MrMango

Can I just get someone to clarify something for me? It has likely been said a million times but I’d like someone to address it to me and my case just so I am positive, because at the moment I keep getting different interpretations going by the vaccination chart.

I am 24 years old. So, looking at the chart and does this mean I ONLY need my MMR, Tdap and Varicella?

I have had my MMR jab and my Tdap as a youngster, so I assume a booster shot will be required? Or is that based on the assessment of the Knightsbridge doctor?

I could also do with your advice on another matter. My GP has lost all history of my vaccination records and because of this, they assure me that I will have to have a Hepatitis A and B shot before I go to America. So, who is correct? The chart, saying I do not need the Hep B, A shot, or the nurse telling me it is a must?
This could be an issue as the nurse is quoting me £30 per shot for a series of 4 to 5 shot.

Also, as there is no longer any history of my vaccinations, what are my options? As I need to take a print out of my history to the medical, yet there is nothing to print, what would you suggest is my best course of action?

I am in the process of filling out all my forms to post out tomorrow which I understand is the first step.
I have to wait for a bank statement and my doctor to sign my passport picture and sign my police application record form before I can send away for that. That reminds me, can anyone with some advice to share help me out again please? So, I know my doctor can sign my passport photo for the police record. But, could a retired local councillor? He is not actually related to me through blood or marriage, but I do consider him a family member. What would your assessment be on that situation? I ask because the ex-councillor could sign it and be done with it in a day, the doctor will take at least a week or more.

Once I get my police record in hand and some kind of proof about my vaccinations, I will arrange a medical and send away my notification of readiness and await my interview date.

I would appreciate some help on the questions raised.

rpjs

I think the worst that will happen is that Knightsbridge will give you the DTp and MMR and charge you for it. For me my GP gave me a single booster for one (forget which now!) but wanted to start a course for the other, so I left that one to Knightsbridge who did it as a single shot.

Varicella isn't usually available in the UK, so you'll get a waiver annotation for it on your visa.

Best check the ACPO website for the exact requirement. I think for passports that it has to be a currently-serving councillor, but it may be different for ACPO. Usually for these things they'll accept any "professional" so often teachers, accountants, even if not practicising as such, so long as they are qualified. I once got my then boss to counter-sign a passport photo for me as he was a qualified accountant even though we were actually working in software development.

Noorah101

This is the first I've heard about having to get your doctor to sign passport photos and police application record? Or in fact, having to get passport photos signed by anyone at all, for any reason. Where did you hear about this?

The Knightsbridge doctor should be able to tell what vaccinations you've had or need, even without a printed record.

Rene

LCotts

Hi,

I have just completed my application form for the police certificate and page 7 of the application relates to the photograph endorsement. The individual must have known you for 2 years and have to complete that page and also sign and date c passport photo of you. Maybe its something new but I got my boss who is a company director to sign and endorse.

I also got hold of our medical histories today and neither my record nor my wifes has any of our vaccination history on it. The doctors told me that it was probably due to the fact that we did not live where we do now when we were kids. We moved towns etc. I was going to try and get in touch with the doctors I went to when I was a kid but I found something on the NHS website stating that once you hit 25 that your immunisation records are no longer held (unless they deem it relevant to do so).

With that in mind I was going to check with my doctor tomorrow re tests etc to find out which vaccinations we need.

Rete

In some foreign countries, i.e. Canada for one, a professional such as an attorney, doctor, whatever, needs to sign the back of your photo for your passport. Perhaps the OP believes it is the same for the visa photo.

Vaccinations are determined by place of birth, place of growing up, and age. This is clearly indicated on the vaccination sheet from the physician doing the visa medical. At least it was in the past. Your doctor's records are not needed or required unless you have a health condition that needs clarification.

rpjs

The UK police certificate (from ACPO) requires a counter-signature for the photo along the lines of a passport photo counter-signature. I think I got my optometrist to do mine.

