UK London, US Embassy Experience

[Woodger]

Hi there,

When my approval comes around, I'll be having my medical and interview in London UK.

Has anyone else had theirs here and can share an experience,

What I really need to know is, is the Medical and the Interview on the same day ? I only have 5 days holiday left from work which I'm using for a visit for my fiance lol... an extra day off can be achieved but an extra 2 i'm not so sure... .plus travelling costs.. lol

[francksgirl]

I'm thinking that you need to have it done beforehand

because what if you need immunizations that the US requires........and have to come back. I personally wouldn't cut it that close. What if the doctors cancels on you or they get backed up that day. I wouldn't take that chance. I'd call in sick to your work and go a different day if it were me! You get to that point, and you don't want it to mess up and not get the visa.....cuz the exam is required. I wish my Fiance could have his done right now.......and be done with it, but we have no idea how to get the list of doctors that he can see......then I heard that the exam is only good for 3 months before the interview date. Good luck with what you do!

[Russell]

K-1 VISA does not require any vaccinations.


When it is time to apply for adjustment of status, you will need to have the vaccinations done but you two will already be together in the USA and can have the required vaccinations done here.

[Woodger]

I found out from another site that the medical and the interview are on the same day if you go to the US embassy in London, it's a requirement. Which must mean medical first, interview second... visa issued by courier some days later...

[nichole]

I know all about the London Embassy. Many people get their medical first, but it's not a requirement. It's quite a journey from northern Scotland to London, so people with a great distance to travel often save money by making only one trip. Others like yourself can't get off work.

The medical results take a few days before they can be sent to the embassy because of bloodwork being sent off to a lab. So in your case, if you interviewed in the morning, then had the medical in the afternoon, it would be 3-5 days before your medical results would be available to the embassy. Then they would approve it, send it to be printed and put in your passport, then a few days to get back to you via courier. They will tell you at the interview, "you are approved pending medical results."

Some advice having done the whole route to a green card now. Get all of your immunizations in the UK to make adjustment of status in the US easier. If you're male you probably only need MMR and Tdap (or Td). Young females will also need the first of the HPV series. Your NHS doctor will probably give you the MMR and Tdap free, however they don't have to give you anything free if it's for immigration. It depends on how nice your service wants to be. HPV definitely will not be free, but you could compare costs. It costs £120 if given at the visa medical.

So you go get your NHS office to give you shots and some kind of signed paper listing all the immunizations you've had in your life and if you had chickenpox or any of the childhood diseases. (A history of chickenpox means you don't take the varicella shot.) You will take that list to Knightsbridge and they will record it all and give you a copy of the form DS3025. When it is time for you to apply for your green card in the US, you can send in a copy of that DS3025 if all the shots needed are on it. Otherwise you have to get shots in the US, then go to a civil surgeon to copy all your immunizations to an I-693 form. Many people call 20+ Civil Surgeons and they all refuse to do the shot portion unless they do a whole medical again which is not required by USCIS. They charge $200-$400. It is a huge hassle finding one who will do it for a reasonable fee like $35. So my point is skip that hassle by getting everything in the UK if possible before your visa medical. Then the DS3025 immunization form is sent in with the AOS application and you skip the Civil $urgeon route completely. That works. We did it and I know many others who did the same and got green card and these are current people, not 5 years ago.

Also if you have any history of a medical condition (depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc) get a letter from your NHS explaining in detail the problem, how it was treated, that you're fine now, or it is controlled with what type of medication...just a summary of your current status. The visa medical doctor will want that if you tick any of the questionaire boxes "yes" concerning medical conditions. It doesn't keep you from immigrating, but they want to know you are fine now or your condition is controlled by medication. Otherwise they will hold up your medical results until you go back home, get the letter, and send it back to them.