Medical and Interview - London

[Woodger]

Hey there

im guessing nichole will be able to answer this hopefully

I am a little confused after reading conflicting messages regarding the medical

Is it possible to have the medical the same day as the interview ?

I'm worried that if I have to make two trips the cost and getting time off work will be hard...

IF its possible to have the interview in the morning, and the medical in the afternoon, I will have already submitted my passport to the US embassy and as such wont have it for photo identification at the docs for the medical (bear in my passport is the only photo ID i have, i do not drive)

Also, if this is the case, does the embassy schedule your medical for you with a K1, or do you have to do it yourself....

If I had to book it myself and booked it for after the visa interview, how do I inform the embassy of this prior to the interview ?

[Woodger]

Knightsbridge Doctors Response

"You do not have to have the medical before the interview at the embassy. They will issue the visa once the medical has been sent to them. If it would help you can do both on the same day and we will send the medical on 4 working days later.

If you have your interview first please take a copy in colour of your passport so that you have that as ID on the day.

We are only open Monday - Friday"


The medical exam is good for 6 months, and if you wanted you could call and schedule one before your interview no problem

[francksgirl]

Now is NOT a good time for them to all go on strike... : (..

My Honey told me that Paris France will be tomorrow.........Arrrrrrrrrggggggggggh.......THE embassy still has our package........Feel your frustration.........

[nichole]

Good job finding the answers, Woodger. I always go straight to the source to get the real answer. You don't have to inform the embassy when your medical is. You will interview and if all goes well they will tell you that you are tentatively approved pending the medical results. They will keep your passport and have you pay the courier for delivery back to you when the visa is in it.

The medical results take a few days because they send the bloodwork out to a lab. When that's back, they sign off on your papers and courier it to the embassy. I wouldn't count days and make a plane reservation. Weekends could figure in to the labwork, courier to embassy, etc. And the embassy won't necessarily pick up your med results and print your visa the day it arrives there. They could pile it up for awhile while you wonder. They don't give good info on the 1.20 p a minute line so there's no way to check on it. You just wait and go crazy. And if there is any problem with your medical, then that's a hold up. Just be sure if you have any conditions that you answer "yes" to on the medical checklist that you take well-documented description from your NHS service of the condition, how it was treated, if you take medicine for it, if you're released and have no further need for medical care. Otherwise the Knightsbridge doctors will request you send them that before they release your results to the embassy. Another hold up.

I strongly suggest that you get all your shots in the UK if possible. Most NHS docs will do MMR, Tdap free. When you get to the US, and dive into AOS the medical stuff is the biggest obstacle to hurdle. If everything needed for AOS is done by the time you get to Knightsbridge, then they record the immunizations on a DS-3025 and give you a copy. You can mail that in with AOS. We did it, it worked for us and at least 20 others I know, despite any confusing info you will read. If you're a woman under age 26? 27? then you will need HPV and many wait to get it in the US. But anything that has to be given in the US must be recorded on an I-693 (part 3)along with transcribing what's on your DS-3025 from Knightsbridge by a US Civil Surgeon.

So what's the problem with that? USCIS documents and info still say you can send in the I-693A vaccination supplement. People post they can't find that form. It's because it no longer exists. The I-693 was revised, so don't bother looking days for an I-693A.

People post they've called a nearby Civil Surgeon who insists they have to do the complete medical over again for hundreds of $$. Also not true. K1/K3s who have had a medical within the year for their visa DO NOT need to have it done again. Yes, people who are already in the US who are adjusting status from other things do, but the doctos don't seem to understand K visas.

People post that they've called 10 Civil Surgeons who refuse to do the immunization section of the I-693 unless they do the whole exam. Some will agree to transcribe the shots for $75-$100. It's such a rip off and so stressful to the person trying to sort it out. So if you think you are going to save money by getting HPV in the US, it may not be as you think. It's expensive in the US. Hubby's medical insurance may not cover you right away or will only cover part. You might can get it cheaper at a public health clinic if you live near one, but do you know now where one is? Then you're stuck with the rip-off Civil Surgeon problems and the costs to have him copy your records and seal them up. All this can be avoided if you have the ability to get all your shots recorded by Knightsbridge on the DS3025 and just mail that in with no Civil Surgeon needed. It really has been accepted by USCIS despite confusing other instructions that cover many types of immigrant situations.

If you are male, then most likely all you need is MMR and Tdap and your NHS doctor to write down that you had chickenpox. Otherwise you need varicella shot. The list of shots is long, but most are for babies. Young women, the same but add on HPV. Older women, same as men. Get to you NHS doc now and get the nurse to make a list of all your immunizations to take to Knightsbridge so you are well sorted ahead of time.

[Woodger]

thanks Nichole, awesome answer

I am picking up my vaccination history tommorow, my doctor already knows im applying for a visa cos he did my photo signing thing for my police report so dont think I'll get any free... i'm 24 so I presume I've had a fair few of the more recent ones, maybe just Tdap I need i think... i think I remember having MMR.

Thanks again

Woodger

[nichole]

thanks Nichole, awesome answer

I am picking up my vaccination history tommorow, my doctor already knows im applying for a visa cos he did my photo signing thing for my police report so dont think I'll get any free... i'm 24 so I presume I've had a fair few of the more recent ones, maybe just Tdap I need i think... i think I remember having MMR.

Thanks again

Woodger

It depends on your NHS service. Many give the shots free anyway, even knowing that it's for immigration. At one time there was a shortage of Tdap and NHS was saving it for babies/children. That's what my husband was told, but then they called and said they had Tdap marked for him and gave it free. Also get the service to write down that you had chickenpox. My husband told his nurse "my Mum said I had chickenpox in December of 19XX" so the nurse took his word for it and wrote it down on his record. Then your DS3025 will say "VH" on the line for Varicella. That means Varicella History (chickenpox) which gives you a waiver from taking the jab.

Also your DS3025 won't have the tick box checked indicating all are complete. This is confusing to many, but I researched it on the CDC website in the instructions to Panel Physicians on how to fill in the immunization record (DS3025). "Complete" would mean you took every shot on the list. However because many are not age appropriate for an adult, that is indicated and you are eligible for a "blanket waiver" meaning you don't have to get those. So there is a summary at the bottom with a tick box saying "incomplete, but eligible for blanket waiver" (not exact quote because I'm not looking at the form.) The instructions to Panel Physicians say most forms will be ticked with that one. But if you took every shot that is age appropriate for you, then that's all you need for AOS. You are automatically granted a waiver for the shots not age appropriate. A complete record for AOS purposes will have something in one of the columns by the shot name---a date of shot, check mark as not age appropriate, or VH (varicella history.) If any shot line is completely blank, then you will need that shot covered before AOS, but you can get a visa without it since not every country even has those vaccines available. Google DS-3025 and find a picture of the form posted somewhere and you'll see what I mean more clearly. Immihelp does not allow me to post links.