# Considering USA Move..Questions



## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

Hi all,

Some people on here know a little bit about my movements. However, my fiancée and I are still looking at a possible move for me from the UK to USA.

I have read the guides for income for sponsorship and have some questions and I wonder if some seasoned pros could help answer them ?

My Fiancee: Works 2 jobs. Both part time contracts but is given FT hours for her main job and these fluctuate between 32-40 pwk earning between 900-1100$ Per month. 2nd job- steady hours and earns 530/570$ per month. All in all around 1400|$ a month. Now, do her contract hours affect sponsorship ? or is it based on proof of income ? How much proof do we need to supply-meaning has she had to be working there over a year?

Secondly, she currently lives with family. None are her actual dependants. This is her 18 yr old sister- who has a baby, her Mom and Moms partner, and her Uncle. Does her income have to cover them too ?

Alternatively -she could rent an apartment on her own but does this mean she needs to have credit ? Neither of us like to use credit and prefer to save in cash in to the bank- but I am guessing that could prevent her getting a place.

I'm sorry for all the varied questions, we are just on very short time to make a choice.

Thank you all.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

For your fiancee to sponsor you she needs to earn 125% of the US poverty level. See the guide below:

http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/14poverty.cfm

So for a two person household, which you two would be, she needs to earn $19662 per annum

I don't know the rules on whether she needs to be there a year or not or what the contracted hours implies. However that is the income she needs.

She can also get a joint sponsor to be able to make up any shortfall. The rest of the family in the house are not her dependents by the sounds of it so they do not count.

Yes, she could get a separate apartment - of course she would need some sort of credit history and money for deposits etc.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Is she on her mother's tax return as dependent?


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## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

Hi Crawford,

Thank you, I did initially check the poverty level. I was concerned that the other members may be included and that as there are 5 others in the house- that they would need to be included, but as I say -they are blood related but none are dependant on her. I think her Mom is now on state benefit after being made redundant.

She does have two jobs- though as I say I am concerned about how they look at those jobs and the hours to make up the $19.600.

Thank you for your advice. Maybe we should wait until the new year.


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## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

Hi Twostep,

Interesting question ! I believe she was, she has turned 23 and when her Mom was made redundant, she then filed for her own medical card so I am not sure..I shall check. 

What problems could that cause ?

Thanks kindly
Thai


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Thaicat said:


> Hi Twostep,
> 
> Interesting question ! I believe she was, she has turned 23 and when her Mom was made redundant, she then filed for her own medical card so I am not sure..I shall check.
> 
> ...


What do you mean by "filed for her own medical card"?


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## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

Another good question.

Once her Mom was made redundant, the Mrs went to hand in her papers/taxes maybe? and gained her own medical card. She was previously on her Moms medical cover.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Thaicat said:


> Another good question.
> 
> Once her Mom was made redundant, the Mrs went to hand in her papers/taxes maybe? and gained her own medical card. She was previously on her Moms medical cover.


You mean medical insurance? Mother had group insurance with her company and upon redundancy she lost it. So your fiancee now has her own individual private insurance or through the work? Or Medicaid?


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## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

I don't believe it is through work. I think that company deliberately hires people as part time to avoid medical cover.

I assume that because he Mom is now unemployed, it must be Medicare/aid. I shall have to ask her. Would this make a difference to an application ?



Thanks guys
Thai


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

It won't be Medicare - that's for seniors. So would be Medicaid - for low income.

It won't affect the application as long as your fiancee can reach the financial requirements.

However, you should consider what YOU are going to do for medical insurance since your fiancee won't be able to put you onto a Group/company policy, so you are either going to have to pay for an individual policy or get a job with a health insurance scheme.

The last thing you want is to be without medical insurance in the US and you won't be automatically eligible for Medicaid.


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## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

Yes, this is something I have to consider.

Maybe somebody want to cover me as a wedding gift haha.

I am looking in to work within my area. I studied Psychology for 6 years so I am hoping to use that in some way. Even if it is on line therapy sessions.....If it won't affect our application that is good news. She just makes the req amount I believe. Thank you very much for your help.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Crawford said:


> It won't be Medicare - that's for seniors.


For the record, U.S. Medicare sometimes covers individuals under age 65. You can visit Medicare's Web site for further details on when that happens. (Though I agree that it's unlikely in these circumstances.)


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

BBCWatcher said:


> For the record, U.S. Medicare sometimes covers individuals under age 65. You can visit Medicare's Web site for further details on when that happens. (Though I agree that it's unlikely in these circumstances.)


Yes Medicare does cover in exceptional circumstances such as sufferers from kidney failure or some other diseases and are under 65 but don't believe this poster or her fiancee are in that position.


