Bringing Mama to the USA

[fathertime]

My wife and I were talking and thought someday in the future we would try to bring my wife's mother here to the USA to live.  What exactly would this process entail and how many years out would it be possible to do such a thing?  My wife will have been here for two years shortly. 

Thanks,
Fathertime! 

[Capstone]

FT,
The quickest & easiest way would be for your wife to get her US citizenship (she will be eligible after being a LPR for 3 years since she is married to you) and then for her to submit an I-130 petition for her Mom. Petitions filed by US citizens for their parents currently take the same amount of time to process as does a petition for a spouse.


In the interim, your mother-in-law could always apply for a tourist visa and come for a visit to see if she likes it enough to live here. Of course there is no guarantee that she will be approved for a tourist visa but it is worth a try. My in-laws were both able to get tourist visas.

[Ray]

 
I would figure at least another 3 years FT.
 
Before you get too deep into this plan, make sure that you are ready to assume all financial support responsibility for mom, including medical care, since she won't be eligible for Medicare, Social Security, or most other government handouts, unless of course Obozo decides to put her on the dole.
 
As Cap mentioned, she would need to be petitioned by your American citizen wife, not you. Another I-864 is required also.
 
Ray
 
 

[fathertime]

thanks Ray and Cap!


My wife thought that SHE would need to be working in order for her to petition for her mother in a few years.  I told her that I did not think that was the case, but I really don't know for sure.  So how does that work?  Does the household income/assets count or does it have to be strictly her income that matters?


Thanks,
Fathertime!

[Ray]

FT,
　
Assuming that your wife doesn’t make sufficient income of her own, you can count your income toward the minimum required for the affidavit of support. That way you would both be legally responsible for mama.
　
If your wife could qualify on her own, then she would file as the sole sponsor and you wouldn’t personally be responsible for mama’s support.
　
Download and read over the instructions for USCIS Forms I-1864 & I-864A.
　
Ray

[robert angel]

I would figure at least another 3 years FT.
 
Before you get too deep into this plan, make sure that you are ready to assume all financial support responsibility for mom, including medical care, since she won't be eligible for Medicare, Social Security, or most other government handouts, unless of course Obozo decides to put her on the dole.
 
As Cap mentioned, she would need to be petitioned by your American citizen wife, not you. Another I-864 is required also.
 
Ray

My wife is an American citizen and we'd like to bring her parents here for an extended stay--probably 3 to 6 months. What scares me, is the fact that they have some serious health challenges--heart disease, prostate cancer and diabetes, for starters. If, say a heart emergency occurred, a medical bill of $150,000 or more wouldn't be unusual. That would about wipe us out---we wouldn't be retiring for a mighty long time.
I read >>make sure that you are ready to assume all financial support responsibility for mom, including medical care, since she won't be eligible for Medicare,<<

The above seemed to address parents of someone who's not an American citizen yet. I don't know if it's any different once you're an American citizen through marriage. Is there any medical insurance available here for foreign parents of American citizens on a visit here or is just one helluva expensive gamble? What are our options?

Thanks,

Robert
 
 

[fathertime]

My wife is an American citizen and we'd like to bring her parents here for an extended stay--probably 3 to 6 months. What scares me, is the fact that they have some serious health challenges--heart disease, prostate cancer and diabetes, for starters. If, say a heart emergency occurred, a medical bill of $150,000 or more wouldn't be unusual. That would about wipe us out---we wouldn't be retiring for a mighty long time.
I read >>make sure that you are ready to assume all financial support responsibility for mom, including medical care, since she won't be eligible for Medicare,<<

The above seemed to address parents of someone who's not an American citizen yet. I don't know if it's any different once you're an American citizen through marriage. Is there any medical insurance available here for foreign parents of American citizens on a visit here or is just one helluva expensive gamble? What are our options?

Thanks,

Robert

RobertAngel, I remember buying travelers medical insurance for my fiance/wife when she first arrived it was a temporary thing for a month, but I could have extended it for a longer period if I wanted to...it wasn't that expenisve but in your case with an older woman I don't know.

Fathertime!

[fathertime]

FT,
　
Assuming that your wife doesn’t make sufficient income of her own, you can count your income toward the minimum required for the affidavit of support. That way you would both be legally responsible for mama.
　
If your wife could qualify on her own, then she would file as the sole sponsor and you wouldn’t personally be responsible for mama’s support.
　
Download and read over the instructions for USCIS Forms I-1864 & I-864A.
　
Ray

Thanks BOZO!

Fathertime!~

[robert angel]

Thanks, FT--I am curious to know about the cost for people in their late 50's and early 60's and whether or not they check for 'pre existing conditions'?
 
All I know is I was stupidly taken by ambulance to the hospital, made to take an MRI, kept for 12 hours and discharged. I had fainted,while on an empty stomach, in a really hot, humid crowded place , only to be discharged after being told I was 'fit as a fiddle'.
 
The bill for my twelve hours? Because I HAD insurance, they reduced it to thirteen thousand dollars.

Before they discharged me and I was still propped up in bed, the nurse asked if I wanted anything. She was a cutie, so without thinking-- "Hey, my wife's in here too" I replied. "Yes, a lap dance, would be nice".

I'm lucky my wife didn't break something!

