Hey everyone I just wanted to share my fiance's experience going for the medical in Accra.

We decided to do the Holy Trinity/Akai House/Medlabs combination because it is much cheaper than the Akai House/Medlabs combination.

He went and took them on Thursday, Decemebr 27 and he got them back today...so about a 2 week turnaround to get the results. Note: my fiance has not gotten the vaccinations done yet.

Also, there is a nurse at Holy Trinity, Mr. Ray, who was VERY helpful. He is very knowledgeable about all this medical stuff for immigration and was soooooo super nice to my fiance. Make sure when your SO goes to Holy Trinity to have them ask for him.

Holy Trinity:

- Physical and Chest X-ray
- he was there for 4 hours (10am-2pm)
- cost: 56 Ghana cedis
- no appointment necessary

This is what they wanted from him:
- 3 passport size photos
- interview appointment letter from the embassy
- passport
- medical form that was sent from the embassy
- letter from embassy (basically for the ACC case number but they wanted to see the actual letter)

Apparently they have an area specifically for medicals for US immigration. It is located on the 3rd floor (or second floor in Ghana).

The first thing they did was take his blood pressure, height, weight and pulse and then he went for the eye exam.

Then he went and paid. The receptionist took the medical form that he got from the US embassy and put the passport pictures on them (1 for the doctor's report, one for the lab and one for the X-ray).

He went to the lab and they took his temperature and a stool sample.

Then he went and did the chest X-ray.

Then he had the physical with the doctor.

Then the receptionist gave him forms to take to Akai House (for the vaccinations) and Medlabs (HIV test).


Medlabs:
- HIV test
- he was there for an hour and a half
- cost: 50 Ghana cedis
- no appointment necessary but there are long lines

He gave in the forms to the receptionist and because there was a long line he went had lunch and returned. 30 minutes after he returned he went, they took blood (he said they took a lot of blood) and that was it.

Medlabs sends the results back to Holy Trinity after they are processed and you pick them up together.

Thanks so much for posting this.

I really have a lot of trouble with the renumeration, but Holy Trinity and Medlab cost about 106,000 cedis? Is that right? I somehow thought we were looking at 500,000+ cedis. If I'm understanding the costs properly, this is a huge difference and I'm very pleased about the reduction. That's not even $15 US. Bassi has to have an HIV card and test annually for his job....I wonder if they would take that card or maybe he just has to do it over. Probably, what am I thinking? duh! I'm sure he has to do it over. When is he scheduled to go to Akai for the vaccinations? I understand that we should try to get a copy of the vaccination record for the AOS. But have read some posts where Akai house gives people a hard time about giving them a copy of the vaccination record. Please update us on how that goes.

Do you know if the visa fee is paid already? When is that paid?




Men are such wusses! That's why we have to endure childbirth, or the earth would cease to be populated!

Uh, Nusah, if you're reading this, I'm sorry! It's the hormonal thing, it's changing my character.

The total is 1.06 million old cedis, so a little over $100.

The visa fee is paid during the interview, in Ghana cedis.

My fiance is going to get his vaccinations in February. I think he is putting them off because he is scared of the needles I have instructed him NOT to leave until he gets a copy of the vaccination records.

I will keep you posted

Okay. That was around the figure we have been planning for. I'm sorry, I'm resistant to change. Even the myriad of commercials and jingles couldn't get me to give in to the new numbers. I have to hear hundreds of thousands to understand.

Since it seems like the other day that my husband was just doing all of these things to get ready to come here(though, it's been a while) I thought I'd comment. Zee you did a good job telling about his experience. Yes men are wusses, my husband right along with the rest! He said they took a lot of blood too! Unfortunately Zainab your fiance will more then likely have to be tested again for HIV, you would think they could use what he has, as proof. Do you know where he has to get his test done for work? I was thinking if it was at one of the places USCIS designates for testing, the doctor might say ok not to test again. But what ever, they are going to want the money.
The Akai house is going to give you a copy of his vaccination record, a card actually. What you should try to get is a copy of is the I-693A form. You can find it on USCIS website (we had a problem finding it on there), maybe your fiances can bring this form to the appt and insist he needs it. My husband got no where with the Akai house on this issue. They said they would not give it and didn't. He will have to go back more then once because some of them are series. But when we started the AOS process we found out there is a doctor in Texas who will accept a faxed vaccination card and will transcribe it to the I-693A form for a small fee of 10$. So I would not too much worry about getting it if Akai house wont let you have it. Just ask on the AOS forum who the Doctor is, just about everyone there knows who he is. Actually I read something in the AOS forum the other day the second post down from Captain Ewok in the pinned section. You probably will find it helpful. Something about not needing I-693A anymore for AOS, I don't know about this, I would probably send it anyway. Because the AOS paper work clearly states that they want it. You'll see when you get to that road. Anyway
Also, when my husband got here we found he had to have another vaccination of the MMR(it's a series) and they either wanted the titer done of the chicken pox or have the vaccination. Even though he had chicken pox maybe 10years ago. So he had to pay at the health dept for the last MMR and have the titer done for chicken pox. I found it so stupid about the chicken pox vaccination, that it's not mandatory for USC to have the vaccination, but immigrants have to have it or prove they have had it before.

Zainab~ the value is the same I just wanted to sound like all the commercials on the tv. That's all I heard on the radio and tv while I was in Ghana last. I was just getting used to the money and they had to go and change it up. It seems easier now and I like not having to carry all that cash.

Thanks. Ara is the one that had that information for her AOS of the doctor in Texas and her husband has to go get chicken pox and she didn't want to be bothered. But I think in the end they are going. I wonder, once you are married, can't your husband use your health insurance instead of going to the DOH? Then it's just a copay, which is probably cheaper than the vaccination.

