Birth abroad

[on-hold]

I appreciate everyone's concern, but I think that the practicalities of giving birth here make it necessary. Our citizenship situation is already complicated enough that the last thing we need is a baby with no status in Canada. I do think that it probably would not be too complicated for a baby with a U.S. passport (this is very easy to get when a kid is born abroad) would probably not have too much trouble staying in Canada, BUT there would be no health insurance, other benefits, and a long process of normalizing status. So maybe birth here and rather quick travel back to Mom's home for a few months. Time will tell.

 

[Pippin]

Sounds like a plan! You may also want to consider getting at least your baby's first immunizations done (2 months) a few weeks before flying.

 

[sheik]

on hold, that will be th best decision for you and your family, wish you good luck

 

[crassy]

So you have to keep in mind that Canada takes almost a year to issue citizenship from birth abroad and I don't know about Thailand, but in India, it took me 3 months just to get my son's birth certificate.

Not necessarily. I gave birth to my daughter in Australia, I had her birth certificate two weeks later, and I had her citizenship card 5 weeks after that.

 

[zenn]

Not necessarily. I gave birth to my daughter in Australia, I had her birth certificate two weeks later, and I had her citizenship card 5 weeks after that.

A lot depends on the country in question... For countries like Thailand, Singapore, India etc it is MUCH harder to get paper work processed!

 

[jo-macral]

I am in the reverse situation. I live and work in Thailand with my wife of 5 years, and we have a young 2 1/2 yo daughter. My wife having her child here is not a problem, though a very expensive one (unless you are loaded, or wish to use a cheaper public hospital for the birth, pre,and post natal care - NOT RECOMMENDED).

Our child is at the age where school is the top thing on our minds, and quite frankly, there is NO FRIGGING WAY in this lifetime will we put our child through the public school system, and the private / international schools are far too expensive (think 30K US per term for a decent one). We are moving back to Canada to provide a much better future for our daughter, and my wife - the day cannot come sooner.

Already on several occasions close 'family friends' have tried (unsuccessfully) to abduct our child while visiting the grand parents. This and an endless amount of jealousy from relatives are driving us insane, and fueling our need to get out, and get a stable life back. If you think your wife's family are there to help, I am sad to inform you it could change rapidly once the child is born - especially if the grandparents wish to 'take' the child and 'help' raise it after birth - getting the child back after may prove to be a fun, and frustrating process.

This is only my experience talking here, but mirrored by others with similar events. I wish you the best, and hope you have a healthy baby!

 

[jo-macral]

In Thailand it is pretty painless, and the staff at the Embassy in Bangkok are very friendly and helpful.

You need:
Your Wife's ID, House book, Marriage Certificate, Name Change certificate (if applicable)
You need: ID (or passport in my case) and birth certificate.
Child needs: Birth Certificate and 5 passport photos.

5 months later I got a call to pick up the Citizenship Certificate. To my surprise, it was a large legal sized page with "do not fold or laminate" stamped on it, but that is minor.

A lot depends on the country in question... For countries like Thailand, Singapore, India etc it is MUCH harder to get paper work processed!

 

[zenn]

I am in the reverse situation. I live and work in Thailand with my wife of 5 years, and we have a young 2 1/2 yo daughter. My wife having her child here is not a problem, though a very expensive one (unless you are loaded, or wish to use a cheaper public hospital for the birth, pre,and post natal care - NOT RECOMMENDED).

Our child is at the age where school is the top thing on our minds, and quite frankly, there is NO FRIGGING WAY in this lifetime will we put our child through the public school system, and the private / international schools are far too expensive (think 30K US per term for a decent one). We are moving back to Canada to provide a much better future for are daughter, and my wife - the day cannot come sooner.

Already on several occasions close 'family friends' have tried (unsuccessfully) to abduct our child while visiting the grand parents. This and an endless amount of jealousy from relatives are driving us insane, and fueling our need to get out, and get a stable life back. If you think your wife's family are there to help, I am sad to inform you it could change rapidly once the child is born - especially if the grandparents wish to 'take' the child and 'help' raise it after birth - getting the child back after may prove to be a fun, and frustrating process.

This is only my experience talking here, but mirrored by others with similar events. I wish you the best, and hope you have a healthy baby!

OMG that's terrible!

The problem also arises from the fact that the older generations think that their way of raising a child is the best and abhor western culture!

Good luck!

