Noorah101

Let's keep this thread on the topic of AOS medical exam and vaccination waivers, please.

Notice has been given of VWP to AOS pitfalls. Further discussion on that will be deleted.

Rene
Moderator

Sally Redux

It did seem especially pointless to me to suddenly be required to have them after living here for four years on H4.

BubbleChog

it IS important. It defines your current immigration status and what the consequences of a failure to successfully adjust will be.

At my AOS medical, I had lost my form from my Knightsbridge medical in the UK detailing my vaccination history (DS-3025) but I did have my full vaccination history from my old GP.

However my experience of trying to find a civil surgeon who was able to go "off script" and complete the I-693 even though I had a full medical 3 months previously AND could provide evidence of my vaccination history was nearly a month of constant stress

Lx

Tess4

yey...someone made me laugh today thanks ian

Noorah101

Your experience is different than the OP's, because you entered on a K1 visa. The OP will need a full medical done, not just the vaccination transcription.

Rene

Jerni

Hi Tess,

I filed for AOS in September 2013 and got my Greencard in January of this year. Here is what happened during my medical.

Booked the appointment over the phone and the receptionist advised that the fee would be $160 for the medical and $40 for the TB skin test if required. She also advised me to download the I-693 and complete all the parts relevant to me before arriving.

Arrived at my appointment and checked in, the receptionist took my completed I-693 and walked me back to the room. The actual medical exam lasted maybe 6 minutes. I had my vaccination history so that made things easy. Since I had never been TB vaccinated he gave me the skin test and told me to come back in 2 days. He also gave me a medical order for a syphillus blood test. He asked me a few questions about drug use and any psychological issues. That was it. No undressing, no poking or prodding.

I went straight to an in-network lab to have my blood drawn so the office would get the syphillus results the same day I went back to get the TB test checked.

2 days later and I went back to the doctors office. He checked the TB test site and had gotten my syphillus result so all was cleared. I then sat there for about 5 minutes while he completed the form. I watched him like a hawk as I'd read of cases where the doctor did not complete every section of the form which would lead to an RFE at the AOS interview.

He told me to go wait in reception while he finished up and sealed the results in an envelope. I made sure to ask him for a copy as requested by our lawyer. Really very easy.

I respect your views on vaccines but you really are going to make it much more difficult than it needs to be if you go that route. The immigration process is not something that's up for negotiation you just have to do what's required.

Hope that helps.

augigi

I had my medical earlier this year. Blood pressure, heart rate, weight. Doc looked in my ears, listened to lung sounds and palpated my abdomen, that was it.

I had all my vaccinations so just had the blood test for TB (allergic to the skin test) and syphilis then went back to pick up envelope.

Agree if you're applying to join their country, they can choose to require vaccination. You don't have to do it, but they don't have to approve you.

ian-mstm

Apparently she's okay with that having written, "... if they dont approve it, thats fine by me..." So, perhaps she's okay with not being allowed to stay in the US, or perhaps her fiancé is okay with moving to the UK.

Ian

Tess4

thanks Jerni and Augigi for your input. Much appreciated. Whilst I am aware that they make the rules and if a vaccination is required, then thats what one has to do. My issue is that I am absolutely petrified of being the one in a whatever the percentage is, to have negative side effects of these injections. The fear of that is something that i respect many will not appreciate; its a tough one. But thats going off topic, apologies Rene.

I really wanted to get others input as to what really goes on in the medical, so thanks to everyone who has put my mind at ease with what they really do. I dont have my records for vaccinations, so I will start by going through the medical and perhaps i will be "immune" anyway. I dont actually live in the UK normally, havent done for years, so any vaccinations i had there, will be too old anyway.

Thanks again everyone.

kodokan

If you think you previously had the usual childhood UK ones at some point, why not get blood titers done instead as evidence of immunity? As an adult, you only need the MMR and TDap (if you go out of flu season), so you'd probably have had all those before anyway. I'm not sure if you get them done before the medical or as part of the CS-originated blood work process; phone one and ask, perhaps. It won't be cheap, mind you - each separate illness will be upwards of $100, maybe much more.

The only one you might want to reconsider is the tetanus. The chances of you being one in whatever the percentage is of people getting seriously ill from a tiny scratch is probably far, far higher than any potential risk from the vaccination.

Tess4

Thanks Kodokan. I believe they do an MMR test to see if you had them before, thats what they said. But I am not sure if they will still be "good" if i had them as a child, no idea how long those vaccinations last. The MMR vaccines are the ones that bother me the most, re: the negative side effects from having those vaccines. I will just go to the medical and see what happens.

S Folinsky

General historical comment: matter of public health and of beliefs have long been issues in the immigration laws. About the only historical concern that has gone away is race.

kodokan

We didn't have our vaccination records from the UK, so just had the MMR again. The doctor did say that it's not a bad idea anyway to get a top-up in your 30s or older, as the immunity can wear off a little over some decades. Dunno if that's actually true, or if he was just making us feel better about having to get it done for purely admin reasons!

Good luck, and do let us know how you get on - it'll be useful for anyone else considering titers or waivers instead of the jabs.

Tess4

thanks Kodokan....I'll be sure to post here on the outcome. Did you have any side effects from the vaccinations?

Springy6

We are just completing the vaccinations part ready for our medicals. Husband and I gave had MMR which is delivered in 2 doses a month apart, 2nd HepA (had 1dose for honeymoon) and have to have DTap when I go back for the second MMR. Kids had HepA & Hep B combined and another one (can't remember what). No side affects apart from a bit of a sore arm from MMR. We were told that it is highly unlikely that we would have any adverse reactions to them as an adult - although watching them inject my children did make me feel a bit woozy!