The United States has always been a sought-after destination for individuals seeking better opportunities and a new life. While some people become citizens through birth or naturalization, others enter the country as visa holders. Visa holders, though granted certain privileges, encounter limitations compared to citizens. This essay aims to discuss some of the key limitations faced by visa holders in America and highlight the disparities they experience in various aspects of life.

1. Legal Protections:
2. Employment Opportunities:
3. Social Benefits:
4. Travel Restrictions:
5. Political Participation:

Legal Protections: One significant limitation faced by visa holders is the disparity in legal protections compared to citizens. Citizens enjoy the full extent of legal rights and constitutional protections, including the right to vote, hold public office, and access public benefits. Visa holders, on the other hand, have limited access to legal remedies and are often subject to deportation if they violate their visa conditions or commit certain crimes. This limitation can lead to a sense of vulnerability and insecurity among visa holders.

Employment Opportunities: Visa holders often face restrictions in terms of employment opportunities. While citizens can freely seek employment in any field, visa holders are typically tied to specific job categories or employers through their visas. For example, H-1B visa holders, who are skilled workers, are sponsored by their employers, making it challenging for them to switch jobs or pursue self-employment. This limitation not only hampers career growth but also creates a dependence on the employer, potentially leading to exploitation.

Social Benefits: Another significant disparity lies in the access to social benefits. Citizens have access to various social welfare programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment benefits. However, most visa holders are not eligible for these benefits, even if they pay taxes. This limitation can place visa holders in precarious situations during times of illness, unemployment, or retirement, as they lack a safety net to fall back on. It can also discourage talented individuals from pursuing opportunities in the United States.

Travel Restrictions: Visa holders often face travel restrictions that citizens do not encounter. While citizens can freely travel in and out of the country with a valid passport, visa holders are subject to various travel limitations. They may require additional documentation, face stringent scrutiny at borders, and risk visa revocation if they travel to certain countries. These restrictions can hamper visa holders’ ability to visit their families, pursue international opportunities, or even attend important personal events.

Political Participation: Citizens have the fundamental right to participate in the democratic process by voting in elections, engaging in political activism, and expressing their opinions freely. Visa holders, on the other hand, are generally excluded from political participation. They cannot vote in federal elections, limiting their ability to have a direct impact on policies and decisions that affect their lives. This limitation can create a sense of exclusion and hinder their ability to fully integrate into American society.

Visa holders in America face significant limitations compared to citizens, affecting their legal protections, employment opportunities, access to social benefits, travel freedoms, and political participation. Recognizing and addressing these disparities is crucial to ensuring fairness, equality, and inclusivity for all individuals residing in the United States. Efforts to reform immigration policies and provide a pathway to citizenship for deserving individuals can help bridge the gap and provide visa holders with a more secure and equitable experience in America.

Well, I am not here to poke fun at America’s healthcare system. You will find numerous articles and videos lambasting the dysfunctional state of its affairs. I want to write this article with the sole purpose of helping people to navigate through complex and overbearing important aspects of their lives.

You might have heard that the US does not have Universal health care. Which runs contrary to how most of the developed nations have been providing healthcare to its citizens. Depending on your age and income brackets it is very likely that you may need to plan for your own health insurance. And that expense is not cheap.

Here are some reasons why health care cost in America are so high

1. Administrative processing.:- According to 2017 study, Administrative costs made up more than 1/3rd of total health care cost in US.
2. Higher utilization of costly medical technology
3. À la carte system while paying for the services used.
4. High cost of medicines
5. Health Care professionals are paid at higher rate than their counterparts in Europe and Canada
6. Lack of Government Regulation
7. Symbiotic relationship between Doctors, Hospitals, pharmaceuticals  and Insurance providers

What options do we have?

1> Medicare:

Medicare is a government national health insurance program in the United States, begun in 1965 under the Social Security Administration (SSA) and now administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It primarily provides health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older, but also for some younger people with disability status as determined by the SSA. To know more about Medicare, please visit: Medicare

2>Medicaid:

Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and personal care services. 

To know more if you are eligible for medicaid please visit the government site: Medicare Eligibility

The main difference between the two programs is that Medicaid covers healthcare costs for people with low incomes while Medicare provides health coverage for the elderly. 

3> Private Insurance: Employer Based:

If you don’t qualify for either medicare or medicaid, you  will need to figure out a way to be covered by private insurance. If you are lucky enough to be employed by an employer who partially or fully covers your insurance payments, you do receive insurance at a subsidized rate.

4> Private Insurance: Self – purchased.

If unfortunately your employer is not big enough to provide health insurance or you are part time worker or freelancer, you will need to pay for your own insurance.

Here is a glossary of relevant terms before you dive into individual plans.

Glossary of Insurance terms and jargons

For private insurances, you typically have a choice between the following plans. They differ on premium, coverage and benefits.

• Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
• Preferred provider organizations (PPOs)
• Exclusive provider organizations (EPOs)
• Point-of-service (POS) plans
• High-deductible health plans (HDHPs), which may be linked to health savings accounts (HSAs)

To cut a long story short, the higher the premium you pay every month/interval , the less you will end up paying when you actually need medical service.

Choosing a correct health insurance plan is important not only for your medical health but also for your financial well being. Unforeseen and uncovered medical costs will significantly affect your finances in America and will threaten to derail your journey of achieving the American dream.

I have compiled the list of things you need to work on when you move to the US. There are obvious dependencies here:- It will be really hard to open a bank account, until you have an SSN number. You can’t get a driver license unless you have proof of address. To the best of my abilities, I have compiled this list in a correct sequence. Please leave comments if you think the order is not correct or if I should add any steps. 

1. Get a good health care coverage
2. Enroll into your employer’s 401K Plan
3. Getting your SSN card
4. Opening your first Bank Account
5. Renting a place to stay
6. Getting your Driver License
7. Opening a brokerage Account
8. Have or planning to have kids? – Start on 529 plan
9. School Admission for kids
10. College Admission:- Its importnat to start navigating expensive universe of colleges in US if you are moving to US with college age kids.
11. Finding a good grocery store where you live, which has high quality products of your native country