Giving Birth in Mexico: Everything You Need to Know
Last Updated on Jul 24, 2024
Why give birth in Mexico? For me, it was a no-brainer for various reasons that I described in a separate post. Most importantly, I think the best gift one can effortlessly give a child is to get your baby a second citizenship at birth.
I spent a few years living in Mexico City and a few more years in Playa del Carmen. During my time in Mexico City, all my friends and community were Mexican (not an expat crowd at all), which means I got to know how things actually worked.
I got to visit a few friends at various hospitals so I knew the quality of healthcare and I also worked on medical & legal research a few years back.
While there’s a big difference between private and public care, for foreigners without a valid residency there’s only the option of private care which is extremely affordable if you have an income from outside of Mexico.
Hence why so many Americans practice medical tourism – if you go to Tijuana or any other spot right next to the border, you’ll notice there are hospitals and pharmacies dedicated to those who just cross the border to get medical treatments done (plastic surgeries being the most popular actually). I did it with my psoriasis.
Birth tourism in Mexico is also slowly getting more attention. Especially since Mexican immigration is cracking down on 180 day visas, forcing people to get proper residency.
Do You Need a Birthing Agency in Mexico?
Giving birth in Mexico got so popular that many birthing agencies popped up – there are quite a few. They’re for those who want to get some help when it comes to paperwork, arranging doctors and hospitals.
You don’t NEED the birthing agency. The process is pretty straightforward: you just call the hospital and set up a visit with the OBGYN you pick. There’s always someone who speaks English. You can also just get someone to go with you to register the baby – finding anyone who speaks English and can translate for you cannot be easier in popular towns like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, or Tijuana.
While the agency can make things easier and I’m sure there are plenty of good ones, I keep getting emails from people who used birthing agents and end up with surprise costs and have had to overpay for everything. So until I find someone I can recommend I’ll say: do everything on your own – I added all the steps on how to do things below.
My Experience Giving Birth in Mexico
Prenatal Care in Mexico
We made a decision to go to Mexico at 34 weeks which still seemed early after last time. If it wasn’t for covid and the potential issues caused by it, I’d probably have just booked an appointment for then, but I wanted to be sure that we’re all set before moving back to Mexico for a few months.
That said, I called the hospital and arranged an appointment around 28 weeks. I had a few doctors to pick from and based on several recommendations I decided on Dr. Eduardo Loya.
I was positively surprised at the first appointment when the doctor took an hour to get all my history, explained everything, took time to see if everything was ok for the ultrasound, and discuss options for the birth. The same appointments in the US take about 10 minutes.
I had another appointment at 36 weeks when we arrived back in Mexico and we scheduled the birth then, as at this point it was pretty much certain I would need another c-section (I had placenta previa and we waited till the last minute to see if something improved).
I really liked that my doctor was flexible and while we had a date, it was subject to a potential change. I had follow-up appointments every week (free of charge) and detailed ultrasounds each week. We decided that if I can make it to almost 38 weeks, it would make no sense to take the baby out before.
My doctor was always reachable on WhatsApp any time of the day in case I needed something. This applies to post-birth as well.
Hospital Experience – Hospital Galenia in Cancun
I was scheduled for Friday at 8 AM and because we lived about an hour away from the hospital it was better for me to check in the night before. This was something I was offered at no extra charge, similar to my weekly appointments.
There’s no need for me to share my entire birth story – all I will say is that a second c-section is definitely not a walk in the park, but all complications have been taken care of.
One thing I do want to say is that they have protocols for everything including going to the bathroom the next day, so if you need or want something – keep insisting on it.
I discussed everything with my doctor beforehand, including the type of incision closure. My anesthesiologist was great and made me feel very comfortable during the entire process.
My husband was naturally allowed in the operating room, but after debating it for a while we decided that both he and our older son Dylan would come to the hospital after baby Holden was born and everyone is out of the recovery rooms.
I was allowed to have a phone with me during my c-section and in recovery since my husband couldn’t be there. They took nice photos for me in the operating room and with a fresh baby as well.
We did have to ask for special permission to bring Dylan to the hospital since kids were not allowed due to covid at the time.
I cannot speak about the language barrier since I’m fluent in Spanish, but I can say that not all nurses speak English for sure. However, there’s always someone available for a possible translation if needed.
My doctor was fluent in English, so was the anesthesiologist, and they both spoke English to my husband who doesn’t really speak Spanish apart from basics.
Postnatal Care in Mexico
Unlike in the US where you have your follow-up appointment at 6 weeks, in Mexico both you and the baby have a follow-up 7-8 days after birth. Then you have another appointment at 3 weeks.
It’s very helpful and you can be taken care of nicely. I was able to message my doctor and ask him any questions on WhatsApp.
I actually had some complications and needed extra medications, and even though my doctor wasn’t working that day, he arranged for someone else to give me the prescription so I could start taking it as soon as possible.
Cost of Giving Birth in Mexico
Everything came down to about $2,200. If it was a natural birth then it would be cheaper, but we also got some extra tests for the baby (we asked for it) and I needed more drugs (also asked for it) and my doctor was the most expensive at the hospital (which I knew), so it could have been less.
My hospital was also the most expensive in the area. You should be informed about all the costs beforehand. Doctors’ salaries vary per doctor, but you can ask them beforehand to be prepared.
How to Give Birth in Mexico: Step By Step
Step 1: Choose a Hospital for Birth in Mexico
There were a few hospitals I considered, but ultimately I decided that instead of going back to Mexico City, I’d rather spend a few weeks on the beach in Playa del Carmen as I used to live there before and give birth in Cancun at Hospital Galenia.
There’s a belief that Mexican hospitals push many women to have a cesarian birth even if natural birth is possible, and while I cannot speak for all public hospitals as all my local friends opted for private options as well, I can certainly tell you that it’s not the case with private hospitals.
In fact, I can tell you that it’s surely not true with Galenia in Cancun because I was able to see the birth registry and it was definitely more natural vaginal births. Considering that my doctor specialized in high-risk pregnancies in which c-sections are required more frequently, I’d say it looked pretty good.
In Mexico you can have a vaginal birth, water birth (parto en el agua) or cesarian depending on the preference and naturally, medical circumstances. I also know some people who even had a doula for a home birth (parto en casa) – in fact, it’s getting more and more popular.
Hospital Recommendations from First-Hand Experiences:
- Cancun
- Hospital Galenia (doctors Eduardo Loya or Alejandra Macías)
- Amerimed Hospital
- Mexico City
- ABC Hospital (doctor Annie Kuttothara)
- Hospital Angeles Interlomas
- Playa del Carmen:
- Salud Primal (birthing center)
- Ixchel Hospital (doctor Ivan Kowasky)
- Puerto Vallarta:
- La Joya Hospital
Pick a hospital and doctor, call for an appointment. Arrive, have an appointment, and set up your hospital birth registration along with a tour. You should receive a brochure with costs and be informed about any additional costs during the process.
Step 2: Documents needed to check in at the hospital:
- Medical approval from your local doctor (kind of obvious)
- Proof of payment or deposit (because it’s a private hospital)
- Proof of address – it can be a bill under someone else’s name if you’re not a permanent resident or renting
- Your passport copy or FM2/FM3 (if you’re a resident)
Step 3: Documents from the Hospital & Payments – Pay Attention!
Unlike in the US (I dare to say US is the only country that registers babies at the hospital), in Mexico just like in Europe, babies aren’t registered for a birth certificate at the hospital. The hospital fills out a form in Spanish with information about the mother.
In my case, it’s been done before birth because we had time, but I assume if you’re in active labor they’ll do it after.
Then, right before the discharge, you receive a form provided by the hospital that you must “sign” by doing a fingerprint. They also give you a child’s hospital form called “nacido vivo” or “certificado de alumbramiento“ with baby’s footprints and handprints that they take after birth when they take him for a check-up.
I get a lot of questions about home births, so here’s some information: it’s pretty common and totally possible, but some arrangements are required to get the baby’s birth certificate – keep reading under registration.
You also need to settle the payments before you leave which is pretty normal everywhere at a private hospital. In Mexico, however, it was an experience itself…
In Poland, with my firstborn, I was able to just send my husband to the office and pay for everything with a credit card, so we assumed (wrongly) that it would work the same way.
I decided to go instead of my husband as I spoke Spanish and thought it was going to be easier since we already pre-paid for some things in advance. The thing is, because of the protocol, you cannot “just go”.
First, they had to call a guy to take me with a wheelchair to the cashier. This is where the fun started because it turned out I could only pay the hospital fee, but then every doctor’s salary had to be paid to the doctors directly.
Because my OBGYN was the director of the hospital, I was able to pay his salary there, but then there was a question how do I pay for the neonatologist and anesthesiologist? We had to ask nurses to communicate with both doctors to come and tell me how they wanted to get paid. Keep in mind that it was Sunday morning.
The anesthesiologist was pretty easy because they called him in and he came very soon after and said that cash was fine, so my husband went to the ATM downstairs and took the cash out. The neonatologist, however, was working at a different hospital so we had to wait until he finished a birth at another hospital and came over.
Once he came over he said he could do a bank transfer, but Transferwise had some issues and required information that none of us had so that was a no-go. We had also reached the limit of daily withdrawal on our card, so we had to agree that we would bring the money when the baby came for a check-up.
Then we got another note from the cashier that our bill was all set and we could get officially discharged.
How to Register a Birth in Mexico
Step 4: How to Get a Mexican Birth Certificate for a Baby
To register the baby and obtain the birth certificate you need to go to the civil registry (registro civil). You don’t NEED to go immediately after (in Poland you have a 2-week period), but I read some horror stories from foreigners having issues with getting baby’s birth certificates so I wanted to go ASAP.
