Colombian Couples giving birth in the USA

Simon says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:23:

Si esta gente odia tanto a Colombia que ni siquiera quieren que sus hijos nascan en ella, entonces que no vuelvan nunca!

Yo en cambio, si algún día llego a tener hijos, planeo viajar a Colombia para que nascan allá! He dicho!

"Tu vas a ver, llegaras a mi edad y veras que Colombia seguira igual"-----Simon Sr.

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:26:

Simon that is the problem, these are obviously families who live in Colombia, travel to the US to give birth and then return with their all american baby. Their intention is not to stay in the US.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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Simon says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:32:

Espero que EEUU no le dé entrada a esta gente.

"Tu vas a ver, llegaras a mi edad y veras que Colombia seguira igual"-----Simon Sr.

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morphus says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:34:

I think its rediculous. The Colombian couples first have to get a tourist visa. Colombians usually have to be well established in Colombia to get a tourist visa to the US. Will they be so desperate to have their child in the US? They could also arrange everything without the website and save money.

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viajero123 says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:37:

Will the US admit someone in advanced pregnancy into the country?

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:37:

If the airline will bring a woman who's obviously pregnant, I don't know how/why she could be refused admission.

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:41:

I think I read they must travel during the first trimester, get a doctor, find the hospital and I would suspect that once you've arranged all the details it is harder to deny entry. Having babies as a foreigner in the US while on a valid visa is perfectly legal, plus can you imagine...shit would hit the fan if someone denied a legal visitor entry on the basis that they're pregnant with all her pregnancy medical history in the US,

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:48:

I think the Supreme Court will deal with the citizenship section of the 14th Amendment as it relates to illegal aliens having babies in the US before they try to close the loophole mentioned above.

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viajero123 says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:49:

These people aren't illegal immigrants though.

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 3, 2008, 15:56:

True, and airplanes were probably a wild dream when the Amendment came into being.

People can certainly take advantage of the system, but with aggressive hospital collection practices and the (eventual) linking of credit records across countries, I wouldn't want to stiff an American hospital and think my assets in Colombia are forever protected.

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jonas says on Jun 3, 2008, 16:09:

Simon you really manage to impressssss once again

Simon Presidente!

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Gator says on Jun 3, 2008, 18:28:

First, can they get the visa before paying the $8.000USD?

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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jenny6 says on Jun 3, 2008, 18:38:

I know many people here in Colombia that have had their children in the US. At first, it really bothered me. Now I see that they just want to give their kids an opportunity. Most of them go to college in the states, but return to Colombia. I know if I was a Colombian parent with money, I would probably do the same thing.

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Joel y Luza says on Jun 3, 2008, 18:53:

I would guess that immigration may just say no if you were ready to deliver on the tarmac, or anytime during your visa stay... EXACTLY what my friends in immmigration said they try to stop....Also, hospitals and Doctors are a little wary of delivering babies when they haven't a history of following their prenatal care, due to little problems like lawsuits and stuff.

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romy says on Jun 3, 2008, 20:46:

As far as I'm concerned people should be allowed to have their babies wherever they want.

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Lisa Zee says on Jun 3, 2008, 20:55:

"in the unlikely event that I end up mothering anything" LOL

I wish my son was born in Colombia!

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nbenjamin says on Jun 3, 2008, 21:30:

Its the Constitution. More power to them - Born in the US a US citizen. I am more than happy if they can get in then that kid is a US citizen.

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peteyw says on Jun 3, 2008, 22:37:

Sounds like a scam. You roll into the U.S. with no U.S. insurance and the 8K is supposed to include coverage of your hospital stay and delivery? Hmm. A one or two day stay in any U.S. hospital for a delivery can cost the whole thing or more.

How come its always $8,000 for these get a 'citizenship in North America for a family member' deals?

There is a scam going around Colombia where brokers guarantee that a Colombian citizen can emigrate to Canada as a displaced refugee. That displaced status gives you and your family a visa into Canada and the Canadian Govt. will pay for your housing, medical, education, etc.. until you get on your feet. The cost is $8,000 for the companies services to help arrange it.

I found out about it when a Colombian friend of mine called me in December asking to borrow some money for it. He wanted to go with his wife and their two year old. He said after he paid the money, they were almost guaranteed cititzenship in Canada.

Sounded too suspicious to me. I researched the thing on the web for 20 minutes and was able to show him recent Canadian Govt. denials of these things going back several years because many people had been ripped off. There were several companies offering this scam, specifically to Colombians. After my friend realized it was B.S. he said his entire family was pitching in to get the cash together so he could pay the folks operating the website and I saved them all a lot of money.

Maybe this thing is legit and you can go to the U.S. after a few months pregnant and wait for the birth, and the $8,000 USD happens to be a coincidence.

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huskie says on Jun 4, 2008, 04:39:

A scam for sure!
Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

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ietk says on Jun 4, 2008, 04:45:

As far as I know, it is not against the law to give birth in the United States as a tourist, visitor or illegal alien yet, if the parents want their kids to be born here in the U.S, thats their choice I really do not care if they are born here or in Colombia, is not like in Germany the kids receive whatever status the parents have.

