Dynamo

I'm posting because I just realised that I don't know how this could affect an application...

My fiancee in the US is a stable manic depressive, medicated for 7 years. However, although she is stable, her mental illness means that she's unable to work and is eligible to avoid any summons for jury duty.

Simply, I don't know, and haven't seen anywhere any indication of how this sort of situation could affect an application for K-1 visa immigration. Does anyone know anything about this?

UKStudent

It does not matter if the USC is nuts. They,the BCIS, only care if the intended immigrant is mental. If I may offer my advice I would seriously reconsider getting involved with this headcase.

DCMark

Dyn, this UK student is a resident troll/ass. He is right that the US does not care about the USC. Good luck.

Dynamo

Thanks, Mark - on both counts.

whatever

Sort of similar....
My Sister is a USC and a Bi-Manic Depressive - has psyche's and on Meds. She does work though, in a hospital, with the very doctors who aid her strangly enough, and she was called to do Jury Duty 2 years ago on a Murder Case... Maybe Bi and Manic are very different.

She sponsored our AOS by herself as she works and has an income and is a home owner etc... plus we had equity in our house etc. It sounds to me as though you may need to have a co-sponser. You can find information about co-sponsors in the instructions on the I-864 form, or alternatively by looking on www.immigration.gov

Dynamo

That part I've already taken care of, thanks to advice from this forum. We have a co-sponsor who's going to be financially responsible for us while I'm finding my feet in the country.

Rete

And that co-sponsor will be your sponsor for a lot longer than that. They will be sponsor until you either have 40 quarters of qualifying work under your belt; or become a US citizen; or leave the country and give up your residency status; or die; or they die and their estate is settled.

BTW the co-sponsor will not be repsonsible for "US" just for you. Your finacee most likely is collecting some type of monies from a government agency due to his inability to function in a work atmosphere (which I don't understand as my ex was a MD as well and worked and was on meds).

Rete

Dynamo

Ahh - it's down to the personal circumstances and the specific nature of the illness. Some people can, others can't. My fiancee (a she, in fact) is capable of doing the actual work itself, and has sometimes done little bits of work from home to bring in extra money, but following a series of trauma in addition to the illness itself she's no longer capable of dealing with the stress of the work environment (not just idle talk - she's been confirmed as unable to work by a number of psychiatrists). While a lot of people can work on meds - and she did for a while - she's no longer able to do that.

And from what I've read, once I'm able to sustain a certain level of income on my own for a period of six months (I believe it's six months, but it could be more than that) I'm able to apply with some form or other to relieve the co-sponsor of their financial responsibility to me. I have the details of that kicking around in my big black emigration file somewhere.

DCMark

I do not believe you are correct in that. The affidavat of support is quite speific as Rete mentioned.

However, you do the ability to make it a moot point by never apply for government assistance. That is the key.

Dynamo

Yeah...

Yikes. I just read around about this, and it looks like the information I had for that particular piece was out of date - there was definitely a way to remove the sponsor's responsibility before, because I double-checked it all - but it doesn't appear to exist anymore on the FAQ I got the information from.

lpdiver

Yes it irs true the K-1 process will cause you to go insane (joking here).

Now this is serious and I am not a troll. I was married to a Manic- depressive (bi-polar is the same) person for 23 years and I would seriously consider what you are getting into. If she has been considered disabled by the shrinks she should qualify for ssdi which won't bring her income to the poverty level. consequences of her illness
A. Most of the meds that are taken fior this illness cause big time birth defects.
B. Any children will be at greater risk of having the same illness.
C. Treatment for this illness can be quite expensive and is usually very limited as to being covered by insurance. It is incurable to date.

God bless you and her whether you marry or not. I could talk on this topic for weeks but it really is not for this forum. You are in for the challenge of a lifetime. Maybe you have the strength to suceed where I failed after 23 years. Educate yourself well and Godbless and good luck.

Dynamo

Yeah...I know a lot about manic depression now. I'm a keen student of things when I want to be.

We've been together for five years now...a little more than, actually, and I've had a lot of time to consider my position and the situation I'm moving into. Adequate health insurance for her racks in at around $240 a month, plus another $40 a month in prescription medication charges, not to mention possible bills for psychiatry visits and such, so I know it's not cheap. But I'm familiar with everything that entails, and also the potential problems if the illness itself should manifest fully - I'm not entering into it blindly.

Thanks for the good wishes from people for this all the same. Here's hoping all the concerns don't come to pass.

Rete

Only if your AOS occurs after the fact and only if accepted by the examiner. One such examiner denied the foreign spouse that privilege at the time of AOS in Portland, Maine. This couple's AOS was placed on hold until they could come up with a co-sponsor.

Rete

Rete

Depends on the degree of the illness and the willingness of the person to take the meds. My first husband was a MD and we were married for 7 years. We have two lovely daughters together and neither of them are MD or Bi-polar. Not to say it is not inherited as his father had it as well. My ex was fine with mild mood swings of eurphoric highs and once a suicidual low. He always worked and was a good husband and an excellent father. But as I said, his disease was mild. He was placed on medication after a sucide attempt but did not remain on it for long as its use meant he could not drive. Believe it was lithium he was on.

Yes, marriage to a person with this condition can be very difficult and requires a spouse who has an unlimited well of patience, endurance and compassion. They must be willing to deal with emotional swings that at times can become violent.

As lpdiver said, I, too, wish you well.

Rete