I was worried for no reason because obtaining a baby’s birth certificate is very easy. What you normally need is:
- Form from the hospital (discharge paper + certificado de alumbramiento / nacido vivo)
- IDs of both parents, so in our case passports
- Birth certificates of both parents (more on this below)
- Proof of address (again, doesn’t need to be under your name)
- ID of two witnesses and witnesses in person – they cannot be the baby’s grandparents (no witnesses were required for us during the pandemic)
- Copies of all the documents – you can do it at the registry
Now, in reality, the list of required documents is longer and also includes things like marriage certificates, divorce certificates and so on, but when we went and asked, we were told it’s not really needed.
Important: both parents and the baby have to be present to submit the documents and pick them up. You have 180 days to register the baby.
FOR HOME BIRTH IN MEXICO: If you had or want to have a home birth, you obviously won’t have the discharge papers from any hospital.
The certified midwife you hire must issue a certificate related to the birth and later the mother and the minor must go to request the certificate.
If you wish to free birth or you’re a doula yourself, you can do it but also must hire a certified midwife to come afterward to issue the documentation stating the date and time of birth, the sex of the newborn, place of birth, the name of the mother and the information of herself – the certified midwife. It must be issued within the first 24 hours after the birth occurred.
The witnesses are needed for the registration at the Registro Civil office, not the actual birth.
Now the bad news is that for all births that occur outside a medical unit, the mother accompanied by the newborn must go to the nearest health services to request the issuance of the Birth Certificate, no later than 48 hours after birth to register the baby.
One problem we encountered was that we needed official translations and apostilles on our birth certificates, even though my own birth certificate is an EU one and has all the translations.
However, the guy looked at it and told me that he can simply take all the information from our passports without using birth certificates, but he won’t be able to put all grandparents’ information on it (not that it matters for anything).
The only thing they weren’t able to do was to give the baby my last name. In Mexico and other Latin American countries, you normally have two last names – one paternal and one maternal (mother’s maiden last name). Since I had only my “new” last name in my passport, the baby had to be named Holden James Karsten Karsten.
Mexican Birth Certificates
We were told it would take a week to get it, but 2 days later we had an appointment to pick up the baby’s birth certificate and his CURP (it’s like Mexican social security number). We went into a private room where we had to look at it and see if everything was correct and then the baby had to “sign” the document. This means he had to give a fingerprint 😉
You will get two birth certificates – a “long one” and “short one”. The longer one is called “copia fiel del libro” and that’s the important one.
Get copies of birth certificates, because some consulates ask for the official ones. In some places in Mexico you can just do it at the “kiosko”, but in Quintana Roo I had to order them directly from the civil registry.
You do NOT need the apostille of Mexican birth certificates for American documents. They might tell you at the registry that you do, but it’s no longer required and the American Embassy takes it all as it is.
Apostille takes about 14 days and costs about 2000 MXN. It IS required for European documents, so if you plan on getting your baby a European passport, you will need it. You can only get it in Mexico, in the same state as the baby was born.
Vaccination Card for the Baby
Vaccinations are mandatory in Mexico, so the baby needs to have a vaccination card. If you’re just giving birth and leaving (not wanting a residency for yourself), then you don’t need a vaccination card, but if you do that’s something you need to get as it’s needed for family residency.
Vaccination cards are given at IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) which is like social security for medical things. However, since you won’t have medical insurance, as a non-resident you cannot be given anything there, even though your baby is Mexican.
Only Hospital General in the city you’re staying can issue a vaccination card for your baby and they can also vaccinate your baby free of charge, regardless of whether you have insurance or not.
If you wish, you can also continue with your private pediatrician and do vaccines there, but a private doctor cannot issue a vaccination card.
There’s an exemption to the vaccination card requirement for obtaining permanent residency based on the baby…If you have a Mexcian passport for your baby already then you don’t need to show the vaccination card at the INM.
Getting a Mexican Passport & Leaving the Country
Under normal circumstances, you can easily get a child a Mexican passport pretty much straight away. For us, it was a bit different because of covid restrictions so I can tell you about both options and important things to add.
In order to get a Mexican baby a Mexican passport (your baby is automatically Mexican as he/she is born in Mexico), you need some documents that you might not need in your country.
Officially, as in every other place in the world, if you’re a citizen of a country you must leave and enter the country using this country’s document. So for example, if you’re an American and Mexican you must leave Mexico using Mexican documents and enter the US using your American documents.
Some people are using loopholes if their kids have expired passports or they were born elsewhere, but in Mexico or the US (or other countries with birthright) if in any passport it says “born in that country” there’s no way around it as the citizenship is automatic.
That said, officially your baby must leave on a Mexican passport. I’m saying “officially” because I’ve written more on this below.
Obtaining a Mexican passport in Mexico for a baby is super easy and the passport is issued the same day. For Quintana Roo you can normally do it in Cancun. Documents you need:
- Baby’s photo
- Parent’s IDs (passports or residency card)
- Copy of baby’s birth certificate
- Carta de pediatra
What’s carta de pediatra? In Mexico a baby needs a document with a photo to obtain a passport. Basically, you need to ask your pediatrician to issue you a document with the baby’s stats and stamp over a photo along with a copy of your doctor’s medical diploma.
Any pediatrician can do that and will know what to do and what’s it for, so don’t worry. The only thing you need to know is to schedule your passport appointment before going to get it at the pediatrician because this document is only valid for 30 days.
Now, because of covid, there were absolutely no appointments available for months at the passport office. I even tried through people I knew who worked there and had no luck.
However, there were appointments at the Mexican Embassy in Salt Lake City, so I scheduled one but we still had to leave Mexico and didn’t know whether we would be able to without his passport.
I was getting different information from different sources every time I inquired. Official information on the website said that the baby won’t be able to leave Mexico without a Mexican passport. I then called the Embassy who told me that we should be able to leave as long as we have the baby’s birth certificate.
I also asked two lawyers and one told me that there’s a fine at the airport for that and another told me that it depends on the officer and I might need to pass some money to them.
Needless to say, we decided to just see what happened and in the end, nothing happened when we went to the airport with just his American passport (because naturally, the baby needs A passport to travel). I gave the birth certificate at the check-in counter and they handed me a form for Mexican citizens leaving for the baby explaining we had no passport yet because of covid.
Then I handed this form to the immigration with no questions asked. No issues, no fine, no bribe. Nada.
Now, if for any reason you decide to get a baby’s Mexican passport outside of Mexico, you still need carta de pediatra, even though officially it says you don’t need it.
We were asked for the baby’s photo ID and that was naturally the only photo ID we had so it worked. We wouldn’t have been able to get it without it.
Another thing to note is that if you’re getting a Mexican passport at the consulate, you don’t bring a photo with you, they take it at the consulate which was a big issue with a baby. Long story short, it took 3 kind people, lots of help, a white poster on the floor in the middle of the busy consulate, and endless tries. And a ridiculously funny photo in Holden’s passport 😉
Other Citizenships & Passports
Many people kept asking us questions about if the baby was going to be American when it was born abroad. Yes, both of my kids are American at birth, and neither were born on US soil. As this is such a common question, I actually wrote a separate post on how to get an American passport for a baby born abroad.
The US has a jus soli and jus sanguini rule (all countries that have jus soli also have jus sanguini actually). There are certain requirements that you need to meet and some paperwork to collect, but it’s not difficult or costly. We’ve done it twice now.
For Mexico specifically, if you’re in Mexico City it’s easy because the consulate is right there and you can even request CRBA online.
For Quintana Roo state it was a bit different because while there is a US consulate in Cancun and they can issue you an American passport, they cannot issue you a CRBA. This can only be done in Merida, but this wasn’t a problem for us because we made a trip out of it.
Since you have to bring the baby with you to the consulate, for those wondering how you can do this if your baby needs to be airlifted to the US from NICU, there are exceptions. In fact, one family did it right before us without the baby for this exact reason – the baby had to stay at the hospital. Nobody is going to ask you to risk the baby’s life if it’s medically not advised to do so.
What about other passports? Mexico allows multiple citizenships, making your child eligible for Mexican citizenship as well as your country of citizenship. In our case, all our countries allow multiple so baby Holden will have 4 citizenships.
However, you need to check whether your country allows it and if so, under which circumstances (sometimes it’s different at birth and when acquired).
Getting Permanent Residency in Mexico Based on Having a Baby
If you want to stay in Mexico, keep coming back or even eventually become a Mexican citizen yourself, you might want to start thinking of getting your own permanent residency in Mexico (I described the process here). Thanks to your baby, the process is easy and you don’t need proof of earnings or anything.
You can do it anytime for the baby’s parents and siblings, but I recommend doing it at least before the siblings turn 18 because then they can skip the whole citizenship test when they become Mexican citizens.
Hi Ms. Anna,
I am from Philippines who will travel this September to give birth in Mexico City, Mexico, can you recommend a best hospital to deliver my baby within the city?
Absolutely. Either ABC Centro Medico in Santa Fe or Hospital Angeles in Interlomas 🙂
Dear Ana,
Thank you for the detailed information on child birth.
I will like to know if you have Same knowledge on how birth parents of Mexican baby can process their resident permit and how long this will take.
I anticipate your kind response.
Yes, I do. I answered in some comments as well. It takes about 4 months..
Hello Anna,
Do both parents have to be available for the baby’s documentation and for the filing of the residency for the parents?
Yes, both parents and two witnesses.
Hello Anna,
Thank you for this detailed explanation. My sister is hoping to travel to mexico to have her baby in september.
We are Nigerians and we do not understand spanish. How do we go about getting accomodation and settling in? and which city in mexico would you recommend ?
