jetbedlam

Yes, I am in the age group required to take this vaccination for the US immigration (age 11-26). However, the NHS only started giving this vaccine first in Sept 08 and only give it to girls between 11 and 18 so they said no (I'm 26) and referred me to a private doctor if I wanted to pay for it.

He's getting on it I will get him to ask different questions and not just assume that the only qualifying event will be marriage.

Thanks for your help (again) I feel I am going to be saying that a lot over the coming months!

meauxna

Thanks for clarifying the age thing for me; I'm glad to be of help.

PepsiChic

knightsbridge can do it, but its £120 per shot i think, and if you dont leave when the second shot time comes around you need to go back and pay another £120.

Im waiting till i start AOS process and just start the course but this is because im needle phobic!

Moxie

I just wanted to make a few comments on the medical and AOS in the US. You don't need any immunizations to get a visa. The Knightsbridge doctor will simply document what you have on a DS3025 form and give you a copy of it. Your visa won't be denied because of immunizations. It's the AOS that requires everything to be completed (or HPV started.)

My opinion is there is an advantage of completing all shots (or starting the series) by the time you go to Knightsbridge for your visa medical exam. My husband (K1) did that so his DS3025 was totally complete for the AOS requirements. He did not send in an I-693 medical form with AOS. Many people say you have to get a Civil Surgeon to transcribe your DS3025 record to an I-693, even if they are only copying a completed record. Many charge a lot of money or refuse to do it unless you pay $$$ and do the whole medical over again. Many Civil Surgeons are an expensive lot to deal with and they can charge what they want. It's a big hassle people seem to face in the US doing their AOS...finding a CS who understands the rules and doesn't rob you blind. My husband only submitted a photocopy of his DS3025 and he received his green card in April without any RFE and without having an interview. I know a dozen or so others who filed recently who did the same thing and got their green card, so it wasn't just one case that slipped through. It's a savings of time and money to not chase down another form.

If you have to get more shots in the US, then you do have to submit an I-693 with the immunization part filled out. Your Knightsbridge medical is good for 1 year.

ian-mstm

Someone who is adjusting status from inside the US, doesn't need a visa. I'm not sure why you're trying to make a connection between the two.

That said, there are multiple vaccinations that someone adjusting status must have unless they can demonstrate that they've already had them. http://tinyurl.com/6lcl8m

Ian

Moxie

Ummm...I think it was because the K1 applicants were discussing whether to get their shots in the UK or leave them for later in US. And once they get the K1 visa they will be in the US for filing adjustment of status. So it was a comment about why getting the shots finished in the UK could make AOS after arriving in the US just a tiny bit easier. Perhaps I stated that poorly...trying again: I just wanted to make a few comments on the medical and AOS after arriving in the US on your K visa.

My husband got all his shots free from NHS before going to the visa medical. I realize HPV isn't going to be free, and NHS doesn't have to provide immigration shots, but sometimes they will do things like MMR and Td or Tdap free anyway. There's an extra layer of expense if you have to get an I-693 filled out in the US that some visa people might have to opportunity to avoid.

ajmstevenson

I've been following this thread quite intensely as I will be one of the many I'm sure facing the HPV vaccine issue. I myself am 23 and as such not in the age group currently getting the vaccination for free with the NHS here the UK but am required to obtain this for the AOS.

As such, I personally am considering waiting until arrival in the US to begin this treatment. Mostly because, due to have the 90 days in which to get married, we will be using up quite a bit of this time to allow us to plan something nice for our family to attend. As such, my plan is to complete a lot of my AOS paperwork prior to the wedding so it can be popped into the post as soon as our wedding certificate comes through etc.

Having spoken to my fiance, we also have the issue relating to the fact that I cannot be added to his health insurance until we are married, however I am asking him to investigate if there is anyway I could be added before to allow me to start this round of vaccinations.

One question I do have is related to finding a Civil Surgeon. Are these like the Knightsbridge doctors, in that are are only X amount around who can complete the paperwork, and as such, do I only need them to sign off the vaccination history (complete with the HPV vaccine given in the US) and not carry out a full medical?

Anyone who is about to/just been through this situation propbably has the best handle on it, esp all you under 26 females out there, i really would appreciate the advice.

welshgirl1

Hey ajm,

I JUST (well in April) did all my AOS paperwork. It is definitely worth seeing if you can be added onto your hubby-to-be's insurance asap, and get the HPV done that way. For me I had to wait until we were married, but then it just cost $10.

On the USCIS website there is a section to find civil surgeons in your area. There were quite a few in the area I am (northern VA) but I cannot say how many are in each state. For me I just had to have my vaccinations transcribed. I had hope this would be free, but no such luck, it was $100. This is a variable fee though, I have heard of people paying more, and people paying less.

