B2 visa for the purpose of caring for a sick family member

[toga 1]

My wife suffered a very serious stroke in December 2015. Although she has survived the stroke and is currently in rehab she is going to need assistance while I am at work. I commute about 35 miles each way so that will for about 10 hours or more a day. I have been told that about 6 months ago a new variation of the B2 visa now allows for a family member to come to the U.S. for the purpose of helping to care for a sick relative.

We are going planning on bringing our niece from near Manila who is single and in her mid 20s. Just wondering if any one here has any experience with this type of request?

[canadian_wife 1,791]

As with any non-immigrant visa, what will the niece be able to show that will compel her to return to PI after your wife recovers or her authorized stay expires?

I am so sorry about your wife's stroke, I hope she makes a full recovery.

Good luck

[Pork and Beans 4]

Sorry, I've no experience in this situation.

Was the person that told you there's a new variation able to tell you or cite this information...that might be huge for others.

P&B

[HFM181818 748]

Sorry, but such care is considered work, and B2 visa holders are not allowed to work. While you may disagree, or try to claim that whatever the niece will be doing isn't work, sorry, but it is. Because, if she is not here, you would have to hire someone to provide this care. and that's what makes such care work. Yes, you may be contemplating writing some letter that tries to disguise the true purpose of her 'visit', like saying your wife just needs some company since the TV is broken, or some such thing, but that won't fly.

Work = work = work, no matter who it's for, no matter if such labor is paid directly in dollars or in room and board, work is still work.

How much would a caregiver, licensed to provide such care, cost? Whatever it is, that's what you wish to save. Of course, you might try being creative with your invite letter or provide some 'coaching advice' for the niece (answers to pertinent questions), but a CO can see right through that....and besides, even at the end of the day, what is it that will compel the niece to leave the US? I am guessing not much.

The only 'variation' of B2 visas are the purposes for which the applicants do not wish to reveal to the CO. A B2 is for tourism, not gainful employment. There is NO exception for providing labor in any form on behalf of a relative.

Doubters merely have to peruse the Immigration and Nationality Act to verify this.

[Boiler 43,544]

B in lieu of H1b?

Not that it would be applicable in this case.

Wonder where this fairy story came from?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I think your source may have been thinking of when people use a B visa to come to the US with a critically ill family member that is also coming in for medical treatment. Like when a child comes to have an operation and a parent comes also

[TBoneTX 43,157]

OP, sincere wishes for your wife's recovery.

This topic seems to enable discussion of a situation that has happened just this week. A young Ecuadorian man was badly burned in an industrial accident there, and he was granted some type of visa to be flown to Houston (!) for treatment (utterly unavailable in Ecu) at a specialized burn-center. In addition, a handful of friends or relatives were granted visas on an emergency basis to follow him and (I presume) sit with him. One such person has apparently arrived already.

The Ecuadorian consulate in Houston was apparently involved in facilitating these occurrences. I can't get much more of a story, or a more understandable one, from Mrs. T-B. about this, even if she had more to tell.

This is the first that I've heard of such a thing happening. On what basis would these visas have been granted, what type of visas are they, and what would be their duration?

Edited February 11, 2016 by TBoneTX

[Boiler 43,544]

That is nothing new, people have obtained B Medical for many many years tp have treatment in the US.

That would include the patient and accompanying family members.

Hardly the case in this situation. Actually the opposite.

[Boiler 43,544]

http://thesteadmanclinic.com/dr-richard-steadman.asp

This guy I new about before I came to the US, treated quite a few International Footballers.

[HFM181818 748]

however, in those cases, people were not coming to the US to care for USCs nor LPRs....(just like LPRs cannot bring maids over on B1s, and only a tiny percentage of USCs could do this (and I mean very tiny percentage)...sometimes, when people are coming to the US for medical treatment, an accompanying relative may tag along. But they are not being paid (presumably)...but to try and alleviate paying for nursing care by bringing someone over on a tourist visa is verboten....to test that, just have the niece explain in glowing detail why she needs the B2...to provide nursing care for her aunt, see how long the interview lasts...

[cristina16 81]

My wife suffered a very serious stroke in December 2015. Although she has survived the stroke and is currently in rehab she is going to need assistance while I am at work. I commute about 35 miles each way so that will for about 10 hours or more a day. I have been told that about 6 months ago a new variation of the B2 visa now allows for a family member to come to the U.S. for the purpose of helping to care for a sick relative. - There's no truth to this; I haven't heard of this and this is not in any visa category. B2 is for a short visit and not to work. If she applied for a B2 and say to take care for my sick aunt; that is denied outright. You cannot work on a B2 visa.

When I had my B1/B2 visa interview in 2013 there was the same case of 3 siblings applying for a Visa. They are on their 30s; and were all denied. Their sister is a USC and their mother is an LPR who is old and sick. The woman among the siblings mentioned that their mom is sick so she wanted to go visit and take for her mom for 6 months; the other 2 will just visit their sick mom and will come back after a month. The CO was arguing with them that their USC sister can take care of the mom, even if she is working and find someone to ake care of the mom when she is at work. There is no winning argument on taking care of a sick relative since help / services is available in the US to take care of them.

We are going planning on bringing our niece from near Manila who is single and in her mid 20s. Just wondering if any one here has any experience with this type of request? - she can apply for B2 just to visit but should prove her ties to the country. There is no supporting docs needed from your end for the application. She can try to apply, but using the taking care of the sick aunt as the reason will never grant her the visa.

[Jawaree 717]

If your wife needs an aide, she will get one if you request this thru the proper channel medically,

they will not allow your niece to come & do something that could be a job for someone here even

part-time.

A humanitarian visa would not be in order for this case.

She can apply for a visitors visa & be company to her aunt for up to 5-6 mths, however she cannot use

her travel reason to care for her aunt, she is not allowed to do that, then she has to obtain the visa on her

own merits showing job letter, ties to her country, or school enrolled in also good bank statement...that

would be no guarantee but its no harm in applying

[Boiler 43,544]

She can apply for a visitors visa & be company to her aunt for up to 5-6 mths, however she cannot use

her travel reason to care for her aunt, she is not allowed to do that, then she has to obtain the visa on her

own merits showing job letter, ties to her country, or school enrolled in also good bank statement...that

would be no guarantee but its no harm in applying

If she all those ties how could she come to the US for so long?

[KierenHby 897]

Maybe wife's parents, or older, more experienced relatives.. Why specifically a single 20-odd yr old niece?

OP, sorry to hear about your wife, hope she makes a full recovery.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Maybe wife's parents, or older, more experienced relatives.. Why specifically a single 20-odd yr old niece?

OP, sorry to hear about your wife, hope she makes a full recovery.

Because they want to bring her her, find a husband and live "the American dream".

I'm really sorry for the OP's wife but that is not going to fly. Hire someone to take care of your wife who actually knows what they're doing. Your wife doesn't need a 20 year old single girl. She needs, depending on the damage the stroke did to her, someone who can rehabilitate her back. Possibly speech therapy, keeping her muscles going if she has paralyzed limps which is common in strokes making sure the muscles don't atrophy and a lot more.