URG: Health Insurance in the US?

My husband is an American citizen and I am a Canadian citizen. We both got married in Canada and ever since then I have been refused entry into the U.S because I don't have any ties with Canada (permanent residence, employment or bank account) They told me that in order for me to be able to visit the US is to have employment history for 6 months. My back is in bad condition and I cannot work.

We have applied for Visa and I was refused for Visa at the time of interview but our case is still processing.

We have been receiving letters other the past 6 months about information we are missing. Whenever we send them in, they ask for more information about something else. I am afraid of having my Visa terminated because its already been half a year. We are having trouble with figuring out how I can obtain Health Insurance in the US because this is the proof that they need. My husband has already sent in his Health Insurance information. He was informed that I need a social security card in the US to obtain Health insurance. Also My husband brother was a co-sponsored but when he got married he no longer wanted to be apart of the case. We have sent them a letter telling them this information but they are still asking about his income and taxes. We tried to contact the consulate through mail and email but there is no reply. We are confused as what it is they want from us. If anyone has any information I would appreciate it greatly. If there is any other information you can provide also I would very much appreciate it. I am so lost and hopeless at this time!

Thanks Sara

I'm assuming you're talking about private health insurance. Not all providers will require you to have a social security number, but in order to obtain private health insurance in the US, you will need to prove that you are a resident of the state in which you are applying and that you have been resident in that state for a specific period of time (the time varies from one provider to another). You cannot take out US private health insurance from Canada.

What I don't understand is why they are asking you to obtain health insurance in the US? I'm confused.

Thanks for the reply.

I think the reason they want me to obtain health insurance in the US prior is because I am unemployed, I have no source of income, and I am currently unable to work because I have a bad back condition (large disc herniation). The medical examination doctor's told me I didn't need to provide that information to my case worker but I had to let them know giving them a reason why I haven't been employed since 2006. The doctor's also told me they can't deny me because of my disability but can they deny me for no health insurance? since I can't obtain it unless I live in the U.S? My husband has health insurance that will cover me as a spouse but they need an american social insurance number.

Thanks, Sara

We have been receiving letters other the past 6 months about information we are missing. Whenever we send them in, they ask for more information about something else. I am afraid of having my Visa terminated because its already been half a year. We are having trouble with figuring out how I can obtain Health Insurance in the US because this is the proof that they need. My husband has already sent in his Health Insurance information. He was informed that I need a social security card in the US to obtain Health insurance. Also My husband brother was a co-sponsored but when he got married he no longer wanted to be apart of the case. We have sent them a letter telling them this information but they are still asking about his income and taxes. We tried to contact the consulate through mail and email but there is no reply. We are confused as what it is they want from us. If anyone has any information I would appreciate it greatly. If there is any other information you can provide also I would very much appreciate it. I am so lost and hopeless at this time!

Thanks Sara

Hi Sara,

Sorry to hear about your troubles!

There is a fair bit of information that is missing in your message that may be needed before anyone can help. Some questions:

1. Where are you living right now?
2. Where is your husband living right now?
3. Where were you and your husband living immediately before you got married?
4. Does your husband have a job in the USA and if so does he have health insurance through his job?
5. Does the medical insurance you are contemplating getting cover pre-existing conditions? If not--and you need regular care for your back--that would be a strong reason to consider that maybe you should make your married lives in Canada not the USA.
6. Why was the brother involved in the case? Was it for financial reasons or other reasons?
7. What do you mean exactly when you say you are afraid of having your visa "terminated"? Do you mean you are afraid of having it *denied*?

Dealing with immigration requires a great deal of patience but ordinarily if you are married to an American it should ultimately come through--unless there is some very specific reason why it would be denied. That's why I'm asking why you think it might be denied. If he's in the USA, though, visiting while you have a pending application is going to be really difficult--might be easier if he could go to see you during any time that you are apart.

One final comment--in immigration matters, sending random letters to the consulate/USCIS informing them of changes in your case probably won't help--such letters will probably be ignored unless they are in response to very specific questions that the consulate/USCIS raises and you respond to at the appropriate time.

Unfortunately, you cannot get a SSN unless you are present in the US at the time of the application and you are legally allowed to work in the US.

Unfortunately, you cannot get a SSN unless you are present in the US at the time of the application and you are legally allowed to work in the US.

If this is health insurance through the husband's job, though, the health insurance company should be able to accept an alternative ID number such as a taxpayer identification number. That's why I'm asking if the husband is working in the US right now. (If he's not I'm confused as to how the husband got health insurance himself). There are many spouses who are unable to work in the US but who nevertheless have health insurance through the spouse's job.

Sorry here is the information to clarify some things

1. I am currently living in ONT, Canada
2. My husband is currently living in MO, USA
3. When we got married I was still living in Ontario, Canada and he was living in MO, USA. We got married in Canada
4. My husband does have a job in the US and he does have health insurance through his job.
5. Yes his insurance will cover the cost of chiropractic care for my back, and there is already a chiropracter who is going to be working on my back as soon as I get there. I will need regular care for a couple or months
6. The brother was involved in the case for financial reasons he was a petitioner and co-sponsor but my husband has now gone through the poverty guidelines and his income along with the other co-sponsors (his mother and sister who live with him) meet over the poverty guidlines and is able to support me financially
7.I have a letter here stating that my registration for immigrant visa will be terminated 1 year following the refusal of the immigrant visa. Does this mean after I have been denied if i don't provide the evidence they need or when I was denied at the interview?

Thanks, Sara

What type of visa did you apply for???? never heard of anyone having to get health insurance prior to moving to the USA, which may not be a huge suprise,lol. But have spent many yrs on VisaJourney.com which is a forum for relationship visas, and have never seen that.

4. My husband does have a job in the US and he does have health insurance through his job.

He should be leaning on his employer to get you on his policy then. There are a lot of non-working spouses in the USA who don't have SSN's and I don't believe they can just deny someone health coverage to which they are entitled arbitrarily for bureaucratic reasons. I'm sure his employer and his employer's insurer have dealt with this situation before and it may be a matter of keeping on them until you can get to someone at the insurer high enough on the food chain to know how to deal with this situation. Even if he left his employer for whatever reason he'd still be entitled to keep both yourself and himself on the policy for at least 18 months through COBRA, albeit at his expense.

At the very least they should be able to provide a letter saying you are entitled to health insurance once you enter the US. Perhaps you could also get some kind of temporary coverage to cover the brief period while you are in transit before you can be added to his policy.

Thanks for the reply

I will inform my husband about getting that letter from his insurance

Also in regard to the other post
He applied for the I-129 Petition for Alien Fiance

Thanks, Sara