Mad Max7

I do not know if anyone can answer this but here goes:
I am not a US citizen yet (beacuse I ahve not been here long enough) but when I am I would like to sponser my parents to come and live nearby. I asked my Immigration Attorney and she kinda gave me the impression that thye could come here on the visa waiver prog and apply for a change of status etc. It seems that the important thing is wheather of not they enter with the intention of doing this. Could anyone please clarify exactly what the situation is. I have my green card through marriage. Thanks

Manc

Max, you can't do AOS from a Visa Waiver. (unless you marry)

Englishmum

Before even going into the logistics of bringing in your parents, have you any idea at all of how expensive their medical insurance is going to cost? It will be hundreds of dollars *per month* as they will not have the benefit of subsidised health insurance via an employer. Many insurance companies won't even take on new customers if they're senior citizens and if they have any pre-existing conditions you can probably forget it.

If your parents are in the UK then honestly they are better off staying where they are, rather than be bankrupted by medical costs in the US. I can understand expats wanting to bring in their parents if they are from a Third World country or perhaps from say Asia where it's culturally the norm for parents to live with their adult offspring.

I suggest you phone a couple of medical insurance companies to get a ball-park figure of insurance premiums for middle-aged/elderly brand new immigrants to the USA.....that's if they will even agree to insure them and give you any quotes....

Mad Max7

Will they actually have to have insurance? Can't they just pay for the treatment (if any) at the time?

Manc

Being self-insured is fine.

chances are they'll be bankrupt within a decade though.

Mad Max7

Bring in the NHS??? Its not perfect by any means but its is something!!

Manc

indeed, better than nowt.

Bob

Paying for treatment, that's a laugh, well expensive, a mate broke his arm, cost him $7K, and he had part of it paid by insurance *l* he got well ripped off.
Giving birth costs around $30K
Priscription drugs are also well expensive too...definately need insurance, or live on the canadian border and bunny hop over like a lot of the old biddies do in Maine *l*

Chopper-Chris

won't the parents still qualify for NHS care if they need it? (assuming of course that they are fit enought to travel back to the UK to get it)

Manc

not if they are residents of the USA.

It is a huge bone of contention right now with the OAP's living out their retirement on the costa's in that they've paid in all their life, now they want a little bit of sun, they are ineligible if they live in Spain / Greece etc

Chopper-Chris

so if I go back to the UK tomorrow and want NHS treatment I can have it (because although I have spent the last 5 years in the US and in other countries around the world) because as of tomorrow I am a UK resident again.

How does that work then?

Bob

It shouldn't be a problem, problem does come up when trying to register with a doctor etc with proof, and it normally ian't a prob at the nhs if it's an emergency, but it's it's long term treatment, you wouldn't be eligble really...
was some talk of having to be resident for 6 months, but I don't know how legal that was, or if it came about to be honest.

Manc

yes. Remember Nick Leeson of Barings fame? lived in Singapore, then went to jail. Whilst in Jail he got cancer. Got released immediately flew back to the UK and became a resident and got his cancer cured on the NHS.

p.s. sending you a pm chris

NC Penguin

Slightly off topic but based on what your "immigration attorney" has advised you, if I were you, I'd fire that person and get a competent immigration attorney. Don't tell me you found this person through AILA!

PS: If you've lived in the US for any length of time, I'm surprised you're not aware of the cost of health cover, even if it is subsidized by an employer.

Manc

Seconded, the advice you received was wrong. plain and simple, it's not even a grey area with room for movement.