K-1 Visa and healthcare

[Zeisha 2]

Hello all, My Fiance is coming from the UK. We are applying for a K-1 Visa to get married. I was wondering about his healthcare because he doesn't get it until he becomes a citizen. What can we do in the meantime? He has inhalers that he needs every month and I just looked it up on the internet. They will be expensive to pay per month. Is there anything we could do for his medication needs? He can't go 3 years without his medication.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Zeisha

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

10 minutes ago, Zeisha said:

Hello all, My Fiance is coming from the UK. We are applying for a K-1 Visa to get married. I was wondering about his healthcare because he doesn't get it until he becomes a citizen. What can we do in the meantime? He has inhalers that he needs every month and I just looked it up on the internet. They will be expensive to pay per month. Is there anything we could do for his medication needs? He can't go 3 years without his medication.

 

Don't have specifics myself, but can try to 'stock' up and bring some extra with. Once married and all can add him to your healthcare plan if you have one through your company.

 

Otherwise, go top right corner here on VJ and search for like "K-1 healthcare" or such and you can find a lot of threads discussing this matter and find some solutions or options I'm sure.

[SalishSea 17,772]

Why would he not be able to obtain health insurance until he becomes a citizen?  Do you have health insurance through an employer?   If so, you can add him to your plan after (or in some cases, even before) you are married.  

 

If you have coverage via the marketplace (Affordable Care Act, etc), then you can look into adding him to that plan as well, or finding a new one for the two of you.

 

Health care in the United States is expensive, and as such has to be included in an overall household budget for everyone.

 

 

[Paul & Mallory 1,398]

(edited because I believe I misinterpreted OP's post)

 

He doesn't have to wait to become a citizen to be covered. Once you are married, if you are currently covered by an employer, he could likely be covered as your spouse. My job was even able to add my husband as a dependent before his SSN had even been issued.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Paul & Mallory

[Ontarkie 14,193]

~~Moved to Moving Here and Your New Life, from K1P&P - The OP is asking about health insurance.~~

[EandH0904 1,184]

In this poster's previous post she mentioned that her and her fiance are both "disabled" and she has a co-sponsor. @Zeisha

 are you not working right now? How do you get your health insurance? 

 

If you are on Medicaid/Medicare, this is what I mentioned to you about the concern that your future husband could be a "public charge" 

 

You can look into rates for private insurance - Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, there are a variety of public health insurance. Additionally there may be some low-cost clinics in your area that he could benefit from as well if he was unable to afford private insurance.   Remember that nothing about this process is cheap - the AOS fee and all the other fees for K1 are quite high - not to mention that he will be unable to work for several months when he comes here. Is this something that you have discussed with your co-sponsor?

[Ontarkie 14,193]

He buys it in the market place if you don't have insurance through your employer. 

 

So get married asap, make sure he brings enough medication to last him until you add him or he buys insurance. Sometimes finding a doctor can take a bit for new patients so extra medication is good to bring. Just have him ask his doctor. If his doctor knows he's moving he can write 90 days instead of 30 day or what ever he needs to get it to last as long as possible.

 

 

There are a few steps before Citizenship. You need to marry and file for Adjustment of status. He then will be a US permanent resident. You will want to do some reading. Check out the Guides at the top in the blue bar. 

Edited July 23, 2018 by Ontarkie

[SalishSea 17,772]

Not to be a downer, but I imagine with you both being disabled and unable to work, you will have much to overcome during the entire immigration process, related to the public charge issue.   Good luck to you.

[Zeisha 2]

I wish to thank you all on your responses. Before we had looked into him moving here, we reaserched me moving to the UK. It is a much better plan. Expensive yes, but the healthcare is better for us in the UK!

[EandH0904 1,184]

1 hour ago, Zeisha said:

I wish to thank you all on your responses. Before we had looked into him moving here, we reaserched me moving to the UK. It is a much better plan. Expensive yes, but the healthcare is better for us in the UK!

OK so if things are better in the UK, why did you decide that you would instead file a K1 in the US?

[Zeisha 2]

I was told we would probably get denied the K-1 Visa because we are both disabled. We both love each other,  but to go through the process of a K-1 and then get denied, is a lot of time and money! If we go through the process, get denied and then no marriage, it will be time wasted.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

1 hour ago, Zeisha said:

I wish to thank you all on your responses. Before we had looked into him moving here, we reaserched me moving to the UK. It is a much better plan. Expensive yes, but the healthcare is better for us in the UK!

If you think that moving to the UK is a much better plan and the healthcare is better for you as a couple in the UK, then consider cancelling the K-1 and immigrate to the UK.

[EandH0904 1,184]

15 minutes ago, Zeisha said:

I was told we would probably get denied the K-1 Visa because we are both disabled. We both love each other,  but to go through the process of a K-1 and then get denied, is a lot of time and money! If we go through the process, get denied and then no marriage, it will be time wasted.

I don't think that they would deny you simply because you are disabled. It's more how your future will be - where you will live, how will you afford your life (and medications) - etc. They could easily see it being a "public charge" issue depending on the nature of your disabilities. 

[Umka36 781]

19 minutes ago, Zeisha said:

I was told we would probably get denied the K-1 Visa because we are both disabled. We both love each other,  but to go through the process of a K-1 and then get denied, is a lot of time and money! If we go through the process, get denied and then no marriage, it will be time wasted.

I've heard the UK allows for self sponsorship, so if you fiancé has enough assets to overcome the poverty/public charge issues it's worth pursing the K1/CR1. However, the CO does look at the totality of your circumstance.

 

 Doesn't the UK have stricter financial requirements than the US?

[Zeisha 2]

I am not certan about the finacial requirements, but because we are disabled, we are exempt from the wage requirements there.