To give or not to give birth abroad

An increasing number of Chinese women have been traveling overseas to give birth. They are doing so either to avoid paying the very high fine for having a second child in violation of the family planning policy or to get their children the citizenship of a country or region that does not have a tough exam-oriented education system like China's. The visa on arrival facility for Chinese in about 45 countries and regions, and the good education and medical treatment available at lower costs in quite a few regions seem to have made their job easier.

Normally, rich couples travel abroad to have a child, because only they can afford to pay the cost, which is about 100,000 yuan to 250,000 yuan ($16,460 to $41,150) in a developed country. But such people consider giving birth abroad as an "investment", for their children will not only get the citizenship but also can avail of the social welfare of the country or region of their birth. No wonder, giving birth abroad has become a fad among the rich in China.

The United States and Canada, followed by Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, are the most popular overseas destinations for women from the Chinese mainland to give birth because children born in these countries and regions automatically become their citizens.