You don’t need Spanish to be a visitor in Mexico, English is just fine 🙂 City depends on your preferences but for hospitals I’d say Cancun or Mexico City.
Hi
How did you guys process your visa, am also from Nigeria??
Thanks
Hello ada, i am considering birthing in mexico too, as your sister gone ? Please if you can give me a contact to reach you on or mail as there are very limited information on birthing in mexico from nigeria. Tnk you
@Ada, hi Ada pls can you tell me how to go about applying for a Mexico visa. Thankyou
@Ami, were you able to get any information about this.
Thanks
@Ami, I want to know too since I’m from Nigeria
@Yomi,
Hello yomi,
Have you gone to Mexico or gotten a concise information. I’m still sorting for information too
@Ada,
Hi Ada, please, how did your sister process the visa from Nigeria. Please I want to start my process but agent is killing me with price.
Secondly, Mexico embassy refuses visa like US and UK?
@Chinenye Korie, Mexico visa process is very easy to get or you can use a Uk visa to enter mexico.
@Ami,
Hello Ami, were you able to get the information you were seeking. Please I’ll like to know more on how you went about the birthing process as I’m Nigerian as well. Kindly give me a contact to reach you on or mail.Thank you
Hello Anna
My sister is planning to have her baby in mexico in September.
She does not speak Spanish. Could you please suggest a budget accomodation for her 3 months stay in Cancun or any other better part.
We intend to make it a fun vacation as well which is why we are opting for a city with beaches and attractions.
Define “budget”. Airbnb would be your best bet.
Hi Anna,
I am already five months gone and I wanna start processing my Visa for Mexico but the problem is, can I go without my husband and will it be possible for me to process for the baby’s passport alone??
And what’s the budget, I am from Nigeria. Thanks
You can but he won’t be on the birth certificate, because he needs to register the baby in person with you.
Dear Anna,
This answers my earlier question but births another one, if his name is not on the birth certificate, would one be able to apply for his residence permit based on the baby’s citizenship?
No, the father would need to prove his connection to the child first and go to court. I don’t recommend it.
Hi Miracle, please, how did your sister process the visa from Nigeria. Please I want to start my process but agent is killing me with price.
Secondly, Mexico embassy refuses visa like US and UK?
@Chinenye Korie, it easy but the cost for visa from Nigeria is high and the ticket too high I just did for a couple last month,best way to have your Mexico visa is just for you to send your passport to Mexico that is why the price is high and moreover there is no refusal
@Temmy, thanks for your information,please i need more information, sending your passport to Mexico is it the only option ?,how long will it take to process and the total cost,thanks
@Temmy, please how someone contact you regarding this ? Thank you
@Temmy, i want to no if have uk visa can use it enter mexico ?
Hello Anna,
Thank you for sharing your experience. My partner and I value the content of your blog a lot as the information of birth tourism in Mexico is extremely limited (when searched in English anyway).
Right now, we are following exactly the same path and we are in touch with the same hospital. We are very excited. So, thank you for helping us move forward!
You mentioned about the difficulty to obtain a Mexican passport for your child while you were still in the country. Could you advise where we could possibly get the latest information on this? Which section of the Cancun government deals with the inquiries regarding passport application? It’s not at the Registro Civil, is it?
It would be great if you could respond with an answer to this.
Best regards,
Charlie
Hi Charlie,
Generally there’s no problem in terms of getting a passport, but with covid closures and delays, it’s been close to impossible to get it in Mexico for a very long time now, but there’s no problem at any Mexican embassy abroad so this is what we did.
Passports are issued at SRE, not registro civil (registro is for the birth certificate). Here’s a link to see if there are any available appointments in the future: https://citas.sre.gob.mx/
Dear Anna,
Thank you so much for this detailed account of your second birth in Mexico. I am currently pregnant with my third, and after a traumatic loss last November at 33 weeks and current restrictions in American hospitals, my family and I are strongly considering going to Mexico for the birth. I cannot tell you how encouraging and helpful this article was. I am so grateful. My biggest concern is that our older daughter be able to stay with us during our time in the hospital. What did you need to obtain special permission for your older son to stay with you? And did they let your newborn stay with you or your husband the whole time?
Sincerely,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Congrats! How old is your daughter? In normal circumstances (pre-covid) staying wasn’t an issue that is unique to private hospitals, but now it’s tricky. You need to explain your situation to the coordinator and your doctor that you have no one to leave her with (which was our situation). We were told sure (minus the surgery room and birthing room so you’d need to leave her elsewhere with a babysitter and make her husband bring her after), unless she’s good to wait in your room for you – mine was under 2 so that wasn’t even allowed for him to stay there alone, so husband came after the baby was born. The rule is that the daughter cannot leave your room if you want her to stay (unless of course you’re leaving the hospital or she’s leaving to the restaurant but it has to be quick in and out masks on). This is why my husband and toddler basically came over to visit after the baby was born and left after 2h and then we left him with a babysitter (btw I can recommend excellent ones in the area) and my husband came back alone the next day, because the toddler was going nuts in this room, wanted to unplug everything and got super bored. No way he’d have lasted longer than that and forget spending the night (he was allowed but we decided it’s not going to happen), so unless your daughter is a way older (6+) I’d say that I wouldn’t recommend bringing her at all. I also thought like “I want him there” and when we were at it I was the first to say that maybe they should go home and come back the next day 🙁
Baby could have been with me the whole time, minus the time he left for baths and tests naturally, and as mine was a c-section they let you spend some time with the baby in the operating room, but then he went to the nursery for an hour while I was in recovery (that might be different for natural births though, not sure). I did send mine to the nursery quite often because I was alone and felt horrible so it felt safer to me, and the second night it was the doctor’s decision that he stays at the nursery for the night because he had a procedure done (they did say something if I had my husband for the night then maybe he could stay with me), but they brought him to me for feedings as I requested it.
Dear ,
I need your help with some answers. First I would like to thank you for having the time to read my comment I am not Mexico my girlfriend gave birth on December 10 2021 at the iMSS hospital in Tijuana Baja California. Since I don’t speak Spanish and my relationship with my ex is not that great recently I was told after she gave birth that we will have an appointment on the 19th of jan 2021 to register the baby I had questioned her why do push us that long she said that was the system generators date however I wasn’t personally able to be with my girlfriend during giving birth I was told to be outside second of all I wasn’t asked for any identification myself my question to you is all these events is it normal plus my girlfriend she had left a week ago to spend Christmas and new year with her family in Sinaloa and she was supposed to return to Tijuana before the 19 to register our baby I am just worried about losing being The register Father for my son unfortunately I have no connection or people who I trust to ask them if you can help me with that I truly appreciate you once again thank you for your Time
Hello Anna,
Once again Thanks for the detailed write-up on giving birth in mexico. My Wife and I are Nigerians and she’s in her Third Trimester and we are considering she having our baby in Cancun Mexico, Are there any current/long restrictions on Pregnant women arriving mexico (Cancun) without a prior arrangement for an immigration lawyer, if yes, how do we go about it?
There are not.
Hello Norb,
Congratulations to you and your wife . Pls I want also make an enquiry from you . I’m a Nigerian about to travel to Mexico to give birth? Just wanted to find out if your wife encountered any restrictions at the point of entry Mexico . I’ll be grateful if you will respond to me
thanks for the informative experience that u have mentioned above .
we have already visa to mexico and we are going to mexico within one month and my wife and i will be there in 33 week of her first pregnancy and our flight is really long about 18 hours .
i have two questions
first do u have an idea if the parents can get the permanent resident in mexico after the baby has get the passport and how long it takes for parents to get it .
on immegration office in airport in cancun there is no restriction on entry if they see the woman who come to mexico for a tourism she is pregnant .
thanks
Yes, parents can apply for permanent residency based on the baby. You’ll need to apply as soon as possible so your tourist visas are still valid. Currently there’s a 4-6 months wait and you’re not allowed to leave Mexico while this is processing.
Can the family come back to Mexico at a later date, (a year later with parents on a tourist visa), and then begin the application process for parents to get permanent residency? Thank you for the detailed article.
Yes, you can start this process any time before the child turns 18 🙂
Is this still true as of 4th October? I am British and in Mexico now, baby likely to be born in Merida.
No one can give you the exact timeframe, I suggest contacting a local lawyer to give you the average estimate wait times at the moment.
Could you give more details on vaccination? I don’t want to vaccinate until my child is over 3 years of age. If we choose to not vaccinate right away, does this block our ability (the parents) to get residency in the first couple years of baby’s life? I guess what I’m asking is: Does baby have to be vaccinated in order for the parents to begin the permanent residency application? Thank you for any info or insights you have on this!
It’s tricky, because officially vaccinations are not a requirement to immigrate (unlike in the US or Europe), but in reality but I’m afraid you cannot not vaccinate the baby in reality. Nobody will issue you a vaccination booklet/card without the actual vaccines because they legally cannot (there are a few ways, but you REALLY need to know your ways around Mexico) because vaccines for children are mandatory in Mexico. So while you technically not need it, it will make it nearly impossible to submit the documents really and you’d run into issue to to compulsory vaccination schedule.
@Anna Karsten, In the Mexican vaccination schedule one vaccine is supposed to be given at birth. What was your experience did they insist on giving this shot at the private clinic or is it possible to give it later at the Hospital General? Also in your blog post you say that it is possible to get permanent residency for parents without vaccine card for the baby (just need passport) but here on the comments you say it is nearly impossible. Would like to know if it really is hard/impossible to get residencies without vaccine card.
We did not get the hep b at birth, not because we didn’t want to but because we were told that still they do it at 2 months – both hospitals said it, which is weird because I also saw it in the card.
