US Green Card Process for Canadian Resident Parents

[Boiler 45,659]

1 minute ago, jamburger said:

This is interesting. How to snow birds deal with health care needs when they are in US? Practically no health insurance unless one is US citizen/green card holder. If snow birds typically do get US GC, won't they lose their health coverage in Canada if they stay 6 months in US (minimum stay to keep GC valid)?

Snowbirds are visitors not residents, there are specific policies for them, quite a significant number so a well developed market.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

29 minutes ago, jamburger said:

This is interesting. How to snow birds deal with health care needs when they are in US? Practically no health insurance unless one is US citizen/green card holder. If snow birds typically do get US GC, won't they lose their health coverage in Canada if they stay 6 months in US (minimum stay to keep GC valid)?

They can’t be both snow birds and GC holders, that was the point I believe. Snow birds they keep Canadian health insurance. GC they (or you, as sponsor) pay. 

[NikLR 13,227]

1 hour ago, jamburger said:

This is interesting. How to snow birds deal with health care needs when they are in US? Practically no health insurance unless one is US citizen/green card holder. If snow birds typically do get US GC, won't they lose their health coverage in Canada if they stay 6 months in US (minimum stay to keep GC valid)?

They buy travel insurance. Snowbirds do not become green card holders. They are visitors only. 

My mom broke both of her elbows in NY. The cost was still huge and the care was subpar in their opinion (my stepfather is a paramedic in Canada. )  They found the care in Thailand to be excellent and cheaper after some severe food poisoning. 

[Boiler 45,659]

i ended up in a Hospital in Sri Laka, operation, bill was less than $1,000. US probably add a couple of zero's.

[jamburger 5]

Looks like the options are:

1) LPR in US, buy health insurance via ACA. Downside is high healthcare costs. But can stay more than 6 months (in a year) in US. 
2) Snow birds in US, buy snow bird travel insurance. Downside is can’t stay longer than 6 months (in a year) in US? Also, healthcare/insurance for the time in US is worse (coverage wise) than ACA? 

 

Looks like 6 months is the max they can stay in the US if they want to keep their healthcare coverage in Canada. Is that correct?

 

[Unlockable 7,315]

44 minutes ago, jamburger said:

Looks like the options are:

1) LPR in US, buy health insurance via ACA. Downside is high healthcare costs. But can stay more than 6 months (in a year) in US. 
2) Snow birds in US, buy snow bird travel insurance. Downside is can’t stay longer than 6 months (in a year) in US? Also, healthcare/insurance for the time in US is worse (coverage wise) than ACA? 

 

Looks like 6 months is the max they can stay in the US if they want to keep their healthcare coverage in Canada. Is that correct?

 

Correct except for one caveat. If they try to spend the max amount of time in the US (6 months) every time, they could be denied entry after a while. Remember, entrance in to the US is not guaranteed.

[Mollie09 1,543]

9 hours ago, jamburger said:

Looks like 6 months is the max they can stay in the US if they want to keep their healthcare coverage in Canada. Is that correct?

 

If they get GCs and become US residents they lose their Canadian healthcare on day one, not 181.

[carmel34 3,639]

Lots of Canadian snowbirds in my family, they typically stay in the US as visitors for about five months during the winter in places like Arizona and Florida so that they can maintain Canadian residency, Canadian health insurance, pay taxes in Canada, etc.  Most have travel health insurance to cover extreme emergencies that might happen while in the US, and return to Canada if they have any routine health problems.  I also had an aunt who did the opposite--she came north to Canada for six months from May to October, to maintain her Canadian health care and Canadian residency, then returned to the US in the winter as a dual citizen.  If she had any serious health issues while in the US and could travel, she returned to Canada to have them taken care of.  Health care for people 70+ can be a very big expense in the US, something to be very aware of and to plan for.  Good luck!

[NikLR 13,227]

12 hours ago, Unlockable said:

Correct except for one caveat. If they try to spend the max amount of time in the US (6 months) every time, they could be denied entry after a while. Remember, entrance in to the US is not guaranteed.

Especially with USC children. Normally snowbirds have their whole family in Canada. But they often buy places in Arizona or Florida so that gives them a tie to the USA. 

Suggest 4 month trips to start with return tickets.

[Buster & Hitch 58]

16 hours ago, jamburger said:

This is interesting. How to snow birds deal with health care needs when they are in US? Practically no health insurance unless one is US citizen/green card holder. If snow birds typically do get US GC, won't they lose their health coverage in Canada if they stay 6 months in US (minimum stay to keep GC valid)?

Canadian snow birds don't get a GC they are allowed to visit for six months at a time on a visitor Visa. They typically purchase special travel health insurance meant for snow birds and if they are able to just travel back to Canada for health care. In Canada you are ineligible for medicare if you live outside the country for more than six months, and some provinces have different proof of residency requirements that are shorter. If they do want to go this route it is always easier for snowbirds if they own property in Canada and have Canadian bank accounts. They will often be asked for proof of ties and equities to Canada when seeking such a long visitor Visa at the border. With all that said, it's a very good option once your parents are citizens if your goal is to just have them around more. 

[NikLR 13,227]

This may help too

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-snowbirds-rules-you-need-to-know-1.2925513