The AOS paperwork was relatively starightforward, and it allowed me to use up most of a morning photocopying at the local library which was fun lol.

Good luck with it all!

meauxna

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-693instr.pdf

NOTE: If you are applying for adjustment of status at least one year after your first admission to the United States as a refugee or as a "K" or "V" nonimmigrant visa holder, see Questions 1-3 in Section III, Frequently Asked Questions, before proceeding any further.

2. What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical exam overseas?

If you were admitted as a:
A. K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e), or as a
B. K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen, and
C. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then-

a. You are not required to have another medical examination as long as your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination.

b. You will, however, be required to complete Part 1, Information about you, and submit the vaccination section of Part 2 with your adjustment of status application. A designated civil surgeon must complete the vaccination section and Part 5, the Civil Surgeon's Certification.

Moxie

Based on anecdotal experience, I know of 13 people who did not submit an I-693 form and were approved for green cards from January to July, 2009. All were K1s. Eleven were approved without interview by the California Service Center. Two were approved at interviews with no mention of their lack of I-693. They all had received the required shots for AOS before entering the US and submitted a photocopy of their DS3025 immunization worksheet in their AOS package. It is possible to be approved for a green card without paying additional $$ to a Civil Surgeon just to copy your list of shots that are all documented by a Panel Physician. If additional shots are received in the US, then the I-693 (part 1,2,5) is most definitely required.

penguinbar

I would submit the I 693. Why take the risk of getting an RFE? Also 13 people is a very small amount compared to the thousands of people who apply for K1 visas. A TB test is now also required and not just the xray that is given by Knightsbridge doctors. You and your friends might have gotten lucky but in my opinion it is bad advice to tell people that they don't need to submit the form.

meauxna

I'm glad that both of you have added your comments to this thread.

I agree with Moxie that it appears that a lot of people have their K-->AOS approved by only including the DS-3025.

I also agree with penguin that it is bad advice to tell someone to go ahead and do that, contrary to the published submission instructions (I also have to point out that Moxie did NOT recommend that others do that, but simply offered the information).

I know it's annoying to those of you who want just the one way to do it 'right', but there are multiple ways to success with AOS. This is just a call you'll have to make.

Considerations:
This only matters for K visa AOSer.
IF you have a *complete* vax history, that is, your overseas medical was signed off and you need NO more shots, AND you got a copy of your DS-3025 at the medical, you could consider not including the I-693 with your AOS package.
One consequence of this could be getting an RFE.
This RFE *might* be marked as an 'initial evidence' one, meaning that your AP and EAD could be delayed as a result. If it is very important to you to get these documents without delay, overdo your AOS packet and include the I-693 as instructed.

This is an individual's call.
Now, there is a doctor in Texas (Dr Arnold--google) who has been doing the I-693 for *completed vax series* for the people who have all their jabs done, but still want to include the I-693. You can fax your papers to him and they send it back in the mail for a reasonable fee ($30?). I have also recently seen posts that indicate RFEs for those. Take it all with a grain of salt.

penguinbar

It also seems to be that quite a few cases that were transfered from Vermont to California are getting RFE's for medicals even if they had one for their K1. We did even though we sent everything in. After some phone calls and investigating it seems like the medical was lost in transit. As I posted before we decided not to fight "City Hall" and just get a new medical and submit it. My husband also got his greencard without an interview. Also as I said the most updated 1693 requires a TB test which has to be read 48-72 hours later. You could also have a titre test to prove antibodies. If just an xray is no good anymore wouldn't you need the doctor to fill out the results from the TB (THT)test on the I 693?

Moxie

Well said Meauxna.

There have been a lot of "lost" medicals that don't seem to match up with the AOS file like they are supposed to. About all you can do is pay for another complete medical and get on with your life.

On the TB skin test. After the initial "scare" in the fall for medicals after June 1 (?) that issue seems to have died down. It seems that AOS is being approved without a skin test if your Knightsbridge doctor says you have no TB (based on the x-ray). USCIS has even changed their website info several times since the early reports of the "new rules."

And back to the people approved without an I-693. I have not read of one person who got an RFE only because of the form, if shots were complete on the DS3025. Medical RFEs seem to be because the medical was lost or the person was supposed to follow up on a Class B condition after arrival in the US and didn't. Several RFEs have even stated, we have evidence of your immunization so you don't need to submit that again, but no evidence of a medical exam. Those were people who submitted a DS3025. So USCIS is saying your immunization documentation is okay but we lost the medical in your POE folder. Well , they don't admit that, but it's my interpretation.

In the end, it's up to each person to decided how they want to proceed with their application after studying all the instructions and reading discussions.

Pipmeister

I have booked my medial with one of the Dr's on the CDC list. Do I need to print off any forms from teh USCIS to have ready or does the Dr have all of them that get put in the "sealed envelope"?