Sally Redux

I think you're a little confused on this issue. Not a good reason to move.

avanutria

I am a staff member at a US university. I (or a family member) would get reduced tuition, but not free. And the university does not offer every major. If my child wanted to study something not offered here, such as engineering, my discount would be of no help.

Extending this argument, if she wants to study back in the UK, that's on her as well, which means discounted US university tuition becomes a non-factor in the move. And if your move is likely to happen when she's about 16-18 years old, it's possible that she would want to stay in the UK with her friends. If you were willing to move to the US without her, that would mean additional expenses in terms of flights back and forth to see each other.

Can you describe for us the shape that you would like your life to take? Maybe we can help guide you in a direction other than moving to the US, which really is not the utopia it can seem from outside.

MsElui

My local state Uni is OSU in Columbus. staff there get 50% off for their families. Jobs there are like gold dust. but 50% of a lot is still a lot for you to pay.

The safety net is a big issue. I have to accept that come retirement age we will struggle majorly with getting health insurance (like so many millions of retirees do now). This could mean i either have to pay thousands a month for private coverage - or work enough hours to qualify in a job that provides health coverage (if i could even get a job at that age in the first place). Or I have to move back to the UK and leave my presumably settled children (and their then partners/kids etc) behind. Not a prospect to be taken lightly.

And if you or your daughter have ANY diagnosed health issues right now - like asthma or diabetes etc etc - be prepared for massive amounts of cost/hassle.

Be very sure you have thought it through. Britain may not be glamorous or exciting but you have basic cover there which are worth FAR FAR more than you realize when you move here and have to cough up for any medical issue.

Giantaxe

Having just read through the thread, I think the sister would be pretty crazy to file an affidavit of support for the OP. Of course, a lot could change in 10 years or whatever...

Michael

Not sure what you mean. If either you or your husband have 40 quarters of work, you and him qualify for medicare at age 65 (you won't qualify for medicare until he is 65 if you use his earnings to qualify) which currently costs $96 per month which pays 100% for hospital coverage after about $1,000 deductible and 80% of outpatient costs after about $100 deductible. If you want 100% coverage, that is normally available for $100-$200 per month on the open market.

If you are talking about being laid off in your 50's, that can be a bigger problem if health care reform is overturned by the republicans but if it holds together, the premium will vary depending on your income but could be free.

http://healthreform.kff.org/SubsidyC...spx#calcParams

BritishGuy36

Your dream is exactly that. And that's what it will stay. And if you chase your dream to what appears to be the exclusion of all rational thought process, it will become a nightmare.

I suspect you daren't really research the subject properly, as you know that you will find out that the whole plan is a complete non-starter.

Stay where you are, and forget it. That's the harsh reality of how this scenario will end up.

heartofengland

Be very sure you have thought it through. Britain may not be glamorous or exciting but you have basic cover there which are worth FAR FAR more than you realize when you move here and have to cough up for any medical issue.[/QUOTE]

MsElui's hit the hail on the head. Our COBRA just ran out and until we get get coverage elsewhere, I'm praying none of my kids need to see the doctor or visit the ER. Be grateful you have the NHS. Seriously.

Englishman43

I agree 100% with these sentiments. Life in the US makes life in the UK seem like an all inclusive weeks holiday at club " Lets get pissed, forget our worries and have a great old time of it "

Rose tea

I'm not a USC, but I hope to become one in the next couple of years once I get the money together. My sister has been pestering me about sponsoring her.

I figure that if I'm going to file an affidavit of support once the I-130 is approved years down the line, she'd need to come up with a year's worth of living expenses for her first year in the US - if we include an individual health insurance plan for her in that figure, we are looking at, on the VERY conservative end, $20,000 in savings. If I'm pledging to support her financially until one of us dies, I don't think that having her put aside $1600 in savings per year for 10 years is that much to ask. She thinks this is way too much - and it is. Living in the US does cost way too much. And that makes me question why she'd even want to do it. Consider how much this is going to cost you, and also if you and your sister are even close. The idea of being financially responsible for someone I'm not even close to makes me panicky.

Bob

That's a smidge over $100 a month, 60 squid...that's what, 2 cups of small, crap coffee a day, for 10 years.

Bargain....and if it doesn't work out, at the end of 10 years, that's a decent start to a savings/retirement fund.

Rose tea

Yep. And of course my maths was a bit off, I was really thinking about $1600 x 12 years, not 10 years. But she can't even find the money to come out and visit. She's made it out once, and I paid for that one. Every year I hear, "I'm coming out to see you this year!", and I go ahead and use up my vacation time on my own things, knowing it won't happen. Savings can happen if you do it little and often. I myself have $38 in savings already

scrubbedexpat099

That is not what the I 864 says.

Rose tea

Okay, only in worst case scenario where she can't work, or can't get health coverage and would be relying on govt aid otherwise. But given that I probably can't compel her to work, it's something I have to be mindful of. Things can go wrong.

scrubbedexpat099

What Government aid?

Rose tea

Per the I864, "certain Federal, State, or local means- tested public benefits". So, ask them.