Ask the Doctor
August 12, 2014
Can the Cancer Society assist my aunt in getting a US visa?

Dear Doc,

My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer and applied for a US visa to seek medical attention, but was refused. We don’t have the treatment here and it has been a big blow to her. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has a US visa and she genuinely needed one and they had no compassion. Can the Cancer Society help people in these situations?{{more}}

Teckhla

Dear Teckhla,

Granting of visas to any country is the sole responsibility and is at the discretion of the agents of that country. In the case of the United States it is the US Embassy.

When seeking treatment in a country that requires you to gain a visa, it is paramount that you have clear documentation stating your diagnosis, that you have been in consultation with a treatment centre which is expecting you and that you have the financial requirements to fund your treatment.

It is evident that many persons have made unscrupulous applications in the past for visas to travel to the United States and thus have made it even more difficult for genuine applicants. Even persons who genuinely travel to seek treatment at times have overstayed their visa limits and thus have violated the agreement.

The Cancer Society does not issue letters of recommendation to aid visa applications and it is only proper that the experts directly involved in the diagnosis and treatment give the necessary information, as would be required by the embassy officials. The last thing we would like is for the Cancer Society to be seen as an agent of unscrupulous transactions.

Doc

SVG Cancer Society,

P.O. Box 709, Kingstown.

Email: svgsocietycancer@gmail.com

Phone:526-7036