Getting Usa Healthcare For Spouse

[Richieboy67]

I'm looking to get some type of health coverage for my wife. Hopefully she will be coming to the USA sometime in the next 3 or 4 months.

The problem I am having is that we need social security number for her. Do I apply for one for hey or do I have to wait until her spousal visa is approved?

My wife is a couple months pregnant and I want to make sure everything is set when she comes.

Does anyone know anything about health coverage?

Thanks

[earthdome]

I'm looking to get some type of health coverage for my wife. Hopefully she will be coming to the USA sometime in the next 3 or 4 months.

The problem I am having is that we need social security number for her. Do I apply for one for hey or do I have to wait until her spousal visa is approved?

My wife is a couple months pregnant and I want to make sure everything is set when she comes.

Does anyone know anything about health coverage?

Thanks

 

Since you are already married she will get the CR-1 visa. She will officially have a green card (though the actually card arrives later in the mail) when she gets the appropriate stamp in her passport on arrival. The green card and SSN card will show up a 2-4 weeks after you arrive.

 

With the ACA (ObamaCare) there is a window at the end of each year to select a health plan. But if you are an immigrant you have as I recall 2 months window to get your health insurance after you arrive regardless of the time of year. You want to shop for health care immediately after arrival.

 

There will be some sticker shock and prices are going up. The negative aspects of the ACA are now kicking in and rates are going up quite a bit for next year.

 

One thing to consider when arriving is the "port of entry" i.e. the first airport you land at in the USA. Some airports are easier to get through immigration with a spouse visa than others. We chose Denver and it worked out well for us. Leave enough time, at least 3 hours between your port of entry flight arrival and any domestic flights because it takes longer to get through immigration for your wife. You will be allowed to accompany her through the process.

[Richieboy67]

I'm looking to get some type of health coverage for my wife. Hopefully she will be coming to the USA sometime in the next 3 or 4 months.

The problem I am having is that we need social security number for her. Do I apply for one for hey or do I have to wait until her spousal visa is approved?

My wife is a couple months pregnant and I want to make sure everything is set when she comes.

Does anyone know anything about health coverage?

Thanks

Since you are already married she will get the CR-1 visa. She will officially have a green card (though the actually card arrives later in the mail) when she gets the appropriate stamp in her passport on arrival. The green card and SSN card will show up a 2-4 weeks after you arrive.

With the ACA (ObamaCare) there is a window at the end of each year to select a health plan. But if you are an immigrant you have as I recall 2 months window to get your health insurance after you arrive regardless of the time of year. You want to shop for health care immediately after arrival.

There will be some sticker shock and prices are going up. The negative aspects of the ACA are now kicking in and rates are going up quite a bit for next year.

One thing to consider when arriving is the "port of entry" i.e. the first airport you land at in the USA. Some airports are easier to get through immigration with a spouse visa than others. We chose Denver and it worked out well for us. Leave enough time, at least 3 hours between your port of entry flight arrival and any domestic flights because it takes longer to get through immigration for your wife. You will be allowed to accompany her through the process.

Thanks,

Actually healthcare is very reasonable for me being self employed. Not to mention it would not be possible to get a pregnant woman healthcare at all without the afa. It used to cost me 3 times as much and it was going up much faster so I'm actually very happy now.

As for the immigration process at the airport, what exactly has to be done? I mean is it just security and customs?

We will fly into JFK with no change over. JFK is a breeze for us citizens but I'm not sure about spousal visa .

Thanks for the reply!

[earthdome]

 

 

I'm looking to get some type of health coverage for my wife. Hopefully she will be coming to the USA sometime in the next 3 or 4 months.

The problem I am having is that we need social security number for her. Do I apply for one for hey or do I have to wait until her spousal visa is approved?

My wife is a couple months pregnant and I want to make sure everything is set when she comes.

Does anyone know anything about health coverage?

Thanks

Since you are already married she will get the CR-1 visa. She will officially have a green card (though the actually card arrives later in the mail) when she gets the appropriate stamp in her passport on arrival. The green card and SSN card will show up a 2-4 weeks after you arrive.

With the ACA (ObamaCare) there is a window at the end of each year to select a health plan. But if you are an immigrant you have as I recall 2 months window to get your health insurance after you arrive regardless of the time of year. You want to shop for health care immediately after arrival.

There will be some sticker shock and prices are going up. The negative aspects of the ACA are now kicking in and rates are going up quite a bit for next year.

One thing to consider when arriving is the "port of entry" i.e. the first airport you land at in the USA. Some airports are easier to get through immigration with a spouse visa than others. We chose Denver and it worked out well for us. Leave enough time, at least 3 hours between your port of entry flight arrival and any domestic flights because it takes longer to get through immigration for your wife. You will be allowed to accompany her through the process.

Thanks,

Actually healthcare is very reasonable for me being self employed. Not to mention it would not be possible to get a pregnant woman healthcare at all without the afa. It used to cost me 3 times as much and it was going up much faster so I'm actually very happy now.

As for the immigration process at the airport, what exactly has to be done? I mean is it just security and customs?

We will fly into JFK with no change over. JFK is a breeze for us citizens but I'm not sure about spousal visa .

Thanks for the reply!

 

 

Your wife will have a packet of documents given to her by the US embassy which must remain sealed until she is processed by US immigration at the port of entry. You go through immigration as normal and she accompanies you. You mention she is arriving with a CR-1 visa and they will direct you to secondary screening. There she will hand over the packet of documents and they will process her visa. They do a second check of everything. We were able to overhear part of the process because they were using my wife as a chance to train new staff.

[Richieboy67]

I cannot imagine silkstone going through the entire process and then getting turned away in the USA. That would be terrible.

In regards to the healthcare I'll go ahead and get mine and will process my wife once we get her documents. That's awesome.

I hope we can get everything together by the time she had the baby.

Thanks

[MikeB]

Since you are already married she will get the CR-1 visa. She will officially have a green card (though the actually card arrives later in the mail) when she gets the appropriate stamp in her passport on arrival. The green card and SSN card will show up a 2-4 weeks after you arrive. With the ACA (ObamaCare) there is a window at the end of each year to select a health plan. But if you are an immigrant you have as I recall 2 months window to get your health insurance after you arrive regardless of the time of year. You want to shop for health care immediately after arrival. There will be some sticker shock and prices are going up. The negative aspects of the ACA are now kicking in and rates are going up quite a bit for next year.

I don't do "likes" but this is good info, thanks.

[BigNick]

As a former US immigration officer, I can back-up/verify Earthdome's comments are accurate and correct. Just process your spouses Visa packet and proceed as instructed.  All the immigration documents you need to acquire health insurance will come in a timely manner as stated previously. Process I-485 as soon as eligibility allows.

 

Just a couple side notes: PAY ATTENTION to all directions given on all US paperwork. IF DOS or USCIS requests additional information, ensure you send it! (it does not matter if you already sent it before). Always have multiple copies of everything.

 

Insider tip:

 

When possible, call the 1-800 number posted on the USCIS website and request for expeditious processing of  your 485 due to "humanitarian reasons" (high-risk pregnancy maybe?) ;). Merry Christmas!

[scott h]

As a former US immigration officer

 

Nick, your going to be a great asset to the forum, welcome again :cheersty:

[BigNick]

 

As a former US immigration officer

 

Nick, your going to be a great asset to the forum, welcome again :cheersty:

 

Thanks for the welcoming.  I do hope I can be of some help to someone..lol.  

[earthdome]

Process I-485 as soon as eligibility allows.

 

Is that the change of status that is done at the 2 year point for someone on a CR-1 visa? You can file at 90 days prior to 2 years?