Tourist traveling back to US with big amount of medical bills, will immigration hold him from the airport? [duplicate]

My father-in-law was hospitalized for a heart attack. He doesn't have money to pay all the outstanding bills and did not reply to any bills. He wants to return to the US but without travel insurance. Because of the medical bills, this will he be prevented from re-entering the US?

Best Answer

Wow. Here I thought the US abolished debtors prisons in the 19th century. You can't get arrested for failing to pay a loan or a hospital bill or such (taxes and child support is an entirely different kind of beast). So if this is about a debt in the USA, you won't be held at the airport or anywhere else neither will you be deported. Law enforcement does not get involved in this at all until you have a court order to pay and you disobey that. In some states, you can be jailed in this case for contempt of court.

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Does unpaid medical bill affect immigration?

Will this stop me from getting legal immigration status? NO. Medical assistance is not considered in the public charge test that affects some people when they apply for their Green Card. You and your family members can use all forms of medical assistance without fear.

Does unpaid medical bill affect citizenship?

No, they will not. You can always claim those are in disputes for being excessive and unreasonable.

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