Bringing husband to USA?! I am USA Citizen.

[Goci82 0]

I have husband that lives in Europe and we have been married for 7 years now. I am Usa Citizen.My husband has kidney disease and needs to go to dyalasis almost every week. We have a son he is 5 years old.

My question is:

Can i bring my husband to the Usa and what are the chances for him to come to the USA?

Also if he comes to the Usa what are the chances for him to get any help or to sign up for some program to get help about disease he has?

I apreciate all your help and answers to my questions in advance. Thank you!

[christeen 966]

You would need to file for the spousal IR1 visa... Takes about a year give or take a few months... However, you do realize medical care in the USA is INSANELY expensive right? Over here there are millions of people, US citizens who cannot get covered by insurance let lame new immigrants with life threatening issues? For a visa you have to show,that they will not become a public charge (aka receive means tested benefits) which any "program you refer to would be"? How would you support them? Seems to me he is better off in Europe where he is getting care... Why on earth would you jeopardize that to immigrate?

[belinda63 3,047]

Have you read the I-864? If he accepts any means tested benefit prior to meeting the requirements of the I-864 they government can sue you to repay the money. He will not even qualify for Medicare for five years. You would really be better to remain in Europe where he has health care.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

Previous poster is correct.

Having the disease is not in itself a reasdon to deny the visa, but you'd need to show you can support him, including health insurance. Obamacare, unlike what some Europeans think, does NOT mean free health care.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

if you can not afford treatment where you are look into the site clinicaltrails.gov. although most are based in the US you can look in other countries. You can look for trails ( treatments in the human approval stages ) in any country

[belinda63 3,047]

I want to correct my prior post. I meant to say Medicaid. Medicare if for people 65 and older and he would not qualify for that either unless he works for 40 qualifying quarters in the US.

I still say the best thing is to remain in Europe where he can obtain cost efficient healthcare.

[Mark88 184]

Concerning the visa, you usually don't have problem getting this approved if you meet the requirements.

However like other posters have pointed out, you will be paying for any medical procedure in the US out of pocket since he won't be covered.

If he resides in a western European country (i.e. France, Germany, Great Britain) he will be better off receiving his treatment there.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

When the couple gets US insurance then they would be covered. Not sure why so many are against it. What if the wife got a job offer with insurance all set up upon arrival? No problem.

[Mark88 184]

If the pre existing conditions are explicity covered it might be easier.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

If the pre existing conditions are explicity covered it might be easier.

They are, under the new law.

I am not saying it will be easy, but something could be worked out. Would require a lot more planning than just moving on over and figuring stuff out.

[christeen 966]

If the USC spouse had a job with I surname it could be done, they would have to do a lot of pre planning for transfer of services to make sure there is no lapse or waiting periods or minimum employment time periods because any times they would have to pay out of pocket would be approx $3- 5,000 per dialysis session... But they would file for the IR1 as I originally recommended,..

[belinda63 3,047]

Depending on the employment situation of which at the present none has been mentioned, there could or could not be problems. Everyone says get insurance through your employer. But herein lies a problem with the ACA. The employer is required to pay a base percentage of the employees premiums. There is no requirement to pay for coverage for the family. But if coverage meeting the minimum ACA requirements is offered for the family it prevents you from shopping on the open market even if the monthly premiums for the spouse are outlandish. In other words if the employer offers family coverage, even at $1,000 per month, you have to take it or pay the full, unsubsidized premium for private insurance.

Some companies are nice and give excellent insurance. Others are not so nice.

My recommendation was based upon the question of what help he could receive for treatment of his medical issues. Without the USC having a job with either a large income or with excellent family health insurance I still recommend remaining in Europe.

[Boiler 46,144]

Europe covers a big area with many systems.

Obamacare does give options but as others have pointed out, not free.

I would expect less questions at the Consulate level due to the availability of Obamacare.

Horribly tricky question.

[Goci82 0]

Thanks all of you on your posts and comments! It has been helpful.I kinda knew answers on my questions but i thought there is some hope and better chances for him to come.

I know it is not easy situation but we'll see what we can do. Any other comments or input to my questions you are more then welcome to post and replay.

We kinda lost any hope here in Europe since he can't find a kidney donor yet and he is on dyalasis treatment almost eight years now. That's why i am looking into maybe bringing him here into Usa and kinda hoping for him to have better chances to stay alive and to find a kidney donor faster.

Thank you again for any inputs and help to this post.!

[christeen 966]

Finding a kidney donor is terribly difficult here too... And the donor hospitals have strict insurance requirements as the procedures and follow up meds are so expensive... My mother has been on dialysis for 8 years also was on the donor list for 4 years (until the insurance ended their agreement with the hospital).... But she has antibody issues... Ther is no quick fix, sorry... And the medical,system here is so difficult to navigate and expensive... What country are you in now (perhaps another member has so e country specific knowledge)...