Military Spouse - Having Baby in the UK

Hello Everyone,

I'm a British Citizen, married to a US Citizen who is in the US Army. We are currently stationed in Germany.  I am thinking about going to the UK to have my baby, my insurance through the Military will cover the total cost of the delivery.  However I am still registered with a GP in the UK that I have been with since I was born.

How would I go about getting a referral for the Hospital in the UK?  would it be through my GP?  I will be 32 weeks pregnant when I plan on traveling.

Another question, probably in the wrong section, but since I am British and my Baby will be born in the UK, will she be a Citizen of the UK and would I get a British Birth certificate for her.

Thank you in advance .

Unless you have some odd circumstances, she would be a UK citizen even if she were born in Germany. 

But I am not sure if you can just come back for the birth. 

It might be different because your the spouse of a military member (although US which ight also make a difference) but depending on how long you have been away you might have to re-establish residency to be covered by the NHS.

Bookgrl is right that the baby will almost certainly be a British citizen no matter where it is born.

Do you want to give birth in an NHS hospital or in a US military hospital in the UK? I don't think you'd be eligible for the NHS--you aren't resident in the UK currently and aren't going back to take up residence. You might be able to give birth as a private pay patient. Would the military cover that?

Yes, the Military will cover that.  I was not planning on using the NHS as I know I am not a resident, even though I have technically been out of the UK for 4 months.  I still am registered with my local GP in the UK however, still have a NHS number etc...
My question was, since I will be going private, how would I get a referral to the hospital.  Generally I know it is through a GP.  My insurance company through the Military need to know, so they can get things in Place before hand, but I'm not sure what the procedure is.  I would be having the baby at a hospital, not Military base.
Only reason I would like to come back to the UK to have my daughter is because my husband is soon to deploy and all my family live in the UK, so my support network would be there.

Sorry for any confusion.

I would think it would be through your GP in that case. 

They might charge to see you as a private patient, but as you have only been out of the UK for four months and you are planning to move back (that is what it sounds like, or will you be returning to Germany not long after the birth?) for a while you might be covered.

ideally I would like to stay at least 6-7 months after then baby is born, depending on how long my husband is away on his deployment, but that could change depending on circumstances.  Since I've been having all my medical care here in Germany thus far, regarding my pregnancy, eventually I would need to move back to Germany with my baby.  I was 10 weeks pregnant when I moved to Germany and did go to my GP to let them know in the UK, but they said they could not refer me to a hospital as I would be traveling back at forth and could miss my hospital appointments.  So I decided to stay in Germany and see the Dr's here for my pregnancy.

Do you think I could still be covered under NHS though? even though I have medical insurance now also to cover the birth in the UK?

Thank you.

I can't believe that you could get better obstetric care in the UK than in Germany. Nothing could be worse than NHS obstetric services, which are run by sadists who seem to have forgotten that this is the 21st century and no woman need suffer any pain or distress during childbirth or, indeed remember it afterwards. Women got better care 50 years ago (assuming the availability of twilight sleep) than they do today.

I can't believe that you could get better obstetric care in the UK than in Germany. Nothing could be worse than NHS obstetric services, which are run by sadists who seem to have forgotten that this is the 21st century and no woman need suffer any pain or distress during childbirth or, indeed remember it afterwards. Women got better care 50 years ago (assuming the availability of twilight sleep) than they do today.

First, this post dates to the 8th of May, and so the OP has in all likelihood already given birth or is fast approaching her due date.  Secondly, in her posts the OP states that she wants to give birth in the UK because her husband is soon due to deploy and her support network is in the UK.  She is not looking for opinions on where is better, she has already made her decision and would like to know how to go about implementing her choice.  Please be careful about this kind of scaremongering, especially when someone has come for practical advice, not opinions.

If you are a British Citizen , you can come back & are entitled to NHS care no matter how long you have been away. My Aunt dual UK & Australian citizen came back for a vacation after 15 yrs in Australia & fell ill a week in. She was fully intitled to NHS treatment & was not asked to pay a bean.

Regards

Certa.

If you are a British Citizen , you can come back & are entitled to NHS care no matter how long you have been away. My Aunt dual UK & Australian citizen came back for a vacation after 15 yrs in Australia & fell ill a week in. She was fully intitled to NHS treatment & was not asked to pay a bean.

Regards

Certa.

This is not accurate.  NHS care is usually based on residency not nationality.  UK citizens are only entitled to all NHS treatment in certain circumstances (such as having liked in the UK for more than 10 years and working in another country for not more than 5 years). 

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Entitlementsandcharges/OverseasVisitors/Browsable/DH_128866

If your aunt didn't meet these requirements, she may not have had to pay if her treatment was considered emergency care.  Emergency care is generally free for all persons.

This is not accurate.  NHS care is usually based on residency not nationality.  UK citizens are only entitled to all NHS treatment in certain circumstances (such as having liked in the UK for more than 10 years and working in another country for not more than 5 years). 

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Entitlementsandcharges/OverseasVisitors/Browsable/DH_128866

If your aunt didn't meet these requirements, she may not have had to pay if her treatment was considered emergency care.  Emergency care is generally free for all persons.

OK It was an emergancy , tis a complicated thing ( good ol British red tape). Would be strange if she was,nt entitled as she made enough NI payments before she emigrated to be able to draw a UK state pension as she does today while still in Australia. Its like pi**ing against the wind trying to figure out our social care system LoL.

Regards

Certa.