Need advice on my Father's Application

[Adnan03 0]

Hi Folks,

 

My dad just got diagnosed with lung caner. I have all the paperwork's ready for him to apply. Is his illness going to make him inadmissible for green card?

 

Any help/suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

 

Regard,

Adnan

[milimelo 4,298]

That would most likely fall under public charge (potential to become) if you’re not able to show how you’re going to cover his treatment as his sponsor. May want to explore how much the treatment would cost in the US vs his home country. 

[Unlockable 7,309]

Sorry to hear about your father. 
 

I don't know if it would definitely make him inadmissible, but it will likely be a topic of interest. Especially in regards to who will cover the cost of medical treatment. The last thing an immigration officer wants to see is an immigrant that has a high potential to become a public charge.

 

Does he have insurance? 

[JeanneAdil 6,316]

he would not be eligible for medicaid,,  medicare ,  SSI

i think the important part is "WHAT STAGE IS HE AT?"

has is spread to limp nodes?

and is he going to be getting good treatment home for the next 2 years while waiting for an interview?

[Adnan03 0]

Thanks all for your kinds words. I am not sure what stage he is at or if this cancer has spread to limp nodes or other organs. I just came to know about his diagnostic today. He currently has a medical insurance back in home and I can get a medical insurance for him here as well once he's here. Usually, lung cancer patient doesn't survive that long and I am well aware of this as I have to be realistic. He was a chain smoker and he had lung infection 15 year ago and hospitalized during that time, even though he recovered that time.

 

Three weeks ago he started to have difficulties in breathing and thus we admitted him into a hospital and eventually lung cancer was diagnosed. He is currently in Bangladesh and planning to send him to neighboring country India (Mumbai) for further treatment at this stage.

 

My only fear is that I am now exploring the medical insurance options for him here and whether an immigration officer will deny his visa based on this cancer or not.

 

Thanks again. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Adnan03

[Chancy 6,234]

6 minutes ago, Adnan03 said:

My only fear is that I am now exploring the medical insurance options for him here and whether an immigration officer will deny his visa based on this cancer or not.

 

Lung cancer is not one of the grounds for medical inadmissibility.  That said, it can lead the IO to suspect that your father might become a public charge, as others have pointed out.  This can be overcome if you, the sponsor, have income or assets well above the minimum required for sponsorship.  Also good that you already plan to get the necessary insurance for your father after he arrives in the US.

 

[JeanneAdil 6,316]

whether CO would deny him honestly,  no one here could sayi

they will look at your income

what u have found out about the cost of health care insurance, their charts on living cost in your area including hospice or rehab faciilites

 

Is it possible for his dr to ask for him to get a medical evaluation here in a US facility?

 

sorry for your bad news

 

[Adnan03 0]

3 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

whether CO would deny him honestly,  no one here could sayi

they will look at your income

what u have found out about the cost of health care insurance, their charts on living cost in your area including hospice or rehab faciilites

 

Is it possible for his dr to ask for him to get a medical evaluation here in a US facility?

 

sorry for your bad news

 

I am trying to gather all the relevant information in terms of medical here in US. 

[Adnan03 0]

3 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

he would not be eligible for medicaid,,  medicare ,  SSI

i think the important part is "WHAT STAGE IS HE AT?"

has is spread to limp nodes?

and is he going to be getting good treatment home for the next 2 years while waiting for an interview?

I think I should be able to buy insurance for him once he is here. I am hoping if all goes well with him ...to put him under treatment while waiting for the interview.

[Kanja 201]

If you can provide documents that can prove he will get insurance on arrival as well as bank statements and etc, I would imagine he would be fine? People get tourist visa to travel for self funded medical treatment.

 

also, would lung cancer come up on the medical? I never asked any of the immigrants I sponsored what type of tests they do in medical. I always thought they focused on communicable diseases? 

[SalishSea 16,993]

1 hour ago, Kanja said:

If you can provide documents that can prove he will get insurance on arrival as well as bank statements and etc, I would imagine he would be fine? People get tourist visa to travel for self funded medical treatment.

