GC for frequent visitor

S

sudha_ravi

New Member
We just had a baby and we would like my mother to visit us frequently to take care of our baby. I am a GC holder and eligible to apply for US citizenship. I would also like to apply for a GC for my mother once I become a citizen.

My question is whether my mother's GC will be affected in any way if she visits the US about twice a year and stays for six months. My mother holds a 10 year multiple entry visa.

Thanks,

Sudha.
 
She is better off with the 10 year visa. Once she is a permanent reisdent of USA, she is liable for taxes in USA on her world wide income. Secondly, if she has no intention of permanently residing in USA, she will be creating an economic burden on herself or her family members of coming to USA every year etc.
 
Thats fine you can apply for her green card. But keep in mind once when you applied for immigration visa (GC) her visit visa will be revoked untill she got immigration visa. Normally counsler processing took six to twelve month.

Its not a burden because she eventually coming USA to visit her family regardless of green card but she has to leave country after six month because she can't stay more than six month legally even with 10 year multiple visa. But with green card she don't have this kind of issues.

Witout green card she can't have diffrent kind of benefits. But with green card she can enjoy all these benefits e.g Medical, Employemnt, unemployment insurance, socila security (But she has to work first for all this). But you can get social security benefits in some circumstance even if you don't work at all.

So in my understaning with green card you and she will be better off. Its not a waste of time, economy or burden. Its a blessing.
 
I totally agree. My sis-in-law is in a similar position.

The argument of Economic burden is totally BS. Our parents can never be a burden to us.
GC is always a better option than the visitor's visa.
 
S Prabhu. That is easy for you to say. I do not know if you are aware of the practicality of the issue.

1. By economic burden, I meant the fact that a green card holder "must" visit USA to maintain their status as opposed no need to visit USA for let us say 3 years in a 10 year multiple entry visa.

2. Secondly, to many parents that imposes the need to buy medical insurance etc that they might covered for in India under retirement from their employer.

mirfandar:

You should read the latest sponsorship rules and and see what a peitioner is financially liable for. the free lunch is over. The parents are not going to get any "freebie" benefits as before.

Also, I do not know the last time any one priced medical insurance for a 63 year old in USA. It is easy to make off the cuff remarks rather than recognize the gravity of those remarks.

I do not know if you have even considered the possibility of a parent having a mishap ( like a fall ) before they are medically covered and see what impact it will have economically.

I am speaking from experience.

Good Luck
 
Colaba,
FYI, I have gone thru a terrible experience in 2001 with my parents come over to see my newborn, my father falling sick, staying in hospital for 6 months and incurring costs of over $150,000. By god's grace, the hospitals covered it as charity expense.

I would advise all friends to buy insurance from US and NOT thru any companies in India. Lots of hassles ..

That's not the primary issue raised by sudha. She had simply asked if parents should be brought on GC or visitor's visa. Irrespective of either option, buying medical insurance is a must. It would be suicide if you don't buy it.
How can you even consider that insurance as a Economic burden? Is it right to quantify or assign a financial value to your parents' company?

GC is always the better option, if available. I also agree with mirfandar about additional benefits with GC.
The only issue for parents (which my in-laws are also experiencing) is whether they are ready to come to US every year and thereby maintain valid status.
 
S. Prabhu:

Any option must be considered in its totality. Let us look at the question posed. The visitor has a 10 year multiple entry. The 10 year multiple entry visa imposes no "reporting" requirements in terms of being in USA every year. One can skip a year. It imposes no income tax reporting requirement. The drawback is the 6 month entry stamp. For individuals wanting to stay longer, that will require paperwork and extension in the post 9-11 world.

The GC option actually is for permanent resident of USA, not frequent visitors of USA. The economic burden is also in its totality. Whether you pay or not, somebody is buying a ticket and medical insurance. I know parents who get tired of maintaining the GC ( it is easy for parents who have sons here as opposed to son-inlaws) and then surrender the GC and go back to a 10 year multiple entry.

It makes sense for parents who plan to permanently live in USA in the near future. It makes perfect sense for a parent who has lost his/her spouse and all their children are in USA. Then they have to try to be a permanent resident of this country.

You were lucky that the hospital people wrote off the $150,000. If you were the sponsor of your parents for Green Card, you would have been held liable. In that case, I wonder if you would have felt the economic burden.

The best case scenario with the hospital case ( in your situation ), any one can deal with it. My answer did consider the worst case scenario when the poser of question is liable as the sponsor for his parent's liabilities.

This is not just a visa question. I do feel strongly about this. I think it is about time the Indian community looked at these issues in a common sense approach as opposed to an emotional approach.
 
Colaba,
Now this is a logical and perfectly relevant issue that you raised.
Initially, when you raised the issue of economic burden, it sounded as if the tickets and premiums are a big deal.

Maybe I am wrong, but won't the GC parents have their own insurance if they were to fall sick?
We could pay for their premiums, but won't the insurance company cover them (like us) for any sickness?

All said and done, if any parents have all their children settled here in US, the children would obviously like them to be here and not be dependent on relatives and friends in India.
 
Actually, medical insurance for individuals between 58 and 65 is quite expensive with many exclusions ( pre existing conditions etc ). I am using 58 as an example because govt departments have 58 as the retirement age in India.

Most of the retirees will not even be able to buy subsidized insurance from Social Security as they would not have had sufficient credits for Social Secutiy ( 40 quarters ).

They cannot go on SSA ( Supplemental Social Security ) because you, the sponsor will be in violation of your "contract" with the Federal government. If they cannot go on SSA, they cannot get Medicaid.

As far as being dependent on relatives in India ( non economic support ), I agree with you 100% that may not even be an option for many people. However, I do believe that the children ( siblings ) over here in USA need to discuss these matters openly and seriously as every decision on who should sponsor will have consequences.
 
Very interesting discussion

Hi guys,

A very fascinating discussion indeed. I just got my GC and was thinking to get a GC for my Mom, aged 65, who stays alone in India ( well, most of the time ). I am sure there are a lot of us in similar situation.

1) I wanted to know about the process, my eligibility, her eligibility, how long it takes ( to get the GC approved).
2) Does anyone know how much it will cost to get Insured, whether it can be done at all , can we do it in India ( we still have hopes that things are cheap in India !! )
3) what is the Tax implication ?? Won't she file a separate tax return ? Since there will be no income, she will have no taxes ?
On the other hand, can we pay her, say for baby sitting and hence get her social security credits ( has to evaluate in terms of taxes also ) .. I am just thinking aloud here...

Any thoughts, experiences... please share...will be really valuable to take an educated decision here... a decision with the head rather than with the Heart... even if we dearly want it the other way around..
 
Your options are simpler. Since you have GC, you cannot sponsor her for GC. You need to be a USC. For now, she can only get a 10 year multiple entry

You can get Indian insurance, you will also have tough time collecting ( IOW, it is no good ).

Her tax situation is simple. None. Once you become a USC, she can get sponsored for GC


She cannot work on visitor's visa. Once she is a PR, you can pay here for baby sitting. That may result in some tax or she may get earned income credit from Uncle Sam. That will be a win win.

The only issue is medical insurance costs. Those would be prohibitive. You can research it for your area. Do not expect a govt hand out, if you have sponsored her.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top