Mama Just Wants to Visit

[Dogwood_Poet 16]

We have started a visa application for my mother-in-law and have already gotten the first approval notice. However, she just really wants to visit us here in the US since she has never left Mindanao.

I know they say it is almost impossible to get a tourist visa to the US unless you have strong ties. She has property in the province where she lives but I don't think she has titles to everything. She also has five sons who live in the Philippines.

Should we spend the rest of the money to get her green card & just let her come & see how she likes it, since she would have a chance to go back home after a while to decide if she wants to come back to the US on her green card. Or should we roll the dice on a tourist visa?

Just trying to decide before we take the next step since Mama says she would like to visit.

[MuDelphi 159]

Don't abuse the green card. Its not for testing the water. Go the tourist visa route.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Chinook and I are facing the same issue. When the time comes, we are not going to gamble on a tourist visa. We are going to play it safe and go for the Green Card.

[Tintin and Mike 127]

Go for the GC, you'll just waste the money on tourist visa.

Good luck!

[Hank_ 9,174]

Don't abuse the green card. Its not for testing the water. Go the tourist visa route.

[ca_babe 129]

Tourist visa is only $160. I'd roll the dice on the tourist visa but not cancel the green card application. My mom is "visiting" for 2 years. Since 2 years is too long for a tourist visa, we opted for the green card.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Tourist visa is only $160. I'd roll the dice on the tourist visa but not cancel the green card application. My mom is "visiting" for 2 years. Since 2 years is too long for a tourist visa, we opted for the green card.

A tourist visa is also going to cost a round-trip ticket to Manila and an overnight stay. If they have money to burn, then they should go for it.

However, because of her weak ties to the Philippines, a tourist would be a long shot indeed.

[ca_babe 129]

A tourist visa is also going to cost a round-trip ticket to Manila and an overnight stay. If they have money to burn, then they should go for it.

However, because of her weak ties to the Philippines, a tourist would be a long shot indeed.

I'm assuming the parent is in their 50s or older. The cost of monthly premium for health insurance for somebody in that age range can buy you a round trip ticket to Philippines. Somebody who's considering to have their parents/in-laws immigrate over here must have money to burn for $160. I have yet to find a company who offers health insurance for parents as dependents. All of the ones that I've checked only offers it to spouses, domestic partners, and children including the companies that my husband and I work for.

[Tahoma 2,292]

I'm assuming the parent is in their 50s or older. The cost of monthly premium for health insurance for somebody in that age range can buy you a round trip ticket to Philippines. Somebody who's considering to have their parents/in-laws immigrate over here must have money to burn for $160. I have yet to find a company who offers health insurance for parents as dependents. All of the ones that I've checked only offers it to spouses, domestic partners, and children including the companies that my husband and I work for.

Good point about the health insurance. Our policy doesn't allow parents as dependents either. I haven't checked into it yet, but I'm hoping to buy Chinook's mother a reasonably-priced stand-alone policy which has a high deductible and basically covers only major medical.

If you see any decent plans out there, I'd appreciate a heads up.

[ca_babe 129]

Good point about the health insurance. Our policy doesn't allow parents as dependents either. I haven't checked into it yet, but I'm hoping to buy Chinook's mother a reasonably-priced stand-alone policy which has a high deductible and basically covers only major medical.

If you see any decent plans out there, I'd appreciate a heads up.

The cheapest I found in California is Obamacare's PCIP, https://www.pcip.gov. It's $500 per month in my area with an annual deductible of $1500. The individual plans that I've checked cost a lot more than the PCIP program with higher deductibles. They also have the right to deny you coverage depending on the result of your physical exam prior to being insured until Dec. 31, 2013. Starting Jan. 1, 2014, insurance companies cannot refuse to sell coverage or renew policies to anyone based on pre-existing condition. The PCIP is also effective until Dec. 31, 2013 only because after that, Obamacare will have an insurance exchange which THEORETICALLY will allow individuals to pay for health insurance at a cheaper price because they will have more options and people will be required to buy insurance except under some circumstances or pay a fine.

Other ways I've checked to lower the cost of health insurance are:

Your health FSA at work can't be used to pay for insurance premiums either.

You can claim medical expenses in your tax as deduction for expenses exceeding 10% of your adjusted gross income starting 2013, 7.5% prior 2013.

You can use health FSA to pay for co-pay, co-insurance, deductible.

Marry off my mom to somebody with great group health insurance.