 

also, would lung cancer come up on the medical? I never asked any of the immigrants I sponsored what type of tests they do in medical. I always thought they focused on communicable diseases? 

A new cancer diagnosis would definitely come up on a medical exam.  Will be visible on the chest Xray as well.

[SusieQQQ 11,585]

1 hour ago, Kanja said:

If you can provide documents that can prove he will get insurance on arrival as well as bank statements and etc, I would imagine he would be fine? People get tourist visa to travel for self funded medical treatment.

 

also, would lung cancer come up on the medical? I never asked any of the immigrants I sponsored what type of tests they do in medical. I always thought they focused on communicable diseases? 

 Communicable diseases and a couple of other issues are inadmissibilities and so the focus of the exams , but it’s by far not the only thing they discuss.  Lung cancer would be obvious anyway because the medical requires chest x-rays.
 

https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/medical-history-physical-exam.html

 

The visa medical examination requires

1. a medical history, obtained by the panel physician or a member of the physician’s professional staff, from the applicant (preferably) or a family member, which includes:
   1. a review of all hospitalizations
   2. a review of all institutionalizations for chronic conditions (physical or mental)
   3. a review of all illnesses or disabilities resulting in a substantial departure from a normal state of well-being or level of functioning
   4. specific questions about psychoactive drug and alcohol use, history of harmful behavior, and history of psychiatric illness not documented in the medical records reviewed; and
   5. a review of chest radiographs and treatment records if the alien has a history suggestive of tuberculosis
2. a review of any other records that are available to the physician (e.g., police, military, school, or employment) and that may help to determine a history of harmful behavior related to a physical or mental disorder, as well as whether illnesses or disabilities are present that result in a substantial departure from a normal state of well-being or level of functioning.
3. a review of systems sufficient to assist in determining the presence and the severity of Class A or Class B conditions. The physician should ask specifically about symptoms that suggest cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Symptoms suggestive of infection with any of the excludable communicable diseases (tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, and Hansen’s disease) should also be sought.
4. a physical examination, including an evaluation of mental status, sufficient to permit a determination of the presence and the severity of Class A and Class B conditions. The physical examination is to include:
   1. a mental status examination that includes, at a minimum, assessment of intelligence, thought, cognition (comprehension), judgment, affect (and mood), and behavior
   2. a physical examination that includes, at a minimum, examination of the eyes, ears, nose and throat, extremities, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, and skin
   3. all diagnostic tests required to identify communicable diseases of public health significance, as well as other tests identified as necessary to confirm a suspected diagnosis of any other Class A or Class B condition.

[Kanja 201]

16 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

A new cancer diagnosis would definitely come up on a medical exam.  Will be visible on the chest Xray as well.

That makes sense thank you 

[Cathi 5,630]

15 hours ago, Adnan03 said:

 Usually, lung cancer patient doesn't survive that long and I am well aware of this as I have to be realistic.

My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer 12 years ago and he's still alive and thriving (he's 77). He smoked three plus packs of non-filter cigarettes every day since he was 14 years old and didn't quit until about a month ago (yes we tried for years to get him to stop, he just wasn't willing). He was diagnosed at stage one, had part of one lung removed and that was it. No chemo no radiation.. So, depending on the stage, lung cancer is NOT a death sentence. He also survived esophageal cancer (he had surgery and radiation 5 years ago). 

The moral of the story, your father needs U.S health insurance with proof before he will even be considered for a visa. Fortunately, lung cancer was not a death sentence for my dad but, and this is a BIG but, my father is still followed very closely by his doctors with pet scans and cat scans at least yearly. About a year ago they found another small spot on his lung and they've been keeping it in check with Keytruda infusions every three weeks.. Without insurance, it would be very difficult to afford just the yearly testing that goes along with being a former cancer patient. 

[Pinkrlion 2,617]

They will not deny him due to the medical diagnosis.  They will deny him due to public charge.  You will need to obtain the medical insurance before he has his interview to prove that you are covering him and has already done so for a couple of months before the interview.  Showing information with the promise to get the insurance when he arrives is a red flag and no guarantee that you will get the insurance.