Well, it’s possible but you need to get the passport abroad basically like we did. However, even if you do it get the child won’t be able to do much in the long run, because there’s no preschool or school that takes kids without vaccinations.
Hi Anna:
I am considering relocating to Mex at 4 or 5 months pregnant and wondering about prenatal coverage in Mexico. DId you pay all of your birthing costs out of pocket? Is there a prenatal plan (your appointment schedules indicates that there is) for nearing the birth date in Mexico? I would probably have temporary residency status.
Your article is extremely helpful. Thank you,
Sally
Unless you’re a Mexican resident you’re not eligible for any prenatal coverage, but even if you were a resident then by the time you would get approved for the IMSS it would be too late (temporary residents aren’t eligible though). Plus, that includes only public health system, not the private, so basically you need to pay everything out of pocket. It’s still cheap though.
You are the best teacher.
Thank you
Hello Anne
my flight to Mexico is soon and my wife is on 33 weeks of pregnancy, she is doing good without any complications.
my question is if the immigration officer noted about her pregnancy during the entry into Mexico in Airport is there are any issues ??
we have prepared a package with a hospital in Mexico already and we have enough cash and a valid tourism visa for both of us with returning flights and hotels to stay.
what do you recommend us to avoid any problem during the entry?
we are not American, we have valid Jordanian passports and valid tourism visas to Mexico.
your comments are extremely helpful .
thank you so much.
Hi! Birth tourism is not illegal in Mexico, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Good luck with the baby! 🙂
Hi Anna, did you process the birthcl certificate and passport in Cancun where you had your baby, or did you have to travel to another city for this aim.
Thank you
I obtained the birth certificate in Playa del Carmen, because this is where I lived. If you’re based in Cancun you can get it there – basically where you live. For passport you can only do it in Cancun or Chetumal because that’s where the offices are.
@Anna Karsten, Sorry to ask such a simple question, but do you remember the address of the civil registry in Playa Del Carmen.
We looked it up on google but it gave us multiple options and the person on what’s app wasn’t exactly helpful. We’re here in PDC now, had baby 3/16/23. So looking forward to getting the ball rolling.
It’s at the very end of CTM – here’s a link to google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/gRmTBrNqhJnr5iSd9
Hello ANNE
regarding the birth certificates of parents for the foreigns.
i will do the translation to Spanish from authorized translators in my country before leaving to Mexico and attach it along with the original if i do this without a stamp the birth certificate from the embassy of Mexico in my main country will be enough? or empassy should stamp the birth certificate of parents !
please note i need a birth certificate to apply for a passport for a new born
waiting for the reply
Hello Anna
what is Apostilles on our birth certificate,?
if my birth certificate is from outside Mexico and Europe and if it is just translated to Spanish, then we can use them.
it’s difficult to obtain stamp of Mexico embassy in my country
It’s the seal (special stamp) from your country, the country that issued a document 🙂
Good day
i can register my new born in civil registration without using birth certificate .
i can just use my passports !! , they will accept that ?
regards
Officially no, in reality depends on the person willing to register your baby.
Hello , pls can you tell me the best hospital in mexico , and what is the total cost of everyday ,And do i need a lawyer to get my baby passport ? Can i use a tourism visa for birth in Mexico. Thank you.
All this information is in the article. There’s no best hospital in Mexico – lots of good ones depending on the region.
Hello Anna!
Really great information!
I am a US citizen, and my wife is a US permanent resident (Mexicana) and I am working in Saltillo on a automotive project. I’m really debating on if she should give birth here or fly back to the US.
May I ask what documents you needed to provide to get your baby’s US passport? And how quick was that process?
I have a separate post about it: https://annaeverywhere.com/how-to-register-a-baby-born-abroad/
If she’s already pregnant the insurance in the US would be mission impossible in most states.
In terms of how quickly the CRBA gets processed depends on the situation at the moment regarding the virus. Normally, the Consulate will process the birth certificate and passport in about 2-4 weeks. With the second baby it was only emergency meetings, so you needed to have a reason to return to the US with the baby and then the emergency passport was given the same day. Then we had to exchange it for a regular one in the US.
Hello Anna. Thanks for your very detailed explanation here. You are the reason I decided to take the bold step to birth my baby in Cancun. I am currently in Cancun and almost due. Issue is I am registered with a obgyn in Cancun and I’m being charged about 100usd for each hospital visit. The actual delivery cost is still unclear and I generally get the feeling of lack of transparency on the hospital costs- no reciepts issued after payment. I have asked for the total costs but theres always something extra – another lab test to pay fir. I booked the hospital via a birthing agent. Now I’m wondering if I should demand a full disclosure on costs or switch to another hospital to birth my baby. Please could you advice me on what to do? Also I would need the actual costs of obtaining the baby’s passport just so I am aware of what my agent is charging me. Thanks
Who’s your doctor and which hospital? This doesn’t sound right and I’m wondering if it’s your birthing agent’s fault? I never recommend birthing agents because it creates more mess. 100 USD for a visit isn’t right, it costs less than half with the most expensive doctor. Lab tests are done at the lab, but you’re informed about it before anything else. The cost of the birth is always clear as well, it’s all in the paperwork contract you’re signing and they should inform you beforehand what’s the cost of extras (eg. if your baby needs NICU) – this is done at the hospital tour in fact. The only rates that can vary are doctors’ salaries because each doctor has its own.
Dump the birthing agent, sounds like a scam to me honestly.
Which passport are we talking about? American or Mexican?
@Anna Karsten, Hello Anna
I would like to thank you about everything.
We travel all the way from Birute to Cancun for the purpose a medical tourism.
My wife delivered done ob December in Cancun AZURA hospital ( Dr WENDY) she is super .
Everything was perfect starting from registration of the baby .
One thing to be noted is when I register the baby for the foreign parents, we are allowed to use passports ( no need for birth certificate ) but the passport should be not Expired. This situation its in Cancun , i dont know in Mexcio city .
If anyone wish to use birth certificate it’s should be Apostilled or Legalized .
We obtained the birth certificate on the same day . I did 2 copies extra .
Passport in Cancun always full due to huge number of applicants, i did it in Merida ( Yuctan) 390 KM from Cancun.
Same day passport , but appointment needed (make it on Phone Or Platform)
Documents for passport
Our passports parents copy
Birth orginal birth certificates of baby.
Certificate from Pedatric with baby photo and stamp over the photo (very important)
Pay the fees .
Appointment letter.
Finally, i obtained permanent residents In Mexcio for my and my wife
All the Tour takes 70 days
Cost of delivery 2000 US (c section)
If any one need more information,
I could help for sure
Finally, we Have sweet Girl Eileen and thank god she is in good health.
Anna , Thanks for everything u have done here .
Your information provided helped me a lot
Congrats guys! 🙂
@Anna Karsten, Mexican Passport. Thanks a lot. I’ve asked for full disclosure and I’m being charged an obgyn fee of almost 1300usd ( all the weekly visit fees not included) INCLUDING the hospital charge of about 1000usd. Plus a paediatric charge of 6000pesos…. its even more than the CS rates you had.
Again, which hospital and which doctor? Doctors’ salaries sound right though. They’re never included in hospital fees, but my fee was about 45,000 mxn (2200 USD) altogether. I did book months in advance so got a discount on the hospital charge and keep in mind it’s a year later so prices probably should be higher due to inflation around the world.
The cost of Mexican passport for the baby depends on how many years do you want it for. Babies are eligible for 1 year or 3 years, but it maxes 88 pesos. I honestly don’t remember mine because I got his at the consulate (not sure if consulate fees are different than within Mexico), but it was a very small amount.
@Moody,
hello brother i have visa mexico me and my wife my wife will be after one week in 33 week same your situation your wrote it above
please can you help more
or give any way to contact you
@Moody, Congratulations to your family and Thank you for this update.
I will be traveling without my husband. Can I register for birth and also my permanent residency without having him present.
Also can you give your total cost from birth accommodation transportation documentation. This will help with my budgeting. If you don’t mind how can I reach.
If you come alone only you will be listed on the baby’s birth certificate. If you want your husband on it he must be present at the registration as well.
I cannot give you the cost for accommodation and transportation because they can vary by a few thousand dollars – there’s a wide range of standards for everything in the area. You can literally spend $30 night or $5000 per night if you want
@Moody,
Congratulations pls would like to get more information.
Kindly help with your contact details.
Thanks
@Moody, could i send you an email or message of some sorts to ask a few questions? i am currently looking into the same process. Thanks.
@Moody, Hey we are planning to go to mexico as well for birth tourism ,many many congratulations for your sweet girl . We have a 180 days visa and when we arrive in mexico my wife will be 32 weeks pregenent with a visible baby bump .
will i be denied immigration if i mention birth tourism as the only cause for visiting mexico .
how much time is needed to obtain permanent residents status after birth of the child .
and any advice to look for .
We are a indian couple travelling to mexico with a multiple entry UK visa .
The time needed to obtain permanent resident status after birth depends on the place you’re trying to get residency. Example: in spots like Colima you can basically walk-in any day without an appointment, but in places like Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta or Mexico City where are a lot of expats you need an appointment and the wait time is a few months at the moment.
@Moody, Congratulations!
Pls I need further information considering I don’t even have a tourist visa yet. I’m 4 months gone and just about to start the whole process. Kindly provide a means to reach you. Thanks
@Moody, hello. Please does Dr Wendy speak English as I’d like to book with an English speaking doctor. Also did you have to pay ahead?