Noorah101

Thank you, I learned something new today.

Rene

meauxna

+++10

MrMango

Honestly, thank you to everyone who has replied and offered some advice. It really does help to hear from people who know what they are doing.

I think that when I go to see my GP I will request any booster shots I may need, just to limit the time, and expense when attending my medical at Knightsbridge.

I read the ACPO police certificate application form again just to double check which professions can endorse my photograph. It lists “Councillor: Local or county” and on the same page is says, “If retired, please state previous occupation” I am just unsure if this means a retired councillor would be acceptable. I ask because I am currently unemployed and to be honest, my options are either the ex-councillor, or my local GP.
I recall getting my passport photo endorsed my my GP for my official passport form. Oh I remember that. My GP was on holiday for an extended period of time and due to that, it took over 2 months to have him sigh them. Fingers crossed he's not on holiday this time.


The ACRO Police Certificate Application form. Hopefully this is correct. I got directed to it via the 'Documents required for the visa interview' link from the website which was sent to me in my letter from the immigration visa branch.

Does this mean a print out of my vaccination records is not essential? And if so, would the Knightsbridge doctors need to run their own tests to see what vaccinations I have had? Or would they look at my medical history and base it on where I grew up and my age?
I ask because to be honest, if the Knightsbridge doctors need to run tests in account for my lack of vaccination records, then if someone can direct me towards what these tests may be, I may be able to seek them via the NHS.



Even though my current GP has never physically met me, hopefully the fact I have been registered with my local doctors since birth should mean he can sigh my picture and form to get my police records.
I also read on the NHS site that they are legally required to keep all vaccination records up until the age of 25. Well, you never know, they may feel bad about losing mine and be willing to be helpful when it comes to getting a few jabs here and there.
I have made an appointment to talk about my lost records and have some booster shots, but again, the nurses insist I need a Hepatitis A and B shot for going to America.


I may have worded it wrong. I meant my photograph when applying for my police certificate needs to be endorsed. I think that in regards to the vaccination required, my nurse is making me doubt myself because I tried to explain to her that the chart indicates I only need MMR and Tdap, well a booster anyway, considering I have had those as a child. But each person I speak to at my doctors surgery insists that I am wrong, they read the chart as stating I need Hep A and B.
(I actually printed out the chart from the official medical PDF from The Knightbridge doctors and distributed it to the nurses and they came in the room to discuss my lost records)

As far as my medical records go, I have not seen my doctor for the past 10 years for anything due to being fit as a fiddle! So by what you said, those records are not needed anyway.
Could I ask you to clarify something for me please? Doctors records and vaccination records, same thing or completely different?

Would you happen to know if the police records are needed purely for the interview, or also for the medical? I am curious because I have read different reports from people.

britishspouse

I was asked for a copy of my police report at the medical. They also took any documentation i brought with em regarding shots. I asked my GP to print everything id had, and then I got a blood test to prove im immune to varicella, and brought that too.

Yeah you def need to get the photo endorsed. I asked my GP to do it. The receptionist informed me they can charge for this, upto £20, but my doctor did it for free while I was in an appointment with him.

Someone else on another forum recently experienced same thing as you, in that they lost all his records, and they are now telling him even though THEY lost him, he must pay for all the shots he needs now. I think thats crazy! Having said that, surely there must be a back up somewhere. Even if they lose the paper records, often they are on at least 2 computers systems i thought, but i may be wrong.

And doctors records and vaccinations are slightly different I think. Your full doctors records will list everything such as every prescription given, every illness etc... these are not needed. Your vaccination record will just list every shot youve had. BTW if youve lived here all your life and had shots as a child your parents shoul of had a childrens vaccination booklet. I think its a little red thing, it should list the shots you had upto about age 6 ish. After that most people dont use it. If you could track that down, that may work as proof youve had some.

