Hope of our celebrities who plan to travel to the United States of America to have their babies has finally come to a halt, as the new policy of Uncle Sam’s country may not favour 90% of them. The likes of Mercy Johnson who recently had her baby there should be thankful to God because she is likely going to be the last woman standing in Nollywood.
According to report gathered from Compass, the United States government appears to have tightened the noose on Nigerian pregnant women who have formed the habit of traveling to the US to deliver their babies. The women employ the ploy to ensure that such babies become citizens of the US in order to enjoy all the benefits of US citizenship.
However, with the new policy being introduced in the US, Nigeria women who travel abroad to deliver their babies may now have to opt for other countries other than the US or be multi-millionaires before they can have access to travelling for child delivery and qualify for automatic citizenship.
Most pregnant women in the past concealed their pregnancies during their visa interview or went for the interview with protruding tummies. But unfortunately for them now, women who are making such future plans may have the plans fall flat as the U.S embassy has got wind of the popular gimmick pregnant women use to secure visa for child delivery in the foreign country.
Already, the embassy has outlined some conditions which have to be met before such a visa which falls under medical tourism category is issued. But these conditions will not be favourable to many.
The applicant has to show proof of available funds of at least $140,000 (about N24 million) to pay medical fees; the applicant has to show proof of the need for medical attention in the U.S, such as high risk pregnancy and the likes.
US Embassy Chief of Consular Section, Ms Carol Cox disclosed that it would cost at least $60,000 to have a baby in the US and when complications arise from the delivery; the medical bills may go as high as $140,000.
Thus, fund availability, is very important as it is necessary to ensure that American taxpayers do not have to pay such bills, says Cox.
‘We owe the American public who pay taxes to make sure that those who seek medical services in the US pay for such services. This is essential because there are those who have the money and are not willing to pay.
‘It is very frustrating when you see a woman who is obviously pregnant. Sometimes seven months gone, tell you during a visa interview that she is just going to the US for a vacation,’ she said.
This new law was obviously made to discourage Nigerian women from traveling in the bid to get citizenship for such children but only those who need medical attention and can afford at least N24 million for medical bills will have the opportunity to deliver children in the country.
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