Can a Permanent Resident file for their mother?

[EMBELL_17 102]

I’m a little confused by the requirements. I am eligible to file to naturalize but for reasons I don’t want to get into, I am waiting until next year. My mother is British but retired so is here a lot. She wants to be here permanently. Am I allowed to file for her as a permanent resident or do I need to be a citizen? How long will it take for her to get an EAD too? Thanks!

[Noname93 200]

Only U.S. citizens can file for their parents.

[SalishSea 17,827]

1 hour ago, EMBELL_17 said:

I’m a little confused by the requirements. I am eligible to file to naturalize but for reasons I don’t want to get into, I am waiting until next year. My mother is British but retired so is here a lot. She wants to be here permanently. Am I allowed to file for her as a permanent resident or do I need to be a citizen? How long will it take for her to get an EAD too? Thanks!

She can’t come in on VWP/B visa with the intent to adjust status.  
 

When you’re a citizen, you can petition her for an immigrant visa (leads to a GC- no need for EAD).

 

Hopefully she/you have significant financial resources to pay for her health insurance.

[EMBELL_17 102]

13 minutes ago, SalishSea said:

She can’t come in on VWP/B visa with the intent to adjust status.  
 

When you’re a citizen, you can petition her for an immigrant visa (leads to a GC- no need for EAD).

 

Hopefully she/you have significant financial resources to pay for her health insurance.

Thank you. I’ll just apply early then. What do people do for health insurance for their foreign parents?

[Lil bear 4,201]

16 minutes ago, EMBELL_17 said:

Thank you. I’ll just apply early then. What do people do for health insurance for their foreign parents?

Pay big $$ 

 

Go through their state ACA marketplace

 

Pay big $$

 

Buy into Medicare after 5 yrs as LPR ( if over 65) and pay big $$ 

 

Live in a state that gives Medicaid benefits to LPR.. think there are about 5 of those. 

[Boiler 45,486]

Most people get health insurance through their job.

[SalishSea 17,827]

4 hours ago, EMBELL_17 said:

Thank you. I’ll just apply early then. What do people do for health insurance for their foreign parents?

Right, it's a big consideration for anyone contemplating bringing elderly parents here.  I would start doing some math.  Luckily, you have several years to plan.

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

17 hours ago, Lil bear said:

Pay big $$ 

 

Go through their state ACA marketplace

 

Pay big $$

 

Buy into Medicare after 5 yrs as LPR ( if over 65) and pay big $$ 

 

Live in a state that gives Medicaid benefits to LPR.. think there are about 5 of those. 

Federal Means-Tested Public Benefits
Federal means-tested public benefits include food stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

Can't rely on Medicaid which is a means tested benefit and dependent on low income levels

 

https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/pages/home.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Boiler 45,486]

7 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

Federal Means-Tested Public Benefits
Federal means-tested public benefits include food stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

Can't rely on Medicaid which is a means tested benefit and dependent on low income levels

 

https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/pages/home.aspx

 

By the time she would qualify for Medicaid she could also Naturalise so that would not be an issue.

 

Now quite what the situation will be in 5 years is anybody's guess.

[NorthByNorthwest 352]

17 hours ago, EMBELL_17 said:

Thank you. I’ll just apply early then. What do people do for health insurance for their foreign parents?

 

I provided some numbers in another recent thread about an elderly couple, see below in italics. You can basically cut the numbers in half for a single person. The cost for the first 5 years will vary greatly by state and age, but this gives you an idea. For example, if your mother is 70 and has any ongoing health issues you could easily be paying $30,000 / year out of pocket for the first 5 years before insurance pays anything.

 

If older than 65 they will be able to buy into Medicare after being legally present in the US for 5 years, at that point they become eligible to sign up for Medicare for the full premium. This is currently $506/month/person for Medicare Part A and $165/month/person for Part B. They would both need to sign up as soon as they become eligible, or there would be additional monthly penalties if they ever want to sign up later.

 

In most states they will not be eligible for Medicaid until being present for 5 years either, and even then probably not if they are part of your household since your income will likely be too high. 

In summary, after 5 years you'll have to pay at least $1,500/month for basic Medicare for the two of them, and that's before any copays and deductibles. During the first 5 years you would have to buy private insurance that will likely cost at least $3-4,000/month for the two of them with sizable deductibles.

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

36 minutes ago, Boiler said:

By the time she would qualify for Medicaid she could also Naturalise so that would not be an issue.

 

Now quite what the situation will be in 5 years is anybody's guess.

Medicaid is dependent on income 

Maryland for 3 income is in 2023 $33,064

poverty level for immigration is $38,838

 

in 5 years she would get medicare (age dependent)  not medicaid

[Boiler 45,486]

There seems to be one of her.

 

The big issue when I see these discussions is we are making assumptions on the basis of current rules, hopefully she will live long and prosper and the future we can only guess.

 

She may work 40 quarters and be in the same situation as everyone else. Whatever that situation is.

[SalishSea 17,827]

1 hour ago, NorthByNorthwest said:

 

I provided some numbers in another recent thread about an elderly couple, see below in italics. You can basically cut the numbers in half for a single person. The cost for the first 5 years will vary greatly by state and age, but this gives you an idea. For example, if your mother is 70 and has any ongoing health issues you could easily be paying $30,000 / year out of pocket for the first 5 years before insurance pays anything.

 

 

If older than 65 they will be able to buy into Medicare after being legally present in the US for 5 years, at that point they become eligible to sign up for Medicare for the full premium. This is currently $506/month/person for Medicare Part A and $165/month/person for Part B. They would both need to sign up as soon as they become eligible, or there would be additional monthly penalties if they ever want to sign up later.

 

In most states they will not be eligible for Medicaid until being present for 5 years either, and even then probably not if they are part of your household since your income will likely be too high. 

In summary, after 5 years you'll have to pay at least $1,500/month for basic Medicare for the two of them, and that's before any copays and deductibles. During the first 5 years you would have to buy private insurance that will likely cost at least $3-4,000/month for the two of them with sizable deductibles.

This is excellent info and should be pinned, since it comes up so often on VJ.