 

[zenn]

To my surprise, it was a large legal sized page with "do not fold or laminate" stamped on it, but that is minor.

ROFL!!

To me though 5 months is a hell of a long time for a kid to stay away from their dad... Of course I am assuming that the other parent was still in Canada working...

If both get the opportunity to come down to their country of origin then that's awesome

 

[jo-macral]

I might also add one crinkle to having a child born in Thailand, which we found out after the fact.

Because there is compulsory 'monk' and military service in this country, if you have a male child, your child MUST return to Thailand to fulfill these duties at their appointed time (age 16 for example), or your child will be arrested when you do return to Thailand after that time.. It is a sad, but a duty you must respect.

Thankfully for us, we had a daughter which hold no obligations, so we are Ok.

One thing we were told to do if we knew we were having a a male child, was to in fact have him in Canada, and to NOT apply for Thai citizenship for the child until after his 17th birthday - if desired at all.

 

[jo-macral]

Not so bad as I work and live here in Thailand. 5 months is actually not too bad as they quoted 8 months, and 'no longer' than 1 year.

ROFL!!

To me though 5 months is a hell of a long time for a kid to stay away from their dad... Of course I am assuming that the other parent was still in Canada working...

If both get the opportunity to come down to their country of origin then that's awesome

 

[zenn]

Not so bad as I work and live here in Thailand. 5 months is actually not too bad as they quoted 8 months, and 'no longer' than 1 year.

That's great then!

 

[jo-macral]

You have no idea.. Of the grandparents I know raising children here, they do not teach disciplined, manners. My in-laws are no different when we let our child stay with them for several months to appease their endless bantering. Now they want to KEEP our child as they are viewed more favorably by relatives and friends because they have a cute mix child. They are doing everything they can, and sadly all my wife's relatives are on board with my in-laws. Again, only fueling our desire to leave - and quickly.

I can write about this for weeks and still not get it all out.

OMG that's terrible!

The problem also arises from the fact that the older generations think that their way of raising a child is the best and abhor western culture!

Good luck!

 

[zenn]

You have no idea.. Of the grandparents I know raising children here, they do not teach disciplined, manners. My in-laws are no different when we let our child stay with them for several months to appease their endless bantering. Now they want to KEEP our child as they are viewed more favorably by relatives and friends because they have a cute mix child. They are doing everything they can, and sadly all my wife's relatives are on board with my in-laws. Again, only fueling our desire to leave - and quickly.

I can write about this for weeks and still not get it all out.

OMG!! That is crazyyy!!!
Yup, I grant that... some how manners go out of the window when there are too many people spoiling the kid- which is what often happens in such places....!!

 

[on-hold]

With all due respect, Jo-macral, you have some odd ideas about Thailand -- our first child was born there, and we found the following:

- the hospitals are excellent and cheap, we paid 2000 dollars for a C-section delivery and 5 days of care; both the surgeon and the pediatrician were first rate

- my wife's parents and relatives were nothing but helpful; living in Thailand for the first 1.5 years of my child's life was wonderful for him. They helped immensely, washing and changing diapers, showing us how to care for a baby, and a million other things. The idea that Canadians know more about raising a child than Thais do is absurd.

- what are you talking about, you let your child stay with their grandparents for several months to appease them? Did you want to do this or didn't you? If you didn't, how is it possible you somehow lost control of your kid for several months? Are you seriously giving advice? And as for discipline, you're right, Thais don't 'discipline' infants or toddlers, they humour them in every respect, that is the basic philosophy. I've lived in Thailand for long enough to know that this does not spoil the kids, Thai kids are quieter and more disciplined as teenagers than anywhere I have ever been.

- Of course your wife's parents want to keep the child, they love them; in Thailand grandparents raise the kids, and they're going to be miserable when the kid leaves. But you never realized that and think it's funny.

- Compulsory 'monk' service! Hahahahahaha! You don't know a good god-damned thing about Thailand, do you? Or your wife either, if you think she agrees with you over her parents.

- Compulsory military service -- you're wrong again. There is a compulsory draw, where men of an appropriate age draw lots in public -- those who get a red ticket join the military on the spot. There are several ways to get out of this and most people do; those who don't still have good odds of not joining the military.

I'm sorry to be sarcastic, but I've known a lot of people like you in Thailand -- no knowledge of the country, no ability to speak the language, and contempt for their wife's relatives. The fact that you've been there for five years and can say something as hilariously wrong as 'compulsory monk service' sums it all up.