Zee, maybe Inusah can try carrying an extra copy of the I693 and asking them to fill out both and what is the fee. Oh, well, I guess we'll see what works out best.

I think Bassi's tests are at MedLab cause he told me he'd been there when I mentioned the locations of the medical. They actually give him a card that he carries in his pouch (wallet). We'll see if he'll ask. He tends to try not to make waves. I do wonder though, Bassi has the new national health insurance. Do you think he can use it to cover part of the costs of this? It would be nice since he's about the leave the country and won't get to realize the full benefits of membership.

You know, God is good. I was wondering how much all of this stuff is going to cost and here you come bringing the good news. I thank you very much and I can rest a bit easier knowing their fees wont cost us both an arm and a leg. "the value is da same"

I forgot to ask...okay, lemme back up. I have not received my NOA1 or NOA2 as of yet
(they received it 10/12/07), but anywho, does my husband have to wait for his "packets" before he can have his physical exam or can he do it ahead of time to get it out of the way?

p.s. and sadly yes, I am still a newbie @ all of this stuff.
I read and read and read, and its still as clear as mud

You do need to wait until your husband gets packet 3 because they will give him forms to take to the medical and he needs the interview letter too.

Don't worry about being a newbie. We are here to help

There is no form I 693A available online and the I 693 is a long form for a complete medical. I guess we are going to have to send it to be transferred when Inusah gets here

You can't do the medical stuff ahead of time cause you need the embassy letter. You can do stuff like get the police report, make sure that he has a birth certificate, passport (which I think had to have at least 6 months left on it at the time of receipt of the visa). If he's lived in other countries you have to get police reports from the other countries and that can take a while. So it might be something to get on. I don't know why I think your SO is from Nigeria but living in Ghana. I could be mixing you up with someone else though.


If we didn't hate this process so much, we could start a business doing this for people for a fraction of the cost of the stupid attorneys.

nope, he is 100% and I quote "ghanyan" (my sad perception of his accent )

here zee http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/pdf/ti-03/appdx-a_693vacc.pdf

If that doesn't work, go to USCIS website, click on the immigration forms, look for I-693, open that up. After you click on that, in the top right will be this

Related links:
I-693 Vaccination Supplement

Find a Civil Surgeons

go to the vacc. supp. that will bring you to I-693A form. In case you are going to use it.

Zainab, I definately think your soon to be husband could use your medical insurance, to do the left over vaccinations, once he gets here and you add him to your insurance. I would have done that but I did not add my husband to my insurance at my job, due to the very high costs! He has to get it as his job, which he is refusing to do, because he says he's not sick. He just doesn't get it, oh well, maybe he'll wish he had it when he does get sick.

I think thats a great idea for Bassi to try to use his medical insurance for all the exams. I hope he is able to make use of it before he leaves.

Oh my gosh, I think that's something Bassi would say. But I already have a family plan for my daughter and I work for the government so you pay one fee for one extra person or 10 extra people. It's no cost to add him to my health insurance.

He's planning to ask if he can use it. I'm not sure what they will say cause everyone wants money.

Thanks Lisa! I will definitely forward this to my fiance

Your welcome, anytime I can help.!
by the way we just found out my husband was approved today for his AOS. That was quick and we had no interview

yay!!!

Congratulations!!!

Thanks for the detailed and thorough information.

Great news! Congrats!

I've heard quite a few people say they were approved for AOS without an interview. I hope the trend continues....

Update:

Akai House:

- Vaccinations
- Cost: 169 Ghana Cedis ( and then 13 Ghana Cedis each for 2 subsequesnt visits).

So, my fiance finally gave in and went for his first round of vaccinations on Tuesday. He went to Akai House and they gave him 5 vaccinations and the polio drops (I think that is what it was, he could not/did not want to remember the ordeal). He had to take one of the forms he got from Holy Trinity with him for them to fill out. It was painless (except for the needles).

He said that they give out a vaccination card so I guess that is what is used for AOS stateside. I read the I-693A and I think the reason they will not fill it out is because it has to be completed by a US civil surgeon. So, I didn't send it with him because I drilled into his head that he had better get a record of the vaccinations or else he would have to go through all that again.

He has to go back for another shot in a month and then another one after that which is going to be after the interview. He explained this to the people at Akai House and so they gave him the sealed envelope with the vaccination sheet saying he had all of them so that he could take it to the interview but he has to actually get the shots in order to get his vaccination card complete.

One thing. After he got the shots he got a fever (I am not surprised). So make sure that your SO takes the day off. He was back to normal the next day....even though he keeps complaining about it. He couldn't even tell me what vaccinations he got. When I asked he said "Do you think I was going to sit there and ask what they were going to jab me with? I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as I could". Poor thing

Congratulations !

They would need the DS-3025 supplemental worksheet signed and filled out and signed by the panel physician at the medical, this then gets transfered by a Civil Surgeon here.

There are instructions for the panel physician to give the applicant a copy of the DS-3025 but most don't get it. Ask for it.

The CS in Texas:

Dr. L.E. Arnold
4534 Westgate Blv, Suite 106
Austin, TX 78745

512-444-3131 phone

512-447-4699 fax

cost $ 10.

Though some get by without this supplemental form, some get a RFE by not submitting it with the AOS packet.

Thanks for the update. Very useful information for when we finally get to that stage. Maybe I'll tell Bassi to take some tylenol when he gets the shots. That's what I do with my daughter when she gets her vaccinations and she doesn't get a fever.

Thanks Omoba. I need to ask and make sure this is what he got.

Is the panel physician the person they are seeing in Ghana before the interview? Sorry to be so dense.

Yes, the panel doc is the one they see before the interview at the medical.