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Gator says on Jun 4, 2008, 06:53:

Jack, yes! And there's the rub. A child born on American soil automatically gets U.S. citizenship, unless the child is born to a foreign government official who is in the United States as a recognized diplomat. Children born in certain U.S. territories -- Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam -- may also acquire U.S. citizenship.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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viajero123 says on Jun 4, 2008, 07:03:

Do the parents get residence or citizenship if their baby is born in the US and therefore a US citizen?

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 08:04:

The status of the parents does not change.

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 08:16:

one question i know a lady she went to the USA and stayed there illegally, she met another Colombian illegal while there and she had a baby, when the boy was about 7 or 8 she was deported along with the father of the baby, of course she came back with the child. today the child is nearly 16, she never registered him while in the USA, if this kid wants to claim USA citizenship can he do it? how can he start looking for paper to probe he was born there? i think she brought him to Colombia with a Colombian passport... i am pretty sure the kid never had a USA passport

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ColombianoGringo says on Jun 4, 2008, 08:19:

US residency used to be a lot easier if you had a kid in the US. These days, I think the kid gets citizenship but the only real benefit to the parents is that the child could request a visa for them once he is an adult. These types of visas are far from guaranteed and often take a really long time. I am not sure if parent visas require waiting for a priority date like most other non-spouse family visas.

I was actually born in the US in a similar situation. My parents came over on a temporary visa when my mom was pregnant and I was born here. However, my dad was looking for a job as a programmer and got their residency as a result of the his new employer sponsoring him. I suppose that my being born here didn't hurt, but it wasn't the basis for their residency. Even so, we all had to return to Colombia for a long time while their residency was processed.

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Mononoke28 says on Jun 4, 2008, 09:08:

From a legal point of view I don't see anything wrong with it. I mean, the parents are coming to the US legally and they're also paying for all the hospital and OB/GYN costs. But I'm with CG, these people don't realize that coming to the US by using their US citizen kid is not as easy as they think it is. They still have to wait 18 years until the kid is of legal age to peition them. On top of that they will most likely need a co-sponsor who will have enough money not only to support their own family but the new people coming to the US as well, this includes the US citizen kid. So no, it's not as easy but it certainly is legal.

Diana

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 4, 2008, 09:54:

I don't think these people have their babies with the expectation of moving to the US. Clearly, the people who can afford to pay 8 or 9 thousand dollars to have a baby are those who have a good life in Colombia, why would they want to move to the US? I do believe it is to save costs when it comes to college, visas to travel etc etc. In principle I believe people should be free to have their kids wherever they feel like it, but in practice I am not too sure. I mean lets suppose the country is a welfare state, and people start having babies there because they know education is free, higher education is 10 times cheaper when they're nationals and they are entitled to a wide range of social benefits...In that case I don't think its that simple, because these families are not contributing anything to the country (ie don't work there, don't live there, don't pay taxes)...

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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Gator says on Jun 4, 2008, 10:13:

kat1-if he can't come up with a birth certificate showing he was born in the USA he will have a long row to hoe. This is definitely Immigration Attorney territory.


In order to apply for the parents the applicant must be 21 years of age. Each family-based immigrant must have an affidavit of support submitted for them by the petitioning sponsor.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 10:17:

Kat1 - Was the child born in a hospital? Was a Social Security Number ever obtained for him?

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jonas says on Jun 4, 2008, 10:33:

Cerealkiller says on Jun 4, 2008, 09:54: flag

"I don't think these people have their babies with the expectation of moving to the US. Clearly, the people who can afford to pay 8 or 9 thousand dollars to have a baby are those who have a good life in Colombia, why would they want to move to the US? I do believe it is to save costs when it comes to college, visas to travel etc etc. ..."

You would be surprised what standard of living many (certainly not all) emigrants leave behind in Colombia to go wash dishes in a country where they don't even speak the language. Lots of dreamers out there. Also many times the entire family chips in with loans, taking mortgages on their land etc. to have one family member make it to the US with the help of a coyote. The problem are the people offering such trips, often government officials are involved. There is more money in coyotism nowadays than in arms or drugs (on a worldwide scale).

Simon Presidente!

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 10:58:

yes he was born in a hospital, i really don't know if he has a SSN,

she doesn't want to go back to the USA she is tool old now about 55, and her son never has asked anything about going back, but she did want him to have the American passport in case if in the future he'll want to go back to America.

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 11:00:

And IMO because they are not rich, no even middle class, he lives between estrato 1 and 2 he might want to look for opportunities there in the future so an American passport will be a great start

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ColombianoGringo says on Jun 4, 2008, 11:07:

Kat,

Where was he born(city & state)? Each state has its own office for handling vital statistics such as births. I can look it up and find the office that might be able to help.

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 11:17:

With some counties (most?) you just find their website, find the vital statistics section, find the form and fill it out online or print it and mail it in. For about $15 USD they'll send you a certified birth certificate within a week or two. There are for-profit online services that do this too but it's not that hard -- you're just paying them for Express Mail service and a few minutes of their time. I had to get my birth certificate recently and all the county wanted was my name, date of birth, city of birth and maybe the names of my parents as further proof/authentication. Piece of cake.

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Jun 4, 2008, 11:19:

thanks, CG, unfortunately i have to get all that data when i am in Colombia next time (over Christmas)

as I don't know her telephone number and she lives in Bogotá.. if i can get someone to talk to her and asked her i will let you know.

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ColombianoGringo says on Jun 4, 2008, 11:20:

Well. Just drop me a line when you get the info and I'll look it up for you then.

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