Knightsbridge dont do tests to verify what you've had, all they do is look at your records I think. They may call your GP too to make sure its truthful and valid. When I was called to see the nurse she based it off what I brought in, and told me I needed one more MMR, which i opted to get done at my GP.

MrMango

Thank you for your reply. I think I will discuss the Varicella vaccination when I go and see the nurse later this week. Or rather what can be done to prove I am immune to it. Would I be right in thinking that if they manage to get a hold of my records, then a photocopy showing I had the chicken pox a child would be okay?

I will keep the fee in mind because last time my doctor was excited to see me travel to America and so he waivered the fee. A genuinely nice chap.

At the moment, the attitude at my local doctors surgery is that I am in the wrong purely because I want to see my vaccination records. The fact that they lost them doesn't seem to be an issue to the nurses, the issue is with me wanting to have a print out of them. I find this very odd.
I was informed it was due to everything being moved to a new system and so if you have not accessed your vaccination records in the past 12 months, you'd be lucky if they had them. Not exactly what I wanted to hear.

Ah yes, the red vaccination booklet. My dad was rushing around trying to find it for me until my mum remembered, she was never given one of those booklets from my childhood, nor for any of my elder brothers. The only member of my family who has one is the youngest.

I think I will request some form of proof that I have had at least some kind of vaccinations in my past. Perhaps a photocopy of certain doctors records if they find them or request a blood/antibody test. Would that be plenty to compensate my lack of any vaccination records? Or is it best to just sit tight and let them figure it out at Knightsbridge?

Moxie

I'm going to keep this simple with my advice to you. Your GP and even Knightsbridge nurse aren't the USCIS adjudicator who will decide your greencard (if you are K1), so some of the things I've read they say is contrary to what I've studied and researched.

Go to your GP and ask them to give you one of these: Td, Tdap, DT, DTP or DTaP (Any will please the US govt to issue a greencard)
Also get MMR.

If your GP won't give them free then pay for them on the day of the medical.

Tell Knightsbridge you had chickenpox then you're off the hook for Varicella. They take your word for it with no proof.

Done-dusted and eligible for a greencard as far as immunizations go.


Use the concillor to sign off the photos. Will be fast and easy for you. You need the police certificate or photocopy to show at the medical.

ljaw2002uk

Fair enough for the K1 part of the process, but when I went to the civil surgeon in the US for my I-693 immunization form, they specifically requested to see a copy of the blood test to show I had chicken pox. As this test is completely free in the UK I would have it to avoid any problems down the line...

meauxna

The testing for previous exposures is called a "titre test". I have read mixed reviews on whether or not NHS doctors charge for them, so it may vary by practice.

I'm starting to wonder if Knightsbridge isn't taking the P. You do not have to bring a vaccine record to the immigration medical. For example, we did not live in the UK at application time and didn't have access to those records. There was no suggestion at that time that we panic about getting them. The immigration doc can, and did in our case, evaluate you based on where you were born/raised/your current age. My DH needed a single tetanus booster.

Varicella has always been waived for applicants from the UK. Has this changed?

I find this difficulty in getting one's vax records released puzzling too. MrMango, you aren't the first.
You haven't said which visa you are applying for, immigrant or K. That will influence the information that you get.

Moxie

If you get it right at Knightsbridge, there is no need to see a Civil Surgeon in the US and no I-693 is needed for a K1 Adjustment of Status.

From p.4 of the I-693 instructions. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-693instr.pdf
I've posted before what constitutes a "properly completed DS-3025" in the eyes of the USCIS here>> http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...4&postcount=13

For new people, the DS-3025 is the vaccination page the panel physician (Knightsbridge) fills out as part of your medical exam. They give you a copy of that page. You can get a K1 visa with no shots or nothing from your GP, but then you deal with it later in the US and it can become a huge hassle.

Maybe for CR1s, but K visa holder has the opportunity to get it in the US before applying for the greencard. It is not waived for K1s.