Panicking about visiting home
 

I am looking into the K1 route into the US but 2 things are really bothering me, the healthcare (i have crohns disease) and the annual leave...12 days??? I thought 20 days was bad enough juggling time to see each other in the year but how do people cope with the poor leave generally and to visit home occassionally? Are some sectors better for leave than others like in the uk?

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Depending on the small print, 12 days often means 12 days leave plus about 8 days for federal holidays xmas etc so 20 in total. Though your mileage may vary.

Perhaps small consolation but depending on where in the US you end up, it may just be too expensive to fly back frequently anyway.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Healthcare is a major issue. If you are not insured already, you will struggle to find a provider...until Obama Care does or does not kick in, then who knows what you may get from the bargain basement offerings.... In light of your health issues, personally I would seriously reconsider. Then again without a decent visa this is a moot point.

Leave is pitiful unless you work on an European transfer.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Well my partner lives in Perrysberg. Detroit airport is where i fly into.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

I believe i can get added to my partners work policy which he needs to look into. I hope so!

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Leave entitlements vary by industry/ occupation, seniority, and length of service. White collar jobs may have more leave, and also managers, and it is common to get additional leave entitlement after five and/ or ten years. Many jobs don't have any leave entitlement in the first year. :(

At the risk of depressing you further, you probably (almost certainly, I have never heard of it) don't get "sick days" at all, any time you're too sick to come to work is deducted from your annual leave. :ohmy:
Recommendation: Don't get sick. :unsure:

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Ok better if you can coat-tail on someone else but:

Get him to check specifically about pre-existing conditions and his policy. Usually a major cop out for most insurers, plus the deductibles (excess) you will be most likely paying. You cannot begin to imagine the costs of healthcare once major stuff kicks off. Just want you to be wary....although you never appreciate this stuff until you are here and know how it works.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

You almost certainly can. Family health insurance is virtually standard, and "change in family circumstances" such as getting married, birth/adoption of a child, change in spouse's employment is grounds for a mid year change in health insurance. You may not be able to get added to your fiancé's insurance until you get married depending on whether his employer's health insurance covers cohabiting partners.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

It really worries me as he's never sick. What savings i have wont last long, especially if i cant work initially or struggle to find work (no degree or high level qualifications). He is in a really good job which is why ive had to look at going there to give it a go rather than him to the UK. He has about 12 hears service and good perks. I'm in an average sales job and theres nothing really suitable for him here at the moment especially around his level of work.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Well life is a risk. But coming from the security of UK socialism (not meant in a bad way just that it is considerably more socially and paternally minded than here) the risk here gets much, much greater. Which just goes to show you how most of the world lives and despite the naysayers, how comfortable life in the UK actually is.

Personally when you are younger and more fearless, the USA is great for an experience...Personally I would not do it, if I had medical issues from what I know now. Fortunately I never have....yet.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

I had to look up what a K1 visa was, are you entering on the shirt tails of a military spouse? If so check out the AARP website to see what it says about pre-existing conditions.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

BTW sorry to harp on about healthcare but I think its a major issue that people from the UK don't appreciate because they take it for granted. Perhaps the more pressing issue than vacation that you may have is finding work and to take the burden off your partner, specifically work with health cover.....

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

If you are concerned about health insurance and having to wait before you can start to work, you might want to consider getting married while visiting the US or him visiting the UK (more difficult since it requires a visa and waiting period) and then apply for a CR-1 visa. When you get the CR-1 visa and enter the US, your husband can immediately add you to his company provided health insurance and you can start work immediately.

The disadvantage is that you will be separated after you get married except for visits until the CR-1 visa is approved.

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

Many companies give newbies 10 days plus 5 days sickness/personal days and the public holidays. Medical usually kicks in after a probationary period so you'll need to be covered for that time (often 3 months). Use an ex-pat provider (search on here - been posted about recently).

Note that you can always take more time off as unpaid leave. They might not like it but it's your choice. On another note I've hardly taken any time off simply because I still see every weekend as a vacation :-)

Re: Panicking about visiting home
 

She's got/getting a visa to enter the US, marry a USC (within 90 days) and adjust her status to conditional permanent resident. That is ALL you can deduce from a K1 visa.