Hotscot

No-one bears you ill will.
It's just like being down the pub with a bunch of loud mates with varying knowledgeable opinions.

Valuable information, which often contradicts preconceived notions, can be gleaned.

DanielOH

Thanks again. Have checked with the NHS. I'm not sure why this point bothers you so much. Agree to disagree?

DanielOH

Thanks. I was just hoping for an answer to my question, but I suspect this will end up being a trip to USCIS. Travelling to spend time with family is not unusual, and neither is having a baby. We are just considering combining the two.

DaveLovesDee

How long have you lived in the UK in the last 12 months? If it's less than 6+ months, you'll be a US resident for UK tax purposes, and therefore non-resident in the UK for most purposes.

Being ordinarily resident is not the same as having a residence address in the UK. And though you may not have asked the question, but the answer's still likely to be relevant.

Hotscot

Many will be questioning the wisdom of requiring a heavily pregnant woman to take a long, perhaps unnecessary, flight...it is a stressful experience at the best of times these days.

SanDiegogirl

Please clarify where your main residence is. Even if you have a house in the UK this does not mean you are resident there; and no residency means you are not eligible to use the NHS.

I expect you can access it - there is currently a severe problem with non residents getting NHS services (especially with British sounding spouses) - however it does not mean you are morally entitled to it.

DanielOH

A fair point, but we would be travelling at 6-7 months pregnant, which is absolutely allowable without a doctors note, and not terribly high risk.

Pulaski

FIFY

Pulaski

Previously, when applying for a visa to live in the US you were trying to do something was entirely legal and for which there is a clear, established process, but now you are trying to do something which is at best highly questionable, and for which there is no established procedure (ironically other than the art about obtaining a visa for a non-US citizen born outside the US), not to mention that it is wildly impractical, and so the advice you receive is unsurprisingly rather different to your previous experience of BE. The primary difference appears to be that you were unaware of the multiple issues that you face with your Byzantine plan.

DanielOH

Good grief... close the thread. We are too far off topic. Thanks for the helpful responses all.

Pulaski

So you told "the NHS" (not sure who you would speak to get this advice, but anyway) that you emigrated to the US in 2014 and have lived there since then, and that you and your wife are planning to visit the UK for the express purpose of your wife giving birth in the UK. You will then both return to the US, because that is where you live, and whoever you spoke to at the NHS said, "Yeah, you're fine to use the NHS for free"?

Pulaski

I don't see a single post that isn't directly and specifically related to something that you said.

robtuck

The NHS is still completely accessible for non-resident, just that you are supposed to pay for the services unlike someone who is normally Resident in the country. In your case I assume you have kept a UK address? While this confuses the living daylights out of the NHS it doesn't change the residency issue. What it does do is open the prospect the NHS will not get around to asking you the relevant questions and ensuring you are billed for any services used. As you no doubt come complete with UK accent and possible still have a registered address on records, I imagine if you left out the residency bit, that a member of staff would advise you can use the services with no issues.

So, you can possibly get lucky, but legal position is that you are not resident and should be billed. Of course, that situation changes if you can show you intend to become resident - a possibility if you plan on remaining for 6/7 months at least I guess?

Noorah101

So, back to the topic. Did you read my post? Will your USC wife be able to pass along her US citizenship to the baby if it's born in the UK? If not, how do you plan on bringing the baby back to live in the USA with you?

Rene

Mercury39

Pulaski, Welcome back, good to see you back, direct and helpful advice.

Back to this topic, some hopefully useful information for the OP - Be very very careful about showing you are really a resident, and not just because family have a residence in the UK (I share because would like to help anyone avoid large unplanned costs that impacted others I know, and it cost them thousands for a very similar situation)
Entitlement to NHS Hospital Treatment for Non-Resident UK Citizens
British expats from outside Europe must pay for NHS hospital care
Expats Have To Pay For NHS Care