Does being over 60 lessen chance of winning?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

mimolicious - but you do not need to be insured to get health care through a federally qualified health clinic do you? You may have to pay something based on your income but I know they provide health care for low income and uninsured

To be blunt - the fact that you are even asking this is an indication that, should they win, they will probably be denied on public charge grounds.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

You may want to see the list of things they take into account in determining public charge status - it's not difficult to see that it would probably be quite difficult to meet for elderly people on a state pension (possibly quite a low one, that's not clear but it is implied from the questions that have been asked about healthcare).

http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge

A. Inadmissibility based on the public charge ground is determined by the totality of the circumstances. This means that the adjudicating officer must weigh both the positive and negative factors when determining the likelihood that someone might become a public charge. At a minimum, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer must consider the following factors when making a public charge determination:

Age

Health

Family status

Assets

Resources

Financial status

Education and skills

Edited January 22, 2015 by SusieQQQ

[Karlam 0]

To be blunt - the fact that you are even asking this is an indication that, should they win, they will probably be denied on public charge grounds.

Regarding the public charge issue, health care has been mentioned quite a bit, what other things would be looked at as a public charge?

Somebody else on this thread mentioned, the i134. What if they got that affadavit signed? Is there any answer to how much somebody should be earning who can sign that? How much would that be taken into consideration against the public charge issue?

Edited January 22, 2015 by Karlam

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Regarding the public charge issue, health care has been mentioned quite a bit, what other things would be looked at as a public charge?

Somebody else on this thread mentioned, the 1-i34, what if they got that affadavit signed? How much would that be taken into consideration against the public charge issue?

I'm thinking you didn't read the links that have been posted...you can also do a search on the net...Considering they haven't even won the lottery yet forgive me for not spending any more time on this...

[Karlam 0]

You may want to see the list of things they take into account in determining public charge status - it's not difficult to see that it would probably be quite difficult to meet for elderly people on a state pension (possibly quite a low one, that's not clear but it is implied from the questions that have been asked about healthcare).

http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge

A. Inadmissibility based on the public charge ground is determined by the totality of the circumstances. This means that the adjudicating officer must weigh both the positive and negative factors when determining the likelihood that someone might become a public charge. At a minimum, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer must consider the following factors when making a public charge determination:

Age

Health

Family status

Assets

Resources

Financial status

Education and skills

But the person in question may not just survive on their pension but would get financial help from me.

That article also says, 'Public charge does not apply in naturalization proceedings.' Does that mean that if she became a citizen, that the public charge issue would no longer apply?

I'm thinking you didn't read the links that have been posted...you can also do a search on the net...Considering they haven't even won the lottery yet forgive me for not spending any more time on this...

I think it is better to do research before any application.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Karlam

[Qilipu 0]

They should also acquaint themselves on the rules for withdrawing social security, Medicare benefits etc - I'm no expert but coming in at over 60 I don't think there is much if anything they would be eligible for - so it is not just a case of what they need to show a consular officer, but a case of: can they actually afford to retire in the US on what they already have?

Generally, to qualify for the social security benefits (the old-age pension) in the USA one needs to have accumulate "40 credits" (aka "quarters") of coverage, which means having paid US social security tax (the FICA tax) or the self-employment tax from one's wages or self-employment income for at least 10 years. (One receives 4 credits for each calendar year during which one has earned more than a certain threshold amount, which currently stands at ca. $5000).

In principle, someone in his early 60s can still have 10 years of earnings in his future, although the resulting pension will be quite small. (As per the SS benefit calculator, http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/AnypiaApplet.html, a person who earned $5000 in each of the 10 years 2005-2014, and then retired in 2015 at the age of 70, would get the pension of $126 a month. Greater earnings will result in a proportionally higher pension amount, up to the breakpoint of around $1000 a month, beyond which point you don't get much extra benefit from paying more taxes).

More importantly, having the 40 credits of social security coverage also enables one to enroll into Medicare Part A (government-run health insurance scheme for older people) for free, while otherwise there is a premium of around $400/month to pay. (There is also Medicare Part B, with the premium of at least $100, regardless of whether you have SS coverage).

If one also has a foreign pension, one's US SS benefits may be reduced (the Windfall Elimination Provision). On the other hand, totalization agreements with some countries may allow one to receive (proprtionally smaller) SS benefits even with less 10 years of work in the USA; but eligibility for these "prorated benefits" probably won't affect one's Medicare premium status.

[Asia 2,498]

I think it is better to do research before any application.

When it comes to the green card lottery where applying is free, you don't have to do any research before doing so.

Chances of winning are so low, that there's no need to bother with the future live in the US, before winning and definitely not before applying.

But to each his own

Edited January 23, 2015 by Asia