[Gato4Astrid]

Thank God I live in England!  FREE Hosptial, doctors fees, etc 

[Ray]

My wife is an American citizen and we'd like to bring her parents here for an extended stay--probably 3 to 6 months. What scares me, is the fact that they have some serious health challenges--heart disease, prostate cancer and diabetes, for starters. If, say a heart emergency occurred, a medical bill of $150,000 or more wouldn't be unusual. That would about wipe us out---we wouldn't be retiring for a mighty long time.
I read >>make sure that you are ready to assume all financial support responsibility for mom, including medical care, since she won't be eligible for Medicare,<<

The above seemed to address parents of someone who's not an American citizen yet. I don't know if it's any different once you're an American citizen through marriage. Is there any medical insurance available here for foreign parents of American citizens on a visit here or is just one helluva expensive gamble? What are our options?

　
Robert,
　
A 3-6 month stay is for a visitor visa. There is no affidavit of support for a visitor visa, so you are not legally responsible for any medical bills for the folks while visiting. That’s on them and they don’t take their passport away until they pay their hospital bill.
　
I was talking about an American citizen wife petitioning her parents for an immigrant visa. It makes no difference whether your wife is a citizen or not because in your case, they would be traveling on a visitor visa. There is no petition for a visitor visa. The applicants apply and are qualified on their own behalf.
　
As FT mentioned, you can look into traveler’s temporary trip insurance, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I would have them get an annual check up with their doctor in the Philippines. If the doctor thinks they are to feeble to travel, then they should probably stay home and wait for you to visit them.
　
Ray

[Capstone]

A 3-6 month stay is for a visitor visa. There is no affidavit of support for a visitor visa, so you are not legally responsible for any medical bills for the folks while visiting.

Depends upon the country/consulate - I had to submit an I-134 for my in-laws B-2s. This seems to be a growing trend when the B-2 is to be used for visiting family members in the US, especially if the person applying for the visa is a retiree. They just want to make sure that the visitor actually has some place to stay and someone to cover the normal costs of their trip if necessary.  That being said, since the I-134 (unlike the I-864) is nonbinding I wasn't too worried about the possibility of being on the hook for any unforeseen emergency medical expenses during their visit.

[robert angel]

Thanks, Ray, Capstone,

I am getting a little clearer on this, but I guess it all hasn't set in. I guess it sounds too good to be true that if God forbid, my mother in law had a heart attack while here on a tourist visa, that I wouldn't be paying big time for it.

My wife's Mom has a bad heart and when she gets upset (or perhaps homesick) she experiences chest pains and I could see my wife rushing her to the hospital and probably signing off on something or the other. (her parents speak good English)
It would, in such a case mean us 'losing the farm', as they'd run every test known to western medicine and likely keep her for two weeks. You know how Filipinas are--she'd give her right arm for her parents/family.

Regarding:

>>A 3-6 month stay is for a visitor visa. There is no affidavit of support for a visitor visa, so you are not legally responsible for any medical bills for the folks while visiting. That’s on them and they don't take their passport away until they pay their hospital bill.<<
I don't understand the 'take their passport away' part of the explanation. Can they take their passport/s in lieu of payment or ask for it if they decide you haven't paid in good faith?

The last thing I want to do is bring them here and scam our system out of medical care and not pay bills. I want to avoid any misfortune all together, take them to Disney World, see a few other sights, take to some nice restaurants, etc. I honestly think that after a few weeks here they'll want to leave and go back to the peace and quiet that centers around them back in their barangay. Her dad is the barangay Captain and that alone will require a fairly quick return. We send different medicines, medical equipment, diabetes stuff, etc already

I just know from my own experience that if just one of those weeks was spent here in the hospital by one of my inlaws, that the bill for services could easily top a $100,000 and we couldn't foot that!!

Sorry if I sound obtuse----really I need to be reassured I guess, but what's with the passport?

THANKS in advance!

Robert

PS--F.T.--Sorry if I'm Shanghaing (Manilamizing?) your thread here.....

[utopiacowboy]

For the love of God, why would anyone want to bring their mother-in-law here?

[robert angel]

U.C.,

Believe me, I'd rather go there and I don't think that they'd like it that much here. Nonetheless, the wife would like for them to see the sights here and like just about everyone, they want to see Disney World, although it'd probably give them a sensory overload head ache and wear her mom out physically.

I am spending about three grand to (at least) to send my wife back home in a couple weeks. Her being there with the whole family for a solid month will put off them possibly coming here, but their health probably won't be a whole lot better in a few years, with the sorry medical care available where they live.

Do you think you could tell your wife "I don't want your parents coming to our home?"

We have discussed the risks and we agree that after a a short while and having seen a few places, eating at the buffets, BBQ & steak houses, visiting our sad sack malls and going to Walmart to get a green flourescent tan, that they'll be more than ready to head home, where they benevolently rule the coconut plantation, where time means little and interpersonal communication mean everything.

I just don't want to lose everything I worked and saved for over the last thirty years, due to an unexpected medical bill. I'm beginning to think that might not be a worst case scenario by USA law, but I'm still listening and learning.

They are very smart people, both university graduates, but who opted on purpose for a simple, agricultural life focused on four harvests a year, their village and helping one another. This allowed their children to be raised well, in almost an isolated,  verdent 'shangri la' like atmosphere, and after they finished high school, with good values learned, sent them off to explore universities, big cities and the world at large, outside their nation if they want.

They stay out of  our marital business and  more I get to know them, the smarter I realize they are and most importantly, how much common sense they have.

[El flaco]

For the love of God, why would anyone want to bring their mother-in-law here?

Ha ha. I was thinking the same thing.  I'd much rather spend the money to have her visit 4 times a year.