Emergency Medical Visa (B2?)

[Daisy.Chain 317]

Hi everyone,

 

Mr. Daisy became a US citizen through a k1 a few years ago - thank you all for your help. I'm coming back with another question for you.

 

Mr. Daisy has a rare really aggressive autoimmune disease that affects his kidneys. It is not the traditional kidney disease where sometimes dialysis is an effective time buyer while you wait for a donor kidney. He went from "fine, slightly high bp" to where we are now (level 5 kidney failure) in less than one year.

 

We knew he was sick but Mayo Clinic this week gave him 6 months if we can't find a donor. This is after we're doing EVERYTHING possible to slow this down.

 

Family is the most likely shot at a match and we have lots of family volunteers in the DR that are possible matches. but the processing time for a B2 is longer than he has. We have tons of documentation and I'm hoping this qualifies for a medical expedite for them to come and get tested/possibly donate in the same visit.

 

Is there any guide for an emergency medical B2 visa of what or how to submit for an expedite? I am looking but some of the links I've found don't work and I don't want to do it wrong. Is it just a normal B2? If so, how do I request an expedite? I apologize is this is somewhere on here that I've missed. My brain about to go crazy.

 

At least one of my husband's siblings is a very possible match -we're testing OOP as much as possible in the DR with plans to repeat in the US- and already applied for a tourist visa a few months ago for unrelated (wanting to visit) reasons but the appt is several months away.  Is there a way to request an expedite of this existing B2 application?

 

Our last ditch scenario is to attempt it in the DR but my husband is deteriorating really fast and is currently fragile. Doctors would never let him travel but if we ignored them and did anyway it would be really dangerous...and we'd have to start all over there with the transplant evaluation and I don't know if we have enough time. 😞

 

Thanks everyone in advance.

Edited December 14, 2023 by Daisy.Chain

[millefleur 5,039]

@jan22 @milimelo going to tag these two in hopes one of them might be able to offer advice.

 

I did a quick search and got the PHIL ustraveldocs site, maybe it's similar for DR? 

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ApplyforEmergencyVisa.html

[SalishSea 16,945]

28 minutes ago, Daisy.Chain said:

Hi everyone,

 

Mr. Daisy became a US citizen through a k1 a few years ago - thank you all for your help. I'm coming back with another question for you.

 

Mr. Daisy has a rare really aggressive autoimmune disease that affects his kidneys. It is not the traditional kidney disease where sometimes dialysis is an effective time buyer while you wait for a donor kidney. He went from "fine, slightly high bp" to where we are now (level 5 kidney failure) in less than one year.

 

We knew he was sick but Mayo Clinic this week gave him 6 months if we can't find a donor. This is after we're doing EVERYTHING possible to slow this down.

 

Family is the most likely shot at a match and we have lots of family volunteers in the DR that are possible matches. but the processing time for a B2 is longer than he has. We have tons of documentation and I'm hoping this qualifies for a medical expedite for them to come and get tested/possibly donate in the same visit.

 

Is there any guide for an emergency medical B2 visa of what or how to submit for an expedite? I am looking but some of the links I've found don't work and I don't want to do it wrong. Is it just a normal B2? If so, how do I request an expedite? I apologize is this is somewhere on here that I've missed. My brain about to go crazy.

 

At least one of my husband's siblings is a very possible match -we're testing OOP as much as possible in the DR with plans to repeat in the US- and already applied for a tourist visa a few months ago for unrelated (wanting to visit) reasons but the appt is several months away.  Is there a way to request an expedite of this existing B2 application?

 

Our last ditch scenario is to attempt it in the DR but my husband is deteriorating really fast and is currently fragile. Doctors would never let him travel but if we ignored them and did anyway it would be really dangerous...and we'd have to start all over there with the transplant evaluation and I don't know if we have enough time. 😞

 

Thanks everyone in advance.

Omg, sending love to you!  My husband has a kidney transplant, so I totally get it.

 

Just wanted to say that in the absence of a match in the family, there also may be the option for you to donate a kidney to a third party, and for your husband to receive an unrelated matched kidney.   Sounds like he does have potential family matches, though, which is excellent.  Can any of the potential donor testing be done in the DR?