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## Thaicat (Dec 21, 2013)

I am not suffering anything atm like that. I do have M.E and that in incurable right now as it is hard to diagnose, and I suffer tachycardia (fast heart rate) but that is something that accompanies M.E. I do not have Kidney failure or anything like that.

Infact all my bloods -bar being neutropenic - are fine. All my tests come back fine and are unremarkable.

I shal have to look at how I can cover myself if we take this route. Having M.E prevents me from doing FT work. I am not sure even where to start with private cover.

Thanks guys, very helpful.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

All medical insurance in the US, *unless you are on Medicare or Medicaid *is "private" insurance, in that corporate insurance businesses supply the policies.

I would suggest you go onto your particular State's exchange to see which companies are in your State and what types of policies they offer.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Crawford said:


> All medical insurance in the US, *unless you are on Medicare or Medicaid *is "private" insurance....


For the record (sound familiar?), that's not actually true.

The Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service are two additional examples of U.S. public health systems that cover/insure their eligible participants.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

BBCWatcher said:


> For the record (sound familiar?), that's not actually true.
> 
> The Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service are two additional examples of U.S. public health systems that cover/insure their eligible participants.


Why do you do this? The poster is neither a Vet nor a Native American. While, yes, these two departments are run by the Government they are completely irrelevant to this discussion. 

The poster is not going to be able to get health insurance from either of these entities


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Crawford said:


> Why do you do this?


For accuracy, clarity, and truthfulness, at least because other readers may rely on the information posted here.



> The poster is neither a Vet nor a Native American.


I don't know that. Has anybody asked him?



> While, yes, these two departments are run by the Government they are completely irrelevant to this discussion.


We don't know that but, regardless, that doesn't excuse posting inaccurate or misleading information. You erred, and I corrected the error, politely.



> The poster is not going to be able to get health insurance from either of these entities


Perhaps not, or perhaps he will. It depends on his circumstances. I'm glad he (and other readers) now have more complete, more accurate information.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

BBCWatcher said:


> For accuracy, clarity, and truthfulness, at least because other readers may rely on the information posted here.
> 
> 
> I don't know that. Has anybody asked him?
> ...


How about a touch of reality? How many "I want to move to the US" qualify for VA or Indian Health Service?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

That's fine, but that does not excuse posting _factually incorrect_ information. And there should be no argument when someone politely corrects that factual error. There were many _succinct_ ways that sentence could have been written that would have been factually correct, but that didn't happen.

FYI, non-private programs that aren't Medicare and Medicaid also include CHIP, TRICARE (which is public-private), AmeriCorps medical coverage, some student health programs (at public universities), and refugee medical assistance. I probably am still missing a couple.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

BBCWatcher said:


> That's fine, but that does not excuse posting _factually incorrect_ information. And there should be no argument when someone politely corrects that factual error. There were many _succinct_ ways that sentence could have been written that would have been factually correct, but that didn't happen.
> 
> FYI, non-private programs that aren't Medicare and Medicaid also include CHIP, TRICARE (which is public-private), AmeriCorps medical coverage, some student health programs (at public universities), and refugee medical assistance. I probably am still missing a couple.


Going by OP's information - do you see him or his fiancé covered by Tricare? 

The bottom line - until OP has the appropriate visa it does not matter. Reinventing a hypothetical wheel can be entertaining but does it give any viable information?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

BBCWatcher said:


> For accuracy, clarity, and truthfulness, at least because other readers may rely on the information posted here.
> 
> 
> I don't know that. Has anybody asked him?
> ...



The poster is a female and is a student in the UK - I'm almost certain she is not a US VET or a Native American


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

Crawford said:


> Why do you do this? The poster is neither a Vet nor a Native American. While, yes, these two departments are run by the Government they are completely irrelevant to this discussion.


To an uninvolved observer, it's quite obvious why BBCWatcher did this. You erred in your post, and BBCWatcher corrected you. What's the big deal? Would you rather have the error stand?

That it might not be relevant to the OP is not the point. All threads in all forums wander hither and yon, introducing new material as they drift. That, my friend, is how forums work. It always has been. And that is how people learn stuff, by reading the oddities and irrelevancies as they go. I think the point that BBCWatcher is most useful.

Were all posts to be as strict as you seem to suggest they be, they would just consist of two posts - the OP's question, and Davis1's list of visa categories. End of discussion. Fortunately, there's more to it than that. 

I'm active in two sub-forums here, this one and the France one. I must say, this one is not nearly as enjoyable. People are quick to criticise anyone thinking outside the box, being irreverent, there's virtually no social interaction. No fun. Which is why there are so few posts. The French forum has lots of life, lots of fun, lots of practical (and not so practical) advice, and is much, much more laid back. 

Lift your game, guys.


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