@@lizzy, No she does not but you can use goggle translator
@Moody, Hi Moody, thank you for sharing your experience. Pls how can i contact you for more information. Will like to travel to Mexico this month
@Moody,
Hello moody I’m currently in Cancun, please can I get your email address. I’d like to get some information from you regarding the passport and PR for parents.
@Moody, Hi, would you please tell me how to get in touch with the hospital and or doctor you used in Cancun? Did you sort this before arriving there? How many weeks was your wife when you arrived and did you have plenty of time to obtain your residency on the tourist visa from arrival and having baby? Thank you 😊
@Moody, Thanks for sharing your story. we might need your help when we are ready to make our trip to Mexico. Please can you share your email for further directions?
@Moody, If anyone wish to use birth certificate it’s should be Apostilled or Legalized?
1. Legalized: Can it been done in “court of law” and be accepted in Mexico for official use in cases of submitting for baby passport and for use for residence permit for parents?
Cost of delivery 2000 US (c section)?
@Beulah Alade, Hi please can share information with me regarding documents your submitted for Baby Passport and your PR?
How do go about Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate? Did you legalize them in your country ministry of foreign affairs before going to Mexico?
@Uche, Hi Mr. Uche, Please how did go about the marriage and birth certificate did you legalized them in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before using it in Mexico for your baby Mexico passport?
Looking forward to your reply and thanks for your time and consideration.
Hi Anna,
Thanks for the great post. Do you have any recommendations for hospitals/doctors in Merida? My family is looking into c sections in Merida this spring. Thank you!
I don’t know anyone personally who gave birth there, but two best hospitals in Merida would be Faro del Maya & CEMSureste. The first one is fancier, but the second offers more birth options like water birth for example. They’ll always tell you to prepay the basic birth and then pay the difference for c-section because you never know if it’s actually necessary until the end and there are no refunds.
@Anna Karsten,
Thank you! We were looking at Faro del Mayab and think we’re gonna go there. One other question about apostille. Do you need it translated and then apostilled (including translation), or do you just get it apostilled and translation can come later? It seems like I’m going to need a lot of documents (marriage, birth certificates, school transcripts, etc) from a lot of different places. Thanks again!
Apostille of your birth certificate for the Mexican birth certificate for the baby? I was told apostille first, then translation because you can’t really get the apostille of the translation.
Hi Anna!
I’m so happy I found your website. My husband and I are planning to move to Mexico next year for good, and wish to conceive later this year and give birth in Mexico. I know you said you will make a future post about the whole process, but how exactly does the process work of obtaining naturalization for me and my husband based on our baby born in Mexico? (We are U.S. citizens). If we travel there on a temporary residence visa, we can convert it to a permanent residence once the baby is born? And I believe we can get citizenship by naturalization after 2 years instead of 5? Do you still have to take the Spanish test and do everything usually required for converting permanent visa into citizenship, or are the requirements different if we have a child there? Thanks for all of the information- it’s been super helpful!! 🙂
Correct on all of the above, but with tourist visa changes you should enter as late as possible (no more than 60 days before birth, but I’d honestly say 30 max) to avoid your visa expiring (180 days are really not happening that often anymore) as you need a valid visa to avoid the extra issue when converting it to residency (unless you leave Mexico and then reenter again to convert). Converting to residency based on the baby is super simple and you’re correct – you’ll get an option to naturalize after 2 years. You don’t need to prove income and you can just apply in the country or return and get it later, but yes – you still need to pass the Spanish test and Mexican history test in order to become a citizen (the only ones exempt from this are children under the age of 18). You can keep your permanent residency though instead for a few more years if you don’t feel ready for the test 😉
@Anna Karsten, Ok thank you! Does customs just tell you how long your visa will last once you arrive, or is there something special you have to do? When we visited before I don’t recall the time limit since we were only staying for a few weeks.
It’s a new set of rules that started in late 2021. These days they ask you to explain what are you doing and confirm reservations and then they’ll write the number of days on your FMM tourist card.
@Anna Karsten, Thank you!! Last question, I promise lol. If you book an air bnb for a set number of days (say, 120 days) will customs allow you to stay that long on tourist visa or will they still possibly deny it even after confirming your reservation? Thanks again so much for all the help! 🙂
They can still deny you even if you have an entire itinerary. These days it really depends on the agent and your luck.
thank a lot anna for more information
me and my wife we prepare to getting birth in mexico in next week
she is in 33 weeks and we will go to cancun and stay there
the question how many days takes processes for baby getting mexician passport
week or more around what it will be
and give me advises there
waiting your response
best regards
You get the Mexican passport the same day of your appointment. The hard part is to get the appointment these days.
@Anna Karsten, appointment how to get it also can i book appointment before to come
What? How do you want to book an appointment for a baby that’s not even born? No, you can only arrange a passport after you have baby’s birth certificate in hand – only then you can book an appointment for the passport.
Can i choose different surnames for the baby as in my country we dont use the same naming system ?
Babies here are named after their father name and father’s last name
So is this allowed to choose it ?
Thanks in advance
Most countries have only one last name – father’s name. In Mexico the baby will have standard two last names, you cannot have just one. If your country does a different system when you’re getting the passport of your country for the baby you could request an adjustment to the name.
@Anna Karsten,
What if I insist on the one surname on the Mexican passport. can I achieve that. I cannot have diff surnames confusion on my child passport
No, it’s not possible because your child will be Mexican and must have two surnames (in fact, even if you don’t have it as non-Mexican I had to add a second surname for my own documents when I went to Mexican university). Some countries late make it easier to change than others – for example… I cannot remove the second surname from my son’s European birth certificate unless I go through legal paperwork (not worth the hassle), but when we went to get his American one they just asked us if we want to keep only one surname and that was it.
Hello, your article was so helpful. We are planning to relocate in Cancun on March. I am expecting a child end of July. When the child will be born my tourist visa will be valid for 2 more months. Is ot ok for applying for residency or i have to leave the country and go back?
You might need to leave, because 180 days guaranteed on a tourist visa isn’t happening anymore. Now the amount of days you get on arrival depends on the mood of the officer and it’s very random but they rarely give 180 days (last time I only got only 35 days for example) and you cannot extend it, so if you get a certain amount of days you must leave. You can get anything from even 9 days to 60 days most of the time. So if you don’t want to go anywhere between March and July I’d plan on leaving the country and arriving back no more than 2 months before the baby is born to avoid issues.
Sorry for the second comment…i just found out that they may not give us 180 days what we can do in this situation? Any advice would be great thank you
I just replied to your previous comment about that 🙂
Hi Anna,
thank you for the informative article.
Could you please share if you’ve researched or your friend’s experience,
what if the mother of the baby would need some intensive care?
Let’s say, premature labor had happened or abnormal bleeding.
Does the hospital/doctor give an estimate of costs for that kind of situation? Do they discuss the pessimistic scenario?
When things are going smoothly everything is ok but baby delivery might turn into serious health problems both for mother and baby.
Absolutely! My hospital, for instance, tells you during the hospital tour what’s the approx. cost of it but they can naturally only give an approximate since every case is so different. I enquired further at my hospital as there was a chance my baby might have needed NICU (he didn’t end up needing it) and they told me for babies it’s the cost per hour if it’s just a short time. I remember I calculated that if one of us needed to be there for at least a day it would have been an extra $600-1000 (so probably a bit more since inflation increased the costs).
I can also say that just a few days ago someone I know here in Mexico had to use an ambulance, CT scans, x-rays, and tests (actually at the maternity ward because the other one was occupied), plus night at the hospital, and then came back again for a surgery and it came down to about $2000 without the surgery (ambulance increased the cost enormously). Will update this once I know the total cost to give you an example.
@Anna Karsten, Thank you for your response. Since I will be the only one registering Birth as the only parent present. I also hope it will be as simple when obtaining baby passport too. Meaning I hope I will not be ask for any documentation for father during passport registration.
Thanks
For the passport it’s a different story because it’s permission to travel. In order to get a baby’s passport without a father present, you need to get a special permit from the father (if the father is listed on the birth certificate since you’re married I’m not sure what they’re going to do), but if the father will be listed on the birth certificate he needs to get a permit from Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores for you to get the baby’s Mexican passport. I don’t know any country that will let one parent get a passport for the baby without the presence of another one or this special paper, that’s usually the law.
@Anna Karsten, thank you!
Hello Anna,
Thank you for sharing your stories and the well detailed recommendations. It’s so apparent you have passion for what you’re doing.
I am presently starting my third trimester and considering going to Galenia Hospital in Cancun as you have recommended. Although it’s difficult to get responses to the mail i sent to them and i tried to communicate via phone call and that also seems like a waste of time and call card. So i have decided to just walk in when i get to Mexico in March.
And hopefully I will have Dr Eduardo Loya as recommended attend to me.
All along I thought you had a natural birth with him. I just now realized it was a c-section. My question now is please would you still recommend Dr. Eduardo Loya for a natural birth?
Thank you again.
It’s probably because they want you to discuss it with the doctor first, so when you get here just book a visit. I don’t see why not, he’s great for visits and so was my neonatologist that works with dr. Loya. I just had to have a csection, but we waited till the last few weeks to decide that for sure.
@Anna Karsten,
Thank you so very much for the prompt response.
I plan to be in Mexico is few days/weeks. My concern is accommodation close to the hospital ( Galenia) and the cost of living so i can properly plan myself. I am aware the delivery is about $2,000 already.
The flight tickets i am seeing from March is extremely expensive. As i am presently in Aberdeen UK ready to go to Cancun Mexico for the delivery.
Please may you kindly advise on the affordable airline and accommodation?
Thank you.
