gruffbrown

Sounds familiar, no short arm inspection, as far as I recall.

Yorkieabroad

Ps - EM - not sure about the "inspection" - I had a cough and drop, but my wife naturalised when she was 13 or 14, so no experience on that side...

As for the cash/credit card thing - i'm surprised, but I don't think he's actually doing anything illegal by refusing cc's. he should definitely be offering proper receipts, although I dont think there is anything (in Texas at least) that says it can't be handwritten.

Jerseygirl

My husband's reaction would be the same as yours...anything for a quiet life.

There was a thread about this in the last few weeks, either in the UK or Oz forum. Quite a lot of people who posted complained about having their genitals examined but others said it was normal procedure.

From our experience the doctors the USCIS use are very dodgy. Our exam was conducted in a converted garage...I use the term converted very loosely! We had to squeeze in front of his car to have the ex-rays taken. We could barely understand what he said and vice versa. After the ex-ray we told him what shots we had already had, he gave us all the TB test and I had a tetanus shot and that was it. We did not have a blood test or any other examination. I can't remember how he was paid as all our expenses were handled by Fragomens...I'll ask my husband and get back to you.

The next day or so an enormous black bruise appeared on my arm where I'd had the tetanus shot...it covered most of my upper arm. My doctor threw a fit when he saw it...said the other doctor didn't know what he was doing. Well no surprise there!!

Jerseygirl

Now I think about it, I have never received a receipt from my doctor's practice.

Yorkieabroad

really? We get a full printed form with details of the treatment and their company registration details on it every time.

Yorkieabroad

[QUOTE=Jerseygirl]
From our experience the doctors the USCIS use are very dodgy. Our exam was conducted in a converted garage...I use the term converted very loosely! We had to squeeze in front of his car to have the ex-rays taken. We could barely understand what he said and vice versa. After the ex-ray we told him what shots we had already had, he gave us all the TB test and I had a tetanus shot and that was it. QUOTE]

I think I'd have walked out there and then and looked ofr anotehr approved doctor - I certainly wouldn't let anyone stick a needle into me in their garage! :scared:

Jerseygirl

Strange isn't it? Some specialists we've seen haven't given receipts either. I thought it was strange at first and expected them to say we hadn't paid, however this has never arisen....just my untrusting nature I suppose.

Jerseygirl

[QUOTE=Yorkieabroad] The doctor's office was in a 'converted' part of the garage...as I said before I use the term converted very loosely. I made sure he used new needles before he gave us the shots. You should have seen the place were we had to go and have our fingerprints taken. :scared:

dinosaur

Wow...I guess when I was going through the process I didn't realize/care. Or maybe my memory has just blanked out the whole immigration process.
Would have thought having a standard fee made sense, but of course a topic that combines healthcare and the USCIS is unlikely to involve logic and common sense

Englishmum

[QUOTE=Jerseygirl] Come to think of it in the examination room yesterday the floor was filthy.....I remember quiety pointing out to my husband that there were congealed/dried food stains on the floor. I wish I'd gone somewhere else but who knows what the other practices are like? The place we went to was in a middle-class area but I think the doctors are running a cheap-skate outfit.

Jerseygirl...you've got me worried now about having to go back for our MMRs next week..... :scared:

To be honest, I wasn't horrified that the doc wanted to see my genitals - after all I've had a couple of kids so I've been poked and prodded by docs and nurses over the years - but I just thought it was a tad unusual, especially as my friend was appalled as she hadn't had to do that for her GC medical.

Rete

My doctor doesn't take credit cards either. As for proper receipt, I would consider a receipt on a prescription pad a proper receipt. In fact it is better than the one I get from my doctor which is one of those carbon tearoff coupons with a rubber stamped doctor's office name on it.

Rete

One of the first remarks to any OP who questions about which doctor to go to for the CIS exam and what it will cost approximately will be that they should call and get a price first. Each doctor will charge a different fee so go with the one which is less expensive. Remember this is in the states.

scrubbedexpat097

Our experience was such a long time ago that I don't recall all the details either.

We were not given a choice of doctor. The name and address was on our interview letter and we had to be in London at 8am at the stated Doctors office. When we arrived there was a queue all the way down the street so I guess 8 o'clock was everyone's time. Everyone was seated and they started by calling names for people to be x-rayed. Then bloodwork for HIV and finally all adults where taken back to be examined by a doctor. I remember laying on a bed that was just curtained off and the doctor just lifting the sheet and looking which obviously was to check the correct gender. Very spooky

We were then told to go to the American Embassy at 2pm for our interview
and by 4pm we were approved and given our Permanant Resident Alien Cards.
I don't remember the cost but it was fairly expencive (this was 1988) but what I do remember was a young girl applying and being turned down and then demanding her money back. She was very quickly escorted out of the building

Yorkieabroad

[QUOTE=Jerseygirl] I just had my fingerprints done last week - I got there about 10 minutes before the appointment time, and its a good job - I expected it to be in an office in some govt building, but I couldn't see any offices - just a crossroads in a not very nice part of town, with a really crappy strip mall on each corner..I asked in a Chase bank - noone knew. I asked a cop and 4 firemen who were chatting in a car park - none of them knew. I eventually found the place - about 20 yards from where they were parked - no flag, no govt sign, just a crappy little unit in the middle of a run down strip, with a brown sign, blacked out windows, with a massage parlor and a 24 hour newstand for neighbours. Not quite what I'd expected!

Yorkieabroad

Which is why i said it depends where you are