Non-resident women, in New Zealand hospitals, are leaving behind unpaid bills totaling millions of dollars for their care as per the figures submitted to The Dominion post under the Official Information Act.

New Zealand tightened their childbirth expenditure rules after 2003. Before that the maternity expenses were free but it was found that foreign origin women were taking advantage of this facility.

The amended rules extend a taxpayer-funded care to expectant mothers who have a New Zealand citizenship or residency. This also covers women having proper working visas or refugee status or have eligible partners. Those falling under reciprocal agreement with Australia and Britain.

One of the hospitals even started to carry out passport checks for expectant mothers in 2006. The Health Ministry does not collect data on babies born to non-eligible women because maternity funding is devolved to health boards.

An Auckland immigration lawyer, Aaron Martin, told that many people were ambiguous about their rights. He said, "They assume that if they have the money to pay for their care themselves, it should not be a problem ... But they don't realize that because of the shortage of midwives in New Zealand, the Government regards them as taking up resources and depriving New Zealand citizens."

Immigration Minister, Jonathan Coleman said that although thousands of women were receiving maternity care in New Zealand, but the healthcare resources are not enough to offer maternity services to visitors even if they were willing to pay.