You cannot be in Mexico for just a few days, babies can’t even fly until they’re 2 weeks old and
For accommodation check Airbnb or other apartment rental spots 🙂
From the UK I know Tui has direct flights to Cancun from London, but don’t know their policies about flying pregnant, with babies etc. I typed Aberdeen for March in Skyscanner and it showed me about 700-800 which is NOT expensive. That’s cheaper than flights to Mexico from the US these days because of their new taxes.
@MiMi,
Good afternoon Mimi, my wife and I are planning to give birth in Mexico before October and we live in Cardiff Wales.
I want to ask the application process from the UK and cost
Thanks.
@MiMi,
Good day. How was your delivery trip to Cancun? Please I will appreciate your time. I have some questions.
Hi Anna,
I can’t thank you enough for the detailed content on your child’s birth experience in Mexico.
I have read through most of the comments and I haven’t seen anyone ask about surrogacy.
So, my question is, if I were having my child through a surrogate and wish to have the child in Mexico will there be a different consideration for my surrogate, my husband and I with respect to; the Mexican customs, the hospital (my husband and I wish to get separate rooms to experience bonding with our child separate from the surrogate), and acquiring birth certificates for the child and permanent residency for biological parents?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Hi Claire!
In states Coahuila, San Luis Potosí y Querétaro it’s forbidden, but in Quintana Roo there are no regulations. In fact, they even allowed same-sex couples to register the baby this year, so it’s more than possible 🙂 I’d just enquire with a hospital about the hospital paperwork and how to arrange it. They probably had a situation like this before, especially in Quintana Roo.
In regards to the hospital I can only talk for my hospital – you can get a suite which is basically two rooms, so that would work. Alternatively, there’s also a hotel attached to the hospital (basically at the hospital). I don’t know if you could get a separate room if you get the basic room… normally you can have two visitors overnight but I’m sure they’d make it work in a surrogate situation if you ask 🙂
The residency will be easy as you will be listed as the baby’s parents so that’s not an issue. I only know that for US citizenship (if you are American) you need to provide genetic testing of some kind but I’d ask the US consulate about it.
Hi Anna,
Thanks for all the excellent information!!
I have been doing some research on Galenia hospital it sounds like an great hospital but I have been reading some bad reviews about their huge costs and hidden fees. I’m not sure if this is just in the ER or if there is also hidden costs in the maternity department. I have been given a price for a caesarean but it doesn’t include any doctor fees. Can you please give me an idea of how much extra you paid in doctor fee, appointments, laboratories and ultrasounds?
Thanks you!
Doctor’s fees are always separate, that’s correct. They depend on the doctor, my doctor was the most expensive for example.
In terms of hidden fees… as I’ve been living in Mexico for years on and off and been at various hospitals with friends I know that many places might try to charge you for extra stuff. However, this hasn’t happened in Galenia. The only extra charge I was informed about in advance was how much does it cost if I need an ER or baby needs a NICU. But that’s always extra naturally.
I can give you prices from February 2021, but naturally, they increased a bit now due to worldwide inflation:
– Prenatal appointment (this always includes an ultrasound (the US is the only place where ultrasounds are charged separately) = 900 mxn. That’s monthly, but then it depends on your pregnancy if it’s high risk or not. I had to have appointments bi-weekly and since it was just a quick ultrasound check-up my doctor didn’t charge for the final ones. Then you get 2 post-natal appointments, one after a week and then one after 3 or 4 weeks.
– I had all my labs done in the US and Poland, but needed to repeat two labs and I did them at the local lab in Playa del Carmen. I believe they were about 500 mxn at the most.
– Doctor’s salaries you need to pay for the hospital stay are 3: your doctor, anesthesiologist (for c-sections, or if you want an epidural), and neonatologist. My doctor’s fee was 22,000 MXN, the anesthesiologist was 5000 and the pediatrician was the same, but we wanted to do some tests and paid an extra 2000 – all agreed in advance naturally. The total cost I put in the post includes all doctor’s fees as well apart from prenatal appointments as they depend on the person and when you arrive – they had a promo of 15% if you booked a few months advance and I did 😉
What kind of proof of adress did you show ?
I am planning to deliver in Mexico my family live there but I am leaving in the USA .
Do you know what kind of proof of adress can I show ?
Thanks !
A bill for electricity. It doesn’t need to be in your name, but a bill that comes to the apartment in Mexico you’ll renting basically. Ask your landlord.
Hi Anna,
I was wondering when the follow up post about Residency in Mexico would be posted. Also with birth tourism, what do you tell the immigration officers your intention of travel is? Do you disclose the intention for medical tourism, to give birth and obtain citizenship/residency, or state your intention is to vacation/travel. Wondering if they will question that if they see my due date is so soon. Asking because you also traveled quite late in your third trimester. Thanks Anna.
You need to put tourism on the immigration paper. Nobody asks why are you there really, but even if they do medical tourism is not forbidden so you could say that you’re there for the birth, surgery, anything 🙂
It might be me being small, but both pregnancies I flew a lot to various places and previously I had to fly at 39 weeks and no one ever asked me anything. In fact I asked if they need a doctor’s letter and they looked at me like I was insane telling me it was not needed. I wasn’t showing much so it really looked like I could have been halfway through pregnancy honestly.
Hello! I’m delivering at Galenia hospital I have my US passport besides that what will they ask for? I lost my FMN form and am currently in the process of becoming a Mexican resident my other children and husband already are just waiting for my appointment. Just want to make sure I wouldn’t have any trouble checking into hospital thank you!
You need a bill (proof of address) and doctor’s “sendover”. It will be easier for you to wait until delivery to get residency as then you’d automatically jump to permanent vs temporary and your other kids and husband will be able to swap theirs too.
Thank you for this excellent article.
My husband and I are permanent residents of Mexico and U. S. Citizens. Our daughter is expecting her third child and is trying to have the baby as inexpensively as possible. She has insurance, but it is Obamacare with a huge deductible. I’m trying to figure out if it makes sense for her to come to Mexico to have the baby.
In this case, she isn’t concerned about getting the citizenship for her baby. She is just trying to afford the cost of having the baby.
The issues I see are:
I believe she can’t fly after 36 weeks, so she would have to be away from her husband, who needs to stay in the U.S. to work, for at least a month, plus probably another couple of weeks, after the baby is born, before she can fly back with the baby.
With the way they are not giving out visas for 180 days any longer, she might not be given enough time to be in Mexico to have the baby, but then have the dilemma of not being able to fly back home, as she would be too far along in her pregnancy.
Driving her back home would not be an option, as we don’t have a car in Mexico.
Any thoughts on this?
Thank you.
Many airlines don’t do cutout at 36 weeks actually, it’s just an idea. I flew at 39 weeks with a doctor’s note that I can’t but no one even bothered to check it. The father of the baby needs to be present for the registration for the birth certificate and it’s a must for requesting CRBA at the US Consulate. If she gets fewer days than she needs she might just have to pay a fine at the airport, but it’s not a lot.
@Anna Karsten, thank you for yo
@Anna Karsten, thank you for your reply. I believe you said they can’t apply for the CRBA appointment until the any is born. Is that correct? If so, do you think they can get it processed within a week or two of the baby’s birth. They would be having the baby in Guadalajara.
Yes, to apply for an appointment to do CRBA you need the baby’s Mexican birth certificate first. Consulate General in Guadalajara issues CRBA so that’s an advantage as they won’t need to travel anywhere else, but when it comes to timing it depends but it’s impossible to do it within a week I can tell you that. Assuming the birth is uncomplicated it’s 2 days at the hospital, 3-5 if there are complications or c-section. Then both parents need to go get a Mexican birth certificate. Not everyone feels good to do it straight away, especially when you’re still wearing diapers and baby is basically fresh, I went on the second day getting out of the hospital and it was considered ridiculously quickly and unseen (especially since most locals stay home for the first 30 days). Some places take a week to schedule an appointment to receive a birth certificate after you apply. Again, both parents need to be present and the minimum wait is 2 days and the baby has to sign it. I also recommend getting an apostilled version (eg. needed to get European citizenship and that takes 14 days). Then once you have it in hand you can apply for an appointment to get CRBA. They almost never have appointments instantly, for us an emergency appointment was 2 weeks away. If they’re doing regular appointments which they should now then it simply depends if appointments are booked or not… we lucked out with the first child and got it within 8 days but it’s not guaranteed.
@Mary, we just went through this process, although in Merida. Here’s the site where you request the CRBA appointment. https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=MER&appcode=1 but the calendar is blank for Guadalajara, not sure if they have a different process. In Merida the appointments were booked all the way out to September. I requested an emergency appointment but they said no, just watch the calendar and see if an appointment opens up. Luckily a few days later an appointment opened up and we had it yesterday. We got an emergency passport same day, but they said the CRBA itself won’t ship for 4-6 weeks. Here’s our timeline so far:
May 7: Baby born (emergency c section)
May 9: Mom released from hospital
May 16: Baby released from hospital (9 days in NICU because she was 5 weeks early)
May 20: Baby’s birth certificate issued (same day, no appointment needed)
May 26: Baby’s US Passport issued
Next week we will get the carta de pediatra and the Mexican passport appointment…So overall, it will probably take 2-3 weeks but only because we got lucky with the CRBA appointment.
BTW for anyone wondering about NICU costs…for us it was 290,000 MXN plus another 23,000 MXN in doctor’s fees, so ~35,000 MXN (~$1750 USD) per day. Our insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield) would not work directly with the hospital so we had to pay out of pocket and hope they reimburse us later.
Thank you so much for your comment! If you could add which hospital and city your baby was born it would be amazing as I know the costs of NICU can vary.
Hello Ann I am glad to inform you I had my baby in Cancun, Hospital Galenia. I spent two months and two weeks.
Collected birth certificate,baby passport and mother’s PR.
