I have been discussing my case with a guy on another board I visit (not an Immigration one) and he talked about how because people in the UK are vaccinated against Tuberculosis, that during the medical exams, even if a chest x-ray or whatever comes up negative, the US can 'force' you to take 3 months worth of a drug called Isonaizid, which according to his nurse of a wife, has a good chance of screwing up one's liver.

So, I need to know, did this happen to you or not? Were you vaccinated against TB, and then when you tried to get in the US, were you told you had to take such drugs?

He said he didn't actually take the drugs, because he clearly doesn't have TB. Apparently, and not all too surprising, the US is dumb and stuff.

Please advise as to what you went through regarding this matter. Thanks.

If the US is dumb....I wonder why you bother going?

I had the medical this week and there was no mention of any drugs for TB. I've not heard this mentioned anywhere else apart from your post.

Someone else may have more info on this though.

Do a search on here for vaccination requirements and there's a table that specifies which shots are required for people of different age groups from different originating countries. I cant find it just at the moment. For most people coming from UK you need to be resistant to Tetanus, diptheria and MMR.

Whoever told you this is WRONG. If this were true, the UK sub-forum would be filled with people who had false negatives and then were being "forced" to take drugs. In the UK, they do a chest x-ray and if nothing on that indicates TB you are home free. Furthermore, I would seriously doubt the opinion of someone who has not been through this process like those of us on an immigration board have.

Short answer: no way, man. And also, this is probably not the best site to say the US is dumb and stuff. Most of us, though we may have real criticisms of the US, are dying to get there.

The only way you would need the TB treatment is if you came up positive for TB.
Just curious, have you done much research on your visa and what it required for it?

Think about it. If you have been vaccinated against TB, your x-ray shows you don't have TB why then would they want you to take a cure for TB.


If that were the case everyone you didn't have TB would be treated that way and nobody has mentioned it.

This did actually happen to me 20 yrs ago....took the medication and got very sick...then they decided that they had read the wrong x ray!!!!

This time...no problems people seem to be much more aware of what the BCG vaccine does to u

I had a BCG done when i was a kid, went for a TB skin test done here in the states....it came up positive, chest x-ray was negative...but because i didn't have written documentation stating i'd had the bcg done....the CS wanted me to take a course of meds.....i told him that i may not have written proof of my bcg but i do have the proof on my arm...so i showed him the bcg scarring!!

He wasn't convinced

So he wrote on the forms...... PPD placement only ~ BCG given @ 3 mos of age. No written documentation provided, BCG scarring on L / Upper arm.
Declined INH treatment!! signed it and gave me a copy for my records.

He says USCIS might require that I have the treatment done!

Okay, let's clear up a few things.

One, I am the American in this situation. Amy, my fiancee, is British.

Second, the guy who told me this actually came to the US, got married here, and then went through medical, here. The US doctor in South Carolina gave him, I guess, a skin test, it came up positive for TB since you all get vaccinated, and thus was told he had to take drugs.

He said something about 'I advise you to have her get a chest x-ray there' but I wanted to see what was going on.

I figured that UK doctors would know about the tests and stuff and thus if they checked you and didn't find anything you were free and clear.

Thank you kind Britons for clearing this up for me.

My hubby did not have to have a TB test at any point. His medical exam/xray in London was sufficient for his AoS once he arrived here (in the states after his visa process was complete). But do watch where you get your vaccination supplement completed once you arrive in the states for the AoS as many civil surgeons are morons and will attempt to get you to take/do things you do not need at a great expense. It is noteworthy, as was explained to me, if in fact you are RFE'd for a TB test for whatever reason, and it is found positive due to BCG or whatever, the next RFE you get is for another chest xray, I have seen it happen on the AoS forum (if you search those forums for TB Test you can read what happened to them). Good luck.

The chest E-Ray is all that is needed in the UK.

As long as it comes back clear then all will be fine.



The whole medical takes a couple of hours max and that includes all the waiting times and any needed shots.