Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ively used as a form of contraception, but they have also been a quick way to remove a baby
if it's a girl. Consequently, there is now a disproportionate number of men to women. To
try to stop this, it's now absolutely illegal for medical staff to tell you the sex of your baby,
even for foreigners being treated by foreign doctors in international hospitals. Expats have
had mixed experiences with how lenient or strict staff are in letting them know the gender
of their child, but occasionally a wink or a nod in a quiet moment with your specialist will
satisfy your curiosity.
Nationality, Passports, and Visas
If you have a baby in China, you may need to be aware of the differences in laws governing
nationality between your home country and China. First, China does not recognize dual
nationality. Second, China's Nationality Law states that any person born in China whose
parents are both Chinese nationals or one of whose parents is a Chinese national will have
Chinese nationality. This means that even if you are an American citizen but your partner
is Chinese, your child will automatically have Chinese citizenship. This can then become
tricky when you need to apply for an exit visa for your child, because the Chinese govern-
ment may not recognize the baby's American citizenship (even though the United States
does). To legally leave the country with your child you may need to apply at your local
Public Security Bureau to relinquish your child's Chinese nationality—a process that can
take up to three months.
If your child does qualify for your home country's citizenship, you'll need to apply for
both a passport and Chinese visa for the baby. You can do this through your country's em-
bassy. Depending on where you come from, there are various steps to registering the birth
of your child and applying for such things as a social security number and passport. Contact
your embassy in Beijing for detailed information.
If you have a typical medical condition requiring ongoing medication, you shouldn't find
any difficulty getting the necessary medications once you arrive in Beijing. Most standard
drugs are available. Some, however, be difficult to come by. These can include those for
rare conditions, drugs that are new on the market, and drugs for mental health. “Ritalin, for
example, can be difficult to get,” says Dr. Saint Cyr. “It's often out of stock, and sometimes
you can get only a couple of weeks supply. It can be really inconvenient.” Narcotics, such
as extended-release morphine for chronic pain, can also be difficult to access, and if you
can get it the quantity prescribed might be highly controlled. If you can't access a particular