 

Btw, I don't usually recommend this, but in your case it might be good to contact your US senator/congressional rep for assistance.  Especially given the time urgency.....and, they might be more willing to help because of the PR/human interest aspect.

 

Feel free to DM me if you want.  My husband received a sibling's kidney >20 years ago, and is doing great - even got through a COVID infection unscathed.  *Hugs*

Edited December 14, 2023 by SalishSea

[Lemonslice 4,605]

45 minutes ago, Daisy.Chain said:

Hi everyone,

 

Mr. Daisy became a US citizen through a k1 a few years ago - thank you all for your help. I'm coming back with another question for you.

 

Mr. Daisy has a rare really aggressive autoimmune disease that affects his kidneys. It is not the traditional kidney disease where sometimes dialysis is an effective time buyer while you wait for a donor kidney. He went from "fine, slightly high bp" to where we are now (level 5 kidney failure) in less than one year.

 

We knew he was sick but Mayo Clinic this week gave him 6 months if we can't find a donor. This is after we're doing EVERYTHING possible to slow this down.

 

Family is the most likely shot at a match and we have lots of family volunteers in the DR that are possible matches. but the processing time for a B2 is longer than he has. We have tons of documentation and I'm hoping this qualifies for a medical expedite for them to come and get tested/possibly donate in the same visit.

 

Is there any guide for an emergency medical B2 visa of what or how to submit for an expedite? I am looking but some of the links I've found don't work and I don't want to do it wrong. Is it just a normal B2? If so, how do I request an expedite? I apologize is this is somewhere on here that I've missed. My brain about to go crazy.

 

At least one of my husband's siblings is a very possible match -we're testing OOP as much as possible in the DR with plans to repeat in the US- and already applied for a tourist visa a few months ago for unrelated (wanting to visit) reasons but the appt is several months away.  Is there a way to request an expedite of this existing B2 application?

 

Our last ditch scenario is to attempt it in the DR but my husband is deteriorating really fast and is currently fragile. Doctors would never let him travel but if we ignored them and did anyway it would be really dangerous...and we'd have to start all over there with the transplant evaluation and I don't know if we have enough time. 😞

 

Thanks everyone in advance.

 

 

Please reach out to the  

International Patient Services at Mayo.  

https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/international

 

Similar service at the hospital I go to is very knowledgeable/good reference center to prepare the medical documents to support the urgency and severity of the situation, and why care in their hospital is required.  

 

I remember your posts Daisy, I hope that your husband will be able to receive prompt care and a donor match. 

[Boiler 43,787]

Certainly worth a try, so they have initial testing in DR and those who look promising need to come for confirmation?

[Daisy.Chain 317]

22 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

 

 

Please reach out to the  

International Patient Services at Mayo.  

https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/international

 

Similar service at the hospital I go to is very knowledgeable/good reference center to prepare the medical documents to support the urgency and severity of the situation, and why care in their hospital is required.  

 

I remember your posts Daisy, I hope that your husband will be able to receive prompt care and a donor match. 

Thank you!!

 

We tried patient services at Mayo and asked for people to help with the visa paperwork. I have to verify that we go to the actual department you listed since they transferred me and I'm not 100% sure. Regardless, though, both nephrology and the transplant center are willing to help make the documents BUT they won't until we have the initial transplant consult - and the first appt is in MARCH. (They restart their normal 8 week timer when our insurance changes 1/1/24 which is lame imho) (!!!) Not much time for visa paperwork even expedited although we'll stay on their schedule until we get a better solution.

 

I called about every transplant center all around and found one in our area with good stats that has a consult available Tuesday so I'm hoping they'll connect us with the right people for this as well! 

[SalishSea 16,945]

4 minutes ago, Daisy.Chain said:

Thank you!!

 

We tried patient services at Mayo and asked for people to help with the visa paperwork. I have to verify that we go to the actual department you listed since they transferred me and I'm not 100% sure. Regardless, though, both nephrology and the transplant center are willing to help make the documents BUT they won't until we have the initial transplant consult - and the first appt is in MARCH. (They restart their normal 8 week timer when our insurance changes 1/1/24 which is lame imho) (!!!) Not much time for visa paperwork even expedited although we'll stay on their schedule until we get a better solution.

 

I called about every transplant center all around and found one in our area with good stats that has a consult available Tuesday so I'm hoping they'll connect us with the right people for this as well! 