I am grateful to you as your post enlightened me and helped make the decision.
Please note that using agents in Cancun helped a lot as I traveled alone and didn’t speak any Spanish. However I also feel they are just needed for documentation as it’s easy to get Dr and hospital. Dr May not speak English but can still interact with google translator.
Overall it was a great experience.
@Uche, Hello Uche, I’m so happy for you as the process seems to be a little difficult due to immigration challenges and language barriers. I hope to go by September to have my baby in Cancun, Mexico. If it’s not too much trouble, could I please ask for an email or social media handle with which I can contact you to ask some questions? I would be really grateful.
@Uche,
Hi Uche, we are due for October 2022 but at Mexico city, ABC hospital. please can i have your email? or any link to an agent?
@Uche, congratulations! We’re looking to do same soon. Please can I get an email or phone number to contact you for further info? Thank you.
@Uche, Congratulations on the birth of your baby. Please can I have your contact? I am looking at having my baby in same hospital. I have just reached out to them . Please I need your guidance on some things. I will appreciate your response.
@Uche,
Hello Uche
Congratulations. Myself and my husband are looking to birth our child in Mexico, Cancun to be precise. Im currently still in Nigeria but have tried reaching out to Galenia hospital with no response.
Please can you share a means of reaching you either via social handle or mail in order to get more clarification.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you ma’am
Hey! Please i would like to get more information about getting a Permanent Residency in Mexico Based on Birth. Have you done yours and what was needed?
Yes, I have done yours. It’s super simple, but much easier if you use a faciliator to save you time on booking appointments, making sure documents are filled correctly, and not experiencing issues. Depending on where are you planning on doing your residency I can recommend people. All you need is your passport, baby’s passport, birth certificate and a bill from your apartment rental.
@Anna Karsten, Thanks for the reply. Please what do you mean by doing Residency? Would i have to live here and for how long please. I will be due to Birth next month and was told my baby would get a Passport and then a PR for myself. Not sure but was also told if my husband comes along he would also get a PR without living here.
Also, To apply for passport after PR, please do i also need to live for the full period of 2 years? Does it have to be a cumulative stretch? or can it be broken at intervals. And whats the minimum period i am to stay to achieve this please.
Thank you Anna.
Where are you planning on giving birth: which city and state in Mexico? The wait times for places where many expats are doing there is longer and immigration is more knitpicking. You husband should be present when you obtain birth certificate for the baby and correct – he can receive his PR as well.
To apply for a passport (AKA Mexican citizenship yourself, not the baby) you will need to stay in Mexico for 1.5 year out of 2 years – basically you cannot be out of the country for more than 6 months. You also need to pass a pretty difficult history test and Spanish language test (it’s hard if you compare to a very simple test for a US citizenship). Once you have permanent residency though it doesn’t change much, it’s given to adult for life and you can come and go as you please. There’s no minimum stay requirement. Either way, at the moment naturalization applications are stalled due to pandemic and not being accepted so I’d wait at least a year or two before considering this application.
@Anna Karsten, Is Milly Arceo above a facilitator?
Yes
Hi Anna! My husband and I are trying to conceive currently, but we are planning to move to Playa Del Carmen in 5 months to which hopefully I will be 5 months pregnant (we will see). I am looking into the same hospital for giving birth in Cancun that you did. My question is about health insurance. In my research I am seeing many expat insurances have a 10-12 month waiting period for maternity health care (and costing $250+ per month) which means I would have to start coverage immediately. In this case would you recommend making a birthing package deal directly with the private hospital Galania once we arrive in MX with temporary residency, or getting the private expat insurance now to prepare even though I’ll be paying $ while still living in the US?
I would just get a package from the hospital and here’s why. As you said, you’re still paying in the US and will be using the insurance for your first few visits once you get pregnant and they’re not cheap in the US. On top of that, even after the waiting period, there are exclusions when it comes to maternity coverage if you read the fine print so not everything is 100% guaranteed – the same way as it is in the US, unfortunately. Even when paying $250 monthly up until the waitng period (timing everything perfectly, and let’s be real: it doesn’t always work that way as sometimes it takes months to conceive or babies come early etc.) it adds up to about the same amount you would pay out of pocket without any insurance.
Hi Anna,
I hope this comment finds you well & in great spirits! Thank you so much for the wealth of information you have shared here. I have read it thoroughly, but please forgive me if I repeat something you’ve already stated—it’s probably just for clarification in my brain! My husband, 2 children, & I are are US citizens. I had a dream of birthing in Baja & onto the Internet I went! Upon reading your post, it seems with Covid restrictions mostly being lifted, I’d need 2 witnesses. I birth out of hospital & without a medical professional (I am a licensed midwife, so I’m kind of my own), so I’m wondering if you know of a way around that?
You can totally free birth and it’s not an issue 🙂 . You just need to arrange with a licensed midwife to come and give you the “certificado de alumbramiento de recien nacido vivo” when they stamp baby’s feet on the paper – it can be done same day or a day later.
You need witnesses (along with this paper) for the birth certificate, not the birth itself. Nowhere outside of the US you get birth certificate at the hospital, it’s something you need to go the town hall to and that’s when you bring witnesses (could be someone random honestly) so don’t worry at all!
Hi Anna,
Thank you so much for your detailed article about this topic!
I’m currently planning a home birth in Mérida in December. Unfortunately, it is super hard to find a midwife or doula in the city, because it is not yet very common in Mérida. I was thinking about finding one in Cancun that could drive to Mérida as soon as the birth starts. Do you have any ideas where I could start my search? And do you know how this works with the paperwork (especially witnesses) when we have a home birth with only one midwife or doula? 🤔
Best wishes,
Lisa
Witnesses are just for the birth certificate, not the birth. The midwife just needs to give you paperwork after the baby is born, but that said I think it’s a horrible idea to have one come from Cancun because it’s 4 hours away if there’s no traffic. It’s a long time, some babies come in an hour so doubt any sane one would agree to it honestly. I know some but they only do local births in Cancun or Playa del Carmen. One other thing that you need to check, but I think might create an issue even if someone agreed is that Cancun is in a different state than Merida so doula’s certification would be from another state.
Hi Ms Anna,
Me and my husband are Indian citizens (with Indian passport), having a USA green card. We do not live in Mexico. We are planning to have a baby born in Mexico via surrogacy next year. We will be traveling to Mexico on “Mexico FMM: Mexican Tourist Card”
Once the baby is born, he/she will have official birth certificate from Mexico City’s Civil Registration Office (“Oficinas del Registro Civil”).
It will be very helpful if we can get your guidance on how we can get a mexican passport for the baby (when he/she is born), so that we can take him/her back with us to USA.
Also, how much time will it take from application submission to getting the passport for the baby?
Your situation is very complicated and will require a waiver of temporary I-551 to bring the child back to the US which you will need to exchange later for a permanent one. Consult an immigration lawyer as it might be different with a surrogate and might require genetic testing.
Getting the birth certificate is easy in a straight-forward test, but there are some extra steps for surrogacy – I’m not super familiar with it. You’d have to find out at the registry and hospital.
Mexican passport is given the same day of the appointment, but pretty often they might not have appointments for a while.
Hi Anna I have Uk multiple entry visa and on Uk visa we easily get entry in maxico without my question is that my visa going to expire in 1 month so In cancun airport how many stay we get can we get 180 days stay
They might give you only a 1 month stay then.
Hi Anna!
I’m traveling to Playa del Carmen in 2 weeks. I have marginal placenta previa and I will be 24 weeks. My doctor is not concerned but is slightly worried about hospitals with a NICU and a doctor who know what they are doing…. In case anything were to happen.
How do I get in touch with your doctor or which hospital should I go to if (heaven forbid) anything would happen while visiting?
Like I said in the post my doctor works at Hospital Galenia, but in Playa you can go to Costamed too. All the details are in the post, you’d need to email or call for an appointment for a regular visit but since something was about to happen you’d most likely went through the ER.
Hi Anna. Thanks for this great article and for updating it. I am heading to Playa shortly to give birth there. I connected with the team at Salud Primal and they already told me I’ll have to give birth at the Ix’chel hospital. From my understanding, I have to pay Salud Primal and the hospital fees. I am wondering now if there is a need to pay Salud Primal on top of the hospital fees since I could connect with the hospital directly? Thanks so much!
Where and more importantly how do you want to give birth? Salud Primal is a birth center so their options are limited. You can definitely connect with the hospital directly, their fees are clear on the website (https://www.clinicahospitalixchel.mx/paquetes-de-maternidad), just remember to take into account that doctors’ salaries (OBGYN, neonatologist + anesthesiologist if needed/wanted) are extra and every doctor will charge different fees.
Hello Mrs Anna,
I am awed at how much details and time you put in sharing this information. Indeed it is a great resource and in all my search about birthing in Mexico, this is the best ever! Nothing else cones close. Quite amazing.
I took my time to read your post as well as the 144 comments. I want to gain as much knowledge as is available and wint want to ask questions that have been addressed.
My question is about accommodation. As a foreigner, which area would you advice I stay in Mexico. I want to birth my baby in the same hospital you did yours. What are my options as to a close location which is budget friendly. Also, any idea about car rentals and their rates.
Because of your post I am now confident to go ahead without birthing agents. Do you have any contact I can reach out to for documentation. I sense it will be easier to have someone who knows the rope.
Anywhere in Cancun honestly… you might as well get some beachfront rental, because there’s no point in staying right next to the hospital (I actually lived in Playa del Carmen which is 40 minutes away and it was fine).
For documentation (I assume residency? Because birth certificate you just get from the Registro Civil), here’s my post about it: https://annaeverywhere.com/permanent-residency-mexico-baby/
Do you know of places to look for apartments to rent for 6 months-ish?
