ajmstevenson

Hello All,

So, as I have posted on here several times recently I am currently putting the finishing touches on my AOS paperwork, and as part of that I needed to get my vaccination history signed off on form I-693. My experience was less than pleasant and as such I thought I would post what happened as a warning.

As a bit of history when I attended my medical at the Knightsbridge doctors they wouldnt accept my original copy of my vaccination history. The problem was that when I asked my doctor's surgery at my University they only had my completed history up until the early 90's, and my booster vaccines for my MMR, Tetanus, Polio and Dipetheria we in the 2000's and completed at my high school. I called my doctor at home (who still maintains my medical records) and they provided a printed transcript of the vaccines that my Uni Doctor had provided, and on this was the dates of the booster vaccines hand written at the bottom. The nurse at the medical wouldnt accept what was hand written, but as it was a K-1 visa it didnt matter to prove it there, just when I applied for AOS.

The nurse told me however that if I could get a typed and signed copy of my full vacc. history that day it could be signed off. I did this, however because I had to go back to my place, call my doctors and arrange this the form handed to me when I left the medical said that my history was incomplete. As such, I knew when the time came to file for AOS I would need to have a copy of my complete vacc history to take to the civil surgeon to get I-693 signed off.

So, I checked all the instructions, and was extra relieved when I found out I would no longer need the HPV vaccine. Having done my homework about what need filling in on form I-693, and with a new copy of my vacc. history from my doctor's surgery I followed the link from the USCIS website to find a civil surgeon in my area. My husband and I decided to use the "American Civil Surgeon Centre" close to downtown Atlanta. We chose these as there were several civil surgeons listed at this address, and when we spoke to them on the phone and mentioned that I needed my vacc. history signing off and would not need to have a medical done again they were extremely helpful and had an appt within a few days.

We arrived at the "centre" to discover it was actually in a rundown building on the outskirts of downtown in not the best of areas. It was a suite on the ground floor of the building and when we arrived and checked in they had already filled in the first part of the form, which I was supposed to do myself and bring to the appt, and had filled it in wrong. We asked them to change it, and while I waited I was made to fill in a health questionnaire.

After an hour wait in a dark and dingy waiting room, we were called by a nurse through to what we assumed would be the civil surgeons office. Instead we were sat in a corridor between several rooms and the records office/reception and the nurse asked me a few questions about my health and what not. I told her what had happened with my vacc. history, gave her copies of everything which she went away to take copies of for herself, ad then when she returned she told me I would have to get ready for a TB skin test. I asked her why she was wanting me to do this and she said I would have to as part of the medical. I told her at this point I did not need the medical and she told me I would have to have it, and would need to return tuesday for the results. I said as the conditions of the form, and my visa state I did not need to have this done. She went away to ask someone, and then when she came back she said that because my form from my medical in london (the one that states your vacc. history and was stapled to the receipt from Knightbridge - I believe it is form DS-3025) was signed by a "Panel Physician" it was not legal and I would have to have it done again.

At this point I began to get very upset as not only had we been waiting over an hour to be seen, but I knew I did not need the medical done again as I had it done within a year of filing, and that this woman clearly knew nothing about the form, and the place was clearly not very clean/sanitary. She then kept asking about my TB vaccine and when my last skin test was done and told me I would need a new one (despite the clear chest x-ray from my medical) and kept trying to convince me I needed a new tetanus jab despite it not being 10 years since my last.

I began to get more upset, as did my husband. Eventually, I pulled the instructions for the form from my ring binder (I have kept a huge A4 ring binder of all the info related to the entire process with copies of everything) and showed her the part that stated I did not need a new medical.

She took this away and arrived with a doctor (who actually turned out to be very helpful ultimately) who said I did not need the medical, and if all I wanted was my vacc. history signed off it was possible. The doctor went away and the nurse continued to push that I needed a new TB skin test (not necessary) and to take my blood. I told her this was done in london and she kept telling me that she had come from the phillipines on a K-1 and she had to do a medical. I told her a blood test was done in london and the chest x-ray came back clear but she kept pushing and pushing and telling me I had to have it done. I got more upset and my husband got more irate.

In the end he stepped in and explained what I had been saying, and eventually the nurse brought the doctor back, who once again told her that as the instructions stated I did not need a medical, and that as I had had my blood test and what not done in lond she just needed to transcribe my vacc. history onto the appropriate part of the form and then bring it through to her to sign.

Finally, she got the message and did just that, but still took my blood pressure, which to both my husbands and my amazement was incredibly low. We thought that all the arguing (which had taken over an hour on top of our hour wait for the privilege of arguing with the nurse) would have made my blood pressure so high I would have made the machine explode.

She then said my form would be ready immediately and to go back to the waiting room. By now I was worn out from all the arguing and constantly telling her that I did not need this medical, and my husband was both angry and tired from having to run out to the car park every hour to repay we then waited a half hour for the form to be signed and were charged $90 for the form.

The one good thing is the doctor apolgised for it taking so long, and also gave us a copy of the form in the sealed envelope so we could see what had been written.

The whole experience was extremely stressful, and I wish we had been a bit more selective about choosing a civil surgeon. I know we used the USCIS website however we should have done some more research into the place. I feel sure it should not have taken so much to just get the forms signed, and I feel sure many others have had far easier experiences with other civil surgeons. I felt the need to post this experience on here as a warning to other potential AOS-ers. I did my research, and knew exactly what I needed to complete/present and if it wasnt for this right now I might have had to pay a large amount to have a potentially unnecessary medical and vaccinations. I would advise anyone taking on this process to do a lot of reading, and to use this forum to consult and check with others their knowledge an experience. I also recommend that if you are in the Atlanta area to avoid the place I used to fill in form I-693.

I apologise if this post is especially long but I felt it was important to share this experience with you all. Its through other posters sharing their experiences of the process that has helped me get through it myself.

fatbrit

Nice post! But sounds like my experience with most American doctors.

Long wait
Lots of paperwork to complete
Take any opportunity to increase the billing
Inflated prices

Welcome to America!

Noorah101

Our appointment for the vaccination supplement was about the same. We spoke to the actual doctor (not a nurse) and still took several explanations to get the point across that he did NOT need a whole new medical. Finally the doctor says Ohhhhh I just need to sign off on this form that he had the vaccinations already done? I said yes! He goes Oh, OK. Signed it, sealed it, and was done..

Rene

PepsiChic

Although it was stressful i just want to say WELL DONE! for putting your foot down on the matter and not being made to go through the whole medical again. *hugs*

Rete

Sorry that you had to endure this hard pressure "salesmanship". As you can see, you're not alone. At least it is done and dusted and you can put this out of your mind. You won't have to endure another medical for USCIS for the rest of your life (unless they change the regulations).

ajmstevenson

Thanks so much guys. It made me really mad when the lady wouldnt listen and kept telling me that she came on a fiance visa and she still had to do a medical, and I kept having to say "Ok, but....."

If they ask me to have another medical now I have filed fine, but I did not want to go through an unecessay process at this stage. I wanted to just let everyone know my experience, and offer a warning to other AOS-ers out there to always be prepared.