Vaccinations
 

There's quite a long list of vaccination requirements for green card applicants.

I think I know the answer to this question but I'll pitch it anyway - Should I attempt to get all the vaccinations done in the UK before I leave for the US, or wait till the Medical Examination part of the green card process when I am in the US itself.

Re: Vaccinations
 

The medical exam is prior to your visa interview i.e. outside the US. And yes, I would just get any shots you require at the medical.

Re: Vaccinations
 

Thanks pulaski.

My 'situation' is slightly different in that I will probably be in the US at the time of applying for the green card.

Re: Vaccinations
 

Did you read all the information on vaccinations? If not, in a nutshell it states that if you are of a certain age and from first world countries, it is assumed that you have had the required vaccinations other than needing the chicken pox jab (which is not available in the UK), updated tetenus and one or two others.

If you can get your records from your doctor, fabulous, if not, then not a worry.

Re: Vaccinations
 

Thanks Rete - So really if I am up to date in the UK I would just get the c/pox in the US somehow?

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Titre test, shows what you are covered for, might be able to get that as part of annual physical exam on your medical insurance and then any top up as needed, would be cheaper at least than at the immigration medical.

Re: Vaccinations
 

I repeat this frequently, there are the vaccinations required for immigration and there are the vaccinations required for your good health.

You should consider adult boosters for pertussis (whooping cough) and MMR.

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... and either way, the exam doc may decide you require fewer or (rarely) more than the number of shots you can't provide documentation for.

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Hopefully in a status other than VWP visitor.

I looked at your past posts, but you never said what visa you'll be using to enter the USA.

Rene

Re: Vaccinations
 

I was in the US at the time of applying for the green card and didn't have any vaccination documentation. It was no problem, I just had to have all the shots at the medical. About 5 if I remember. Nice day that was!

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My husband just had his doctor in the UK set him up with the set of vax he needed and he just showed the doctor's printout to the Knightsbridge doctors at the medical. MUCH cheaper that way.

Re: Vaccinations
 

Technically you don't need your medical records either. Given that you will need to do a blood serum for TB they can include blood serum for the required vaccinations, if your blood serum shows up positive for the vaccinations you don't need them either. Of course if they show up negative you have to have the vaccinations and pay for both the serum work and vaccinations.

Also depending on your health cover it may just be cheaper to get the vaccinations which is why most people do it that way.

Re: Vaccinations
 

The titre test... Which can cost $260 if not done as part of an annual physical.

Re: Vaccinations
 

The immigration medical is $200 - $250 in the US which includes a TB/Hep B/HIV titer. I understand each additional titer is only $50 (each antibody is an additional titer). The vaccinations are about $50 each depending on provider and medical coverage. The issue as I understand is that most people don't want the hassle of going back for the vaccination if the titer is negative. The titer is useful if you never have had the vaccinations but have suffered the usual childhood diseases and carry the antibodies.

Re: Vaccinations
 

The doctor can charge what they want, for the exam and the tests, which is why it's good to shop around if your area has more than one approved doctor.

They tend to do a titre for everything unless you already have your record.

Re: Vaccinations
 

Agreed - we paid $504 for two adults and two kids (don't know if it's exactly $126 each, or if kids are cheaper, or whatever, as we only got quoted and paid the block price). This was in a less 'impressive' end of town, with not a fish tank or waiting room iPad to be seen - the other clinics wanted $250+ per person.

This is the price for no jabs, as we got these done at our normal doctors for free under our health insurance. It just seemed easier than getting titre tests, and the doctor said an adult booster is often useful anyway. We had MMR and TDap as jabs, and got a blood test to screen out TB rather than the skin test, as we'd have reacted to it with our teenage BCG vacs.

Re: Vaccinations
 

when i had my green card medical - they wouldnt even look at my old fashioned hand written vaccinations cards from the 70's. They just required me to have an MMR (which i couldnt have right then so as I was pregnant at the time) and an up to date DTap (diptheria, tetnus and Pertusis/whooping cough). They gave me the dtap on the spot and submitted the medical as was. later on my husband and kids all got their approval whilst got an RFE which basically said i needed to prove i had the mmr (after giving birth) which i then did at the same civil surgeon and my approval came a few weeks later.

Re: Vaccinations
 

In my case I didn't have proof of any of them. He persuaded me to get tetanus, MMR, and something else (forgotten which), and said he was going to state that the rest were not medically necessary. That was the last I ever heard on the subject.

Re: Vaccinations
 

We just had our medicals ($600 for 2 adults/2 kids). Before leaving the UK, we all had our Hep A/B shots. At the medical, my husband and I had to have a TB test (which came up positive so we had to go elsewhere to have a chest xray). We also needed a blood test (STDs), MMRs ($150 at Walgreen) and my husband needed a Tetanus (we had no record of vaccines other than my Tetanus). The kids already were up to date with all the vaccines and we did their TB tests in the UK before coming out. The rest of the medicals was fairly easy - checked our weight/height/listened to our chests etc asked a few questions and got the report.

Re: Vaccinations
 

I am just about to go through this process in London. I have got my vaccination records from the doctors and the only one that I do not have is Hepatitis B. Is this a crucial one to get before the medical?

Re: Vaccinations
 

If you have kids, wait until you see the list of vaccinations that the school district requires.

By the way, one does not apply for a green card except to replace an expired, lost, damaged, or incorrect card that they already have. One applies for either an immigrant visa or an adjustment of status, and then after one becomes a Permanent Resident by one of those routes they are issued the Permanent Resident ID card.

Regards, JEff

Re: Vaccinations
 

If applying for an immigrant visa, it is necessary to have all vaccinations that are medically appropriate before the visa can be issued. If a particular vaccination is given in a series, it is only necessary to begin the series before the visa can be issued. The series can be completed after entry to the USA.

If applying for a K visa, it is not necessary to have all vaccinations before the visa can be issued, but it will be necessary to have all vaccinations that are medically appropriate before adjusting status.

Unless one has legitimate reasons for objecting to being vaccinated, and can convince the consular officer to waive the vaccination requirements.

Regards, JEff

Re: Vaccinations
 

For my permanent resident visa app, done here in the US, adults had to have/ have proof of just MMR and TDap. If it's the 6 months over winter - 'flu season' - then adults need flu jabs too. Hep B wasn't required, but it is for under-18s.

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:confused: US visa applications cannot be "done here in the US".

Regards, JEff

Re: Vaccinations
 

Correction:'for my adjustment of status from L2 to permanent resident'... But I guess most people had figured that out anyway. Stoopid USCIS jargon.