Hello everyone..

I just wanted to share my story with you about my interview and medical.
I had the interview april 24th and my interview april 25th (yes that was ok).

Ok... here goes.

As I said my interview was on april 24th and everything went just fine..
I was inside the embassy for maybe an hour.. first I got to talk to a swedish girl who checked that I had all the papers that they needed such as: Receipt for the visa fee, passport, photos, I-134, and proof that my fiance had a job (only cared about the letter that his employer had written, not the W2's, paystubs or anything like that). And then I had to sit down again... and about 30 minutes later I got called up again to an american and he asked me how we met and for how long we had accually been together physically. Then that was it... Now they just need the medical from the doctor..
What made me pissed is that I worked on a very nice scrapbook from our times together for days!! And they didn't even take a look at it... didn't even ask for proofs..

The Medical is what pissing me off... now don't get me wrong.. I am all for bringing healthy people into the country.. but this medical was basically for people who don't have a working health care system - Not for me!! I already had everything I needed.. there have not ben an TB case in my country for ages - yet I have to pay $85 for an x-ray, another $85 for the HIV test.. COME ON!! What are the chanses for that?!?!?! and then $250 for the doctor to just go through my medical history... and fill in the blanks on a piece of paper... I know a bunch of people who could have done that for a piece of chocolate!!! A well.. it wasn't really time to argue the prize.. but it was brutal.. what are you guys paying for this stuff?? I just think it is time to change some of these rutines.. make them "normal" to us.

A well... I am happy that I am on my way. Booked my ticket for May 23rd.. so I have a few weeks now to say goodbye to people.. it is going to be hard - I don't know when I am going to see some of these people again.. huh..

Have a nice day everyone!!

Hi misspkm
My boyfriend is from Sweden and we are just starting this process.
We were wondering why you had to pay so much money for the medical stuff. Does the US Embassy have their own doctor you have to go to? My Boyfriend said an HIV test at a swedish clinic should be free.
Also can the medical stuff be done ahead of time?
We want to get this done as soon as possible, so anyway to get a jump on it would be great.
Thanks in advance for your advice. I was just in Malmo with him this month and it was wonderful.
I look forward to going back there in July.
Thanks again,
Wendy

Hi misspkm
My boyfriend is from Sweden and we are just starting this process.
We were wondering why you had to pay so much money for the medical stuff. Does the US Embassy have their own doctor you have to go to? My Boyfriend said an HIV test at a swedish clinic should be free.
Also can the medical stuff be done ahead of time?
We want to get this done as soon as possible, so anyway to get a jump on it would be great.
Thanks in advance for your advice. I was just in Malmo with him this month and it was wonderful.
I look forward to going back there in July.
Thanks again,
Wendy

As many have pointed out from various experiences, its better to be prepared and NOT need it, rather than the other possibility. Think of the scrapbook as a keepsake from your efforts of immigration and moving. Don't just toss it aside as if it were a waste. Sorry to hear that the medical expenses were high, but I guess its just another hurdle to jump in order to be with your loved one. We all are making sacrifices, glad to hear yours were worth the trouble.

I hope they handle the financial information with mine like they did yours.

You have to have your medical done by an approved Doctor in your home country that has been approved by the US. The Embassy will send you a list of names of Doctors that do this. This isn't done by your own family doctor, and you usually have to pay cash. What those doctors charge is different. You'll also have to have blood work and x-rays done. This may be over and above the charge your Doctor will be charging you. You'll receive a package from the Embassy or Consulate in your home country explaining what has to be done and completed for your interview. They'll have a list of Dr.'s in your country who you'll make an appointment with. You might want to do a search of others who have come from Sweden and their medical experience and charges. The medical is good for a year, and some will only book an appointment with you once your petition has been approved and you have a letter from the Embassy.

As Carla said, you have to get the medical done at an approved list of doctor's by the US gov't. You can't go to a clinic for the HIV test even though it is free. Everything has to be dealt with at one place, and the report is provided in a sealed envelope that you do not open. You give that to the consulate and they open the package. Not sure what the cost would be in Sweden, I just know that when I did mine in Montreal two months ago that it cost around $280ish. I could be off a few dollars but it wasn't anymore than that. That included the medical, chest x-rays and tetnus shot. My courier price to send me the paperwork was $25 and I can't recall if that 280 was part or separate from that amount. At least that might give you a ballpark.

Yeah I know.. And off course I am glad I did the scrapbook -now I can show everyone at least a little bit of our times together! It is a really good memory!

It is just the stress you go through in order to get everything right.. and then they don't really care that much (it seems) in the end anyway. Money is just money.. it is just that we have a lot of it going out and not as much coming in at the moment... but time will change! And at least we will be together soon!! Thank you for your words.