Alberta Health Care Insurance for Visitor

[arrush]

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone knows if my wife is eligible for Alberta Health Care if she is not yet received her PR papers (We are still awaiting stage 1 approval). I am a Canadian citizen sponsoring her from Austria and the website states that some temporary visitors are eligible but no particulars. She is coming to live with me while we wait.

Alberta Health and Wellness requires applicants to include one of the following documents from Citizenship and Immigration Canada with their application for AHCIP coverage:

a confirmation of permanent residence
a permanent resident card
an active work, study, or visitor* permit for Alberta
or a designation as a Convention Refugee with accompanying documentation
*Note: Not all visitor permits qualify the permit holder for health care insurance coverage in Alberta. Eligibility will be determined upon review of the application and accompanying documents.

Any insights would be appreciated.

[jayde]

Wow, I'm glad you posted here!!

I just phoned Alberta Health care and they confirmed that yes... if you have a temporary visa and are married to a resident (who has AB Health care themselves), they will add you to the spouse's account temporarily (based on the expiry date of your temporary visa). 

You need to take the passport, the visit visa, and he suggested that we bring our marriage cert just in case they ask for it.  You both have to go to apply and your spouse has to bring their ID as well.  I'll be bringing my AB health care card to fill out the form also.  But you both have to be there and sign etc.

If you do not receive your PR by the time your visa expires, and you have to extend it, you can call AB health and they will grant a one-time 90-day extension.  After that point, you will need revised documentation (your new visit visa or your PR) to establish an extension or your permanent health insurance.

They also stated that many of the alberta registry offices can now issue the AB health care etc... so it is worth it to contact them.  I know there is at least one in Calgary, and I know there is one in Airdrie.  I'm not sure about where the rest of them are though.

Guess I'm going to go to registries with my hubby over lunch... woohoo!!

[aerogurl87]

When I went to go my health coverage they said I could only get it if my visa was at least a year long. Maybe they changed it though.

[awor]

I was told the only way is to get a 1 year+ visa as well.

[jayde]

They told me that because he is married to me, and I am a citizen, that they can give him 6 months (based on the time of his visa) and add him to my ab health care account.  We went and applied this afternoon, we should have his number in a week or so.  They say it is effective the day he arrived here... in June.

[jayde]

Just to confirm, yesterday we went over lunch hour to add my hubby to my AB Health Care account, and he only has a 6-month temporary visit visa stapled to his passport.  We received a phone call less than 24 hours later, that a copy of his card is available for us to pick up at our registries office.

Hope this helps.  We are now able to cancel the health and travel insurance we had been carrying for him in the states.  YAY!!

[awor]

Just to confirm, yesterday we went over lunch hour to add my hubby to my AB Health Care account, and he only has a 6-month temporary visit visa stapled to his passport.  We received a phone call less than 24 hours later, that a copy of his card is available for us to pick up at our registries office.

Hope this helps.  We are now able to cancel the health and travel insurance we had been carrying for him in the states.  YAY!!

That's fantastic! Where did you go? We'll be going through this this winter (I hope).

[jayde]

We went to a registries office in Airdrie.  Here is the info you need from the website: http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/temporary-residents.html

You can look up what offices are near you at the site too... on this page:  http://www.health.alberta.ca/documents/AHCIP-Registry-Agent-Poster.pdf

Since you are coming from outside Canada, there is no waiting period... and it is effective until the expiry date of your documentation (in my husband's case, his visit visa).

We got a temporary card from the registry office yesterday, and we will get his actual card in the mail within two weeks.

YAY