This might be a reason to reach out to your US senator.   

[Daisy.Chain 317]

9 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Certainly worth a try, so they have initial testing in DR and those who look promising need to come for confirmation?

The DR doesn't have any kind of official initial testing that I'm aware of that translates between the two countries - certainly nothing we're currently signed up for. I'll keep a copy of the testing paperwork as documentation though.

 

The US health insurance company pays for all the testing for donors as well as the actual procedure - IF they are in the US.  However, the visa application/flights/ lodging/travel would be out of pocket for us so to minimize that we're doing some preliminary "easy" testing in the DR where it's way cheaper to do. There's no point in applying for a visa for someone of the wrong blood type, for example, so we're getting the blood types and doing some of the next step of bloodwork.

 

I'm trying to figure out how to apply for a medical expedite - so you know if this is posted anywhere I can review? I keep finding dead links and am not sure where to look. (Also, my brain might be fried from all the things this week do I'll keep trying tomorrow)

[Daisy.Chain 317]

11 minutes ago, SalishSea said:

This might be a reason to reach out to your US senator.   

I will definitely keep this in mind. It is certainly a legit cause!

 

Do you think they know how to do the medical expedite or that they can help move it along? I'd rather try on our own following the steps if I can..but I'm getting nowhere looking for the steps for it. But I know people have tried to apply for it based on pregnancy and gotten declined so it has to be here somewhere but everything I'm seeing is for k1 or spousal visas.

16 minutes ago, Daisy.Chain said:

 

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Daisy.Chain

[Daisy.Chain 317]

45 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

hospital I go

Also, I hope your reason for going to the hospital is better as well. Medical stuff is no fun.

[Boiler 43,787]

I know there are people here who know the medical stuff, I do not.

 

I assume there would be some logical medical connection why someone would be a match? Just from a practical perspective you would want to narrow down possible candidates.

 

Medical B would include the medical paperwork and evidence the costs are covered 

[Skyyy 4]

you can take the patient to the donor's country and do the surgery there if things do not work as you wish

[milimelo 4,268]

This one would definitely work for early appointment expedite. You can request it yourself after you pick a date that's available (even if months later), or you can go through your congressional representative(s) for it. In either case, you have to have an existing appointment (sounds like you have one already) but as circumstances have changed you're now requesting an earlier appointment for medical testing purposes. Your congressional representative can work for you - you just provide as much information as possible to make it easy on all sides. Good luck! 

[jan22 2,918]

The first step in scheduling an expedited visa appointment, which I believe you have already done for the brother, is scheduling a regular appointment. The steps after that are outlined on the embassy's website at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/do/en/expedited-appointment/ .  They list recommended documentation for a medical emergency appointment, but what you will need to submit will be slightly different.  You will need to, of course, document the seriousness of your husband's condition including the very short timeline that you are facing. The other difference will be the documentation of paymment of the medical expenses. You will not need to document how all of the medical bills for your husband will be paid.  Rather, you will document how the payment for the visa applicant's (his brother or whoever is applying for the visa) part in the process will be paid, i.e., how the testing and surgery for that individual will be paid by your husband's insurance.  It would also be good to provide a little documentation or description of searches that have been done to find a donor already in the US.

 

The Embassy will also likely want some documentation of the probability that the person seeking the visa will, in fact, be a match. They are not likely to approve a series of expedited appointments for various family members to find a match, for example.   I would urge you to investigate all possibilities of getting testing done prior to the visa application to ensure there is the highest probability that a match will be possible.  There might be more possibilities for testing in the DR then you're aware of, or there might be a way to get the samples to be tested drawn in the DR and sent to the US for testing. The medical offices dealing with International Services should certainly be able to help you with that information.

 

I'm sorry you and your family are going through this and wish you the best.

Edited December 14, 2023 by jan22

[JeanneAdil 6,275]

DR can do the matches needed

they do transplants

 In 2022, the number of organ transplants, including kidney, heart, lung, liver, pancreas, and small bowel, performed in the Dominican Republic added up to 62 interventions, up from 46 transplants reported a year earlier.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1033802/dominican-republic-number-organ-transplants/

 

this is so hard when time is short and u worked so hard to be together

u have my sincere prayers for a successful transplant