Canada is not classified as a medical condition, so you truly have a medical condition. You can reply to any question asked on that with a ‘no’ in any of the forms you are required to fill.

Things to note when Immigrating to Canada as a Pregnant Woman

If you must immigrate to Canada during your period of pregnancy, here are the vital things to keep in mind:

1. There is a Safe Period to Travel to Canada while Pregnant;

The safest time to immigrate to Canada while pregnant is between the 18th and 24th week when the pregnancy is between 4½ and six months. As a rule by the IRCC, you cannot travel to Canada if your pregnancy is over eight months old.

2. You’ll Need Travel Health Insurance;

It is best for you and your unborn baby if you have travel insurance to get fast and easy healthcare access should there be emergencies. However, before subscribing to any travel insurance, research properly to ensure it has provisions for pregnant women and premature infants, as this is not an automatic inclusion in most insurances.

To further protect yourself and your baby, ensure you do not ignore the prenatal medications prescribed by your doctor in the country you wish to exit.

3. Travel with Necessary Medical Records;

Medical records such as your vaccination chart and other essential details should be in your possession while you travel down to Canada. This way, your healthcare can be easily monitored in your new location, and your new doctor can pick up from where the previous healthcare provider stopped.

4. Your Current Doctor must Endorse your Traveling;

Please meet your doctor at least six weeks before your intended travel day to determine if you will be fit enough to travel after they must have considered your health status, travel distance, and other risks involved. Do not travel with a pregnancy if your doctor has not considered you fit.

Also, by letting your doctor know your travel location, he may be able to refer you to a known and trusted doctor in Canada if he has such connections.

5. Traveling by Air to Canada is the Safest Option for a Pregnant Woman;

Air travel is still considered the safest transportation option for pregnant women, although you can also travel by car, bus, or train. You may travel by air to Canada until the last eight weeks of expectancy, and most airlines will restrict late pregnancy travels.

While traveling by air, you can have occasional walks by most airlines to prevent blood clots which pregnant women are more susceptible to. To make doing this more accessible, you may want to sit by the aisle.

Wrong ways to Immigrate to Canada as a Pregnant Woman

Even though immigrating to Canada while pregnant can be stressful, it is still best to do it correctly. This process carried out by some pregnant women is the wrong way to immigrate to Canada, and it is known as ‘Birth Tourism.’

To make their child Canadian citizens by birth, some women hide their pregnancies from the immigration authorities while visiting Canada. The Canadian government has discouraged this and even prohibited it under Canadian law.

So as much as you want to travel to Canada while pregnant, you must follow the correct process to avoid being sent back or rather sanctioned.

What to do as a Pregnant Newcomer to Canada

Depending on your reasons for immigration, you may not be returning from Canada before you are put to bed. If that is the case, you should take these actionable steps doing your first days in the country or probably all through the period of your pregnancy;

• Contact a Health Practitioner;

In Canada, an obstetrician, also called an OB, is usually people’s choice for healthcare during pregnancy, although a family doctor or a midwife will do just fine.

An obstetrician usually needs a referral from a family doctor, but you can contact a midwife without a referral. Since obstetricians are more capable of handling high-risk pregnancies, getting one may be your safest option.

• Apply for Health Insurance;

As is expected of all residents, you should apply for the publicly funded health insurance available in your province so you and your soon-to-be-born child can benefit from it. However, depending on the period you arrive in Canada, your baby may have come before the government’s insurance is ready.

It usually requires waiting up to three months for those willing to become permanent residents. In another case, you may not want to go for publicly funded health insurance if you are only visiting.

In any of these situations, you may purchase a private health insurance plan that will serve your waiting period for public insurance or your short stay in the country. If you don’t do this, you will have to pay for each visit to the hospital, which can be pocket-draining, or you may reach out to the services of midwives, which is relatively cheaper.

Is it possible to give birth for free in Canada?

The nation’s public healthcare system typically covers the expense of childbirth for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and foreign immigrants. Depending on the medical care you want, it may cost a few hundred dollars or be regularly free.

Final Note

It is believed that this article will provide you with as much information as you need about pregnancy and immigration to Canada. We also wish that you experience a wonderful time expecting your baby even as you process your visa and that you achieve your goal of having you and your child explore the beauties of Canada!

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