Having a Child in Thailand as an Expatriate
If you are an expatriate living in Thailand considering having a child, or already pregnant perhaps, you may be questioning the status of your child, and any potential costs of giving birth whilst you are living away from home.
In this article, we explain which nationality your child will receive upon birth in Thailand, the cost of having a baby in Thailand, and private medical cover for expatriates giving birth in Thailand.
Nationality of a baby born in Thailand
Babies born to at least one Thai National Parent
Babies born where at least one of the parents is a Thai national will automatically gain nationality of Thailand. This will be added to the birth certificate which can then be used to obtain a passport for the child.
Babies born to expatriates living in Thailand
If you give birth to a child as an expatriate living in Thailand (but without permanent residence) your child will not be granted Thai Citizenship. It does not matter your arrangement with visas or work permits, the child will not gain any other rights that would be given to a Thai national.
Upon birth, the Thai hospital will make a note on the birth certificate which explains the status of the child’s residence.
Babies born to foreign nationals with permeant Thai residency
If a baby is born to two foreign nationals who have both been granted permanent Thai residence, the baby will also be granted Thai citizenship. It is quite difficult to be granted permeant residence in Thailand without marrying a Thai national, so there are likely to be few who fall into this category.
Cost of Giving Birth in Thailand
If you are used to living in a country where healthcare is free, brace yourself, as giving birth in countries without healthcare can be costly.
In Thailand, prices vary based on whether the birth is natural, planned caesarean or an emergency caesarean.
As a guide, prices can be as follows:
Natural birth: ฿83,000 – 140,000 (approx. $2,700 - $4,500)
Planned Caesarean: ฿110,000 – 170,000 (approx. $3,500 - $5,500)
Emergency Caesarean: ฿160,000 – 200,000 (approx. $5,100 - $6,400)
Private Healthcare and Giving Birth in Thailand
Our expat maternity cover benefits are some of the best around. Our policies cover normal pregnancy and childbirth in Thailand, childbirth complications, and caesarean sections.
Depending on the level of cover you choose when you take out your policy, you can be covered up to between $3000 and $25,000 for a normal pregnancy and childbirth.
Please note that you must have held a policy with us for at least 12 months to qualify for this cover, plus you will need to contribute 10% co-pay on all claims.
To read our full policy wording for maternity private medical cover, including cover for pregnancy and childbirth complication cover, please visit the following link and head to page 5: https://www.healthcareinternational.com/assets/OC_HCI_policy-brochure_health_v8_A5_Web.pdf