Usually you find places through the word of mouth or local agency (next to the building you want to rent in). Easiest is to book an AirBnb for 2 weeks or so and look for a more permanent spot once you get to Mexico.
Hi Anna, I’m confused with the pricing. I have asked the doctors secretary and what she is saying is that it’s going to be around 2,000 dollars$ for the paquete, and another 32,000pesos-40,000pesos for the doctor. Does this sound right ?
My son was born 2 years ago, so considering inflation it might be. But doctors salaries depend on the doctor, hospital, things needed – lots of factors honestly.
Hi Anna,
Thank you very much for this valuable information. I want to ask you two questions:
1- If both foreign parents are visiting Mexico by tourist visa or using their US B1/B2 visa, will the born baby given the Mexican nationality?
2- Are children born to foreign parents in Mexico entitled to dual citizenship only until they are 18? Does your son Holden have to choose between one of the nationalities once he turns 18?
Thank you.
1 – Yes. The status of the parents doesn’t matter for the baby because of jus soli rule.
2 – Depends on the nationalities, because some have different rules (I know India and China do for example and I believe Indonesia too). In our case, he can have all 4 citizenships forever, because none of the countries limit anything and many Mexicans have dual or triple citizenships.
Hi Anna,
We are an American family. We hope to have a home birth with a midwife in Mexico, then return to the USA 2-3 weeks later.
We want to intentionally delay the baby’s vaccinations and space them out over time after we are back in the USA.
Does Mexico require any vaccinations to be given immediately upon birth (or soon after)? Will it possible for our baby to obtain Mexican and/or American passports before receiving any vaccinations? On each side of the border, what complications might we face getting back home to the USA with our yet-to-be-vaccinated baby?
Thanks,
Andy
They don’t require vaccines immediately after birth, first vaccines are at 8 weeks just like in the USA. When we left Mexico with his US passport he didn’t have any vaccines yet because it was too early, and we applied for his Mexican passport at the Mexican consulate and they didn’t require vaccine card at the consulate. No complications at any borders 🙂
Hi Anna-
I’m curious.. did you have any insurance when you had your baby in Cancun? I’m a currently living in Tulum and have temporary residency and I don’t have insurance and want to know if it will be expensive to pay out of pocket to have my baby in Mexico.
No, the costs I’m describing are out of pocket.
@Anna Karsten,
Thank you! This blog has been very informative.
Hello, thanks for this, really helpful! Can you tell me, does my baby HAVE to be vaccinated for us to get residency? I know you briefly mentioned that if they have their Mexican passport they don’t? Have I understood this correctly? Thank you
Correct, if the baby has a passport you don’t need the vaccination card to get residency, but if you’re planning on living in Mexico your child won’t be able to even go to school without it as it’s a legal requirement.
@Anna Karsten,
Dear Anna
Thank you so much for the wonderful detailed informations
I have read every and will just like to ask 2 questions for clarity
How far along do I have to be before I start the visa process?
And for a Nigerian living in Cyprus, what documents are required for the processes
I will like to give birth in Mexico and continue living there with my husband
So immediacy the baby is born, I will like to get the permanent residency.
Thank you so much, I will await your response
Tourist visa? You can apply any time.
Hello Anna!
Thank you for this very detailed article about giving birth in Mexico and how to register the birth.
Will you please post a link of the Mexican government website where we can check the latest requirements/procedure for registration of birth and where the offices are? We plan to give birth in Tijuana.
We have US passports, and do not plan on getting a temporary residence permit. For visibly pregnant tourists, have you heard of tourists not getting the 180 day stay?
Thank you so much again!
Honestly whether you get 180 days or not depends on the mood of the officers and has nothing to do with your itinerary or how you look. It’s a lottery.
Here’s a link for registro in Tijuana: https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/dependencias/registrocivil/index.aspx Keep in mind that it’s Mexico, online you can print the form to fill in but it’s not like anyone updates requirements online. You have to go and ask, but they rarely change the rules for that 😉
@AnnaEverywhere,
Dear Anna,
By what you have heard/estimate is 60 days now the new maximum effectively? Do most people now get 60 days, or is it even fewer days for the most # of people? I’m trying to do a worst to best plan). Thank you again
Thank you for your reply and again, for the staggering wealth of info you have shared through the post and especially in your replies, which means a lot of time spent on this work. Thank you also to commenters who have shared their knowledge and experience as well.
(I have just read about 50 of the comments on this post immediately before mine. I think I read about 30 of the earliest comments on the night I asked you my question. I think I might have missed the “middle” comments. ☺️)
Since then, I learned ☺️：
Type the search in Spanish. (Translate, copy, paste to search. I got a lot done that way. Conversely, for the answers, copy-paste-translate to English.)
I first searched in English so I kept getting US consulate stuff or US-related or Mexican embassy or consulate in the US sites or private firms who provide immigration related services.
That is how I finally found the offices for processing in Mexico (vs processing in the US), and https://www.gob.mx/tramites, especially for information on getting the Mexican passport, to get the official info to cover my bases. One info I learned that took me so many steps or searches (because as you have advised, sometimes info on official websites might not be updated), was finding out that they do take passport applications for first time applicants (in this case, the baby) in Tijuana. I confirmed this by email, (I called the MX consulate in LA but the answering machine directs the caller to email), the reply below, from the MX consulate:
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores Tijuana
Ubicado en: Plaza Pavilion
Dirección: Avenida, P.º de los Héroes 9111, Zona Centro, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., México
Horario: Abierto ⋅ Cierra a las 5 p. m.
Teléfono: +52 800 801 0773
Debe hacer cita:
¿Dónde sacar cita para pasaporte en Tijuana?
Llama al: 01800 8010 773 y no olvides que el servicio de programación de citas es gratuito.
I wish you and everyone here well. I will be rereading your posts and comments.
Well, it’s honestly per person at random. Before we got our residency our last entry we got 29 days for example. Our friends in a different line got 180.
Hello Anne, am planning for my wife to give birth in mexico
if i enter Cancun mexico and i was granted maybe one month entry and the stay expires before giving birth, will it affect document for the baby or our own permanent residency registration
It won’t 🙂
Hi Anne,
Thank you so much for the detailed explaination across the board! Considering doing something very simlilar for my birth, would you be able to note the pricing for document filing also? I saw $2200 for total medical, but do u recall what the costs were for the following: birth ceritifcate/equivalent, medical pediatric note, passport, residency? I just want to better prepare for any unexpected costs to properly estimate the total to do this type of trip/experience. Thank you so much, and feel free to email also if simpler!
Merci!,
Lark
Absolutely! Also make sure that the price hasn’t will be slightly higher (up to $800 I’d say) due to the obvious: inflation.
Birth certificate – approx. 55 MXN + extra copies.
Apostile (if you need it) – approx. 300 MXN
Pediatric note was about 800 MXN total because it was combined with a regular check-up visit, but you could technically go to a public doctor too and then it will be cheaper.
Passport – about 1655 MXN for 3 years.
Residency is a long story and depends on what documents you have – see my other article on residency in particular.
Hello Anna,
I am wondering whether you have any information about NICU costs in Mexico City hospitals and just an estimation is fine.
Thanks.
They did tell me during my hospital tour, but I assume that prices might have increased since then. It wasn’t more than $500 a day for sure.
Hello Anna and Shri,
I hope you are both and families well. First, many thanks to Anna as you have kept this chat going for 3 years and it is still active! Such a mine of useful information for people looking to give birth and settle in Mexico! Really thank you.
In regards to the NICU cost, I wanted to contribute here as I looked specifically at Hospital Angeles Interlomas and I was quoted (I called them today to check so price is accurate) $1,750 (30,000MXN) per day / per baby (rather important if you are expecting twins!).
Shri, I would definitely suggest that you check with the hospital (I’m sure it varies a lot between them); the hospital you choose will be an important decision financially also considering birth costs (quoted 200,000MXN assuming ceasarian which to be honest is getting common). My best wishes of health to mum and baby(ies).
Hello,
Quick question and I’m sorry if this has already been answered. Your son’s name in Mexico is “Holden James Karsten Karsten”, is it the same as in the US or did you just have his name Holden James Karsten? The reason I ask is because I heard some people are having issues if the names are not exactly the same in either Mexico or US.
You can tell the US consulate that you want your baby to have one last name, it’s your choice 🙂 There’s no issue having different names in different countries. I have two last names in Mexico, but one last name in the US and Poland. It’s never been a problem.
Hi Anna,
Thank you for the expository breakdown of your experience. It has provided the clarity I needed.
I have got a query though. Is it possible to arrive in Mexico without a prearrangement with an hospital and/or OB/GYN?
Must I present a doctor’s appointment or hospital registration as supporting document for visa application?
Thank you in anticipation for your kind response.
Of course, you just arrive as a tourist.
Hello Anna,
my partner and I had a home birth here in mexico but we are both from other countries. My question is with the apostilles. is it for the original birth certificate or the translated version or both?
By the way all of this information is great! thank you so much for sharing!
Your birth certificates to get the baby birth certificate, or are we talking about baby’s birth certificate to get their foreign passports?
Hi Anna ! i stumbled across your blog,quite insightful.
I and my wife are planing to embark on birth tourism to Mexico,so your post is really helpful.
My question is , after arriving and giving birth with tourist’s visa, will the parents have to leave Mexico or will the residence given to them allow them to work if they so wish?
Parents can remain while they adjust their residency status 🙂
Hi Anna, did you have any insurance or the total you stated was out of pocket? Thank you, Karleigh
No insurance won’t cover birth expenses. This is all out of pocket.