TB Skin Test... full medical or just transcribe the info?

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Ok, so just like many others, I have had my medical overseas (in July) and only to find out that we now apparently need a TB skin test.

And like many others, I am also not exactly looking forward to spend another 200-300 bucks for a medical which has already been done a couple of months ago.

So, yes, I know there is a lot of information regarding this issue on these boards but so far I haven't found a single post (and I have been looking around for quite some time) which actually states that it would be ok or not if we would ONLY submit the TB skin test part of the I-693 (including the vaccine report, of course).

I am wondering about this because, seriously, I find it ridiculous and unacceptable if we have to undergo a complete new medical and have to pay so much money again for something that already has been done before.

As for now, I already have submitted my AOS and I will see if I get an RFE or not but since I am going to get a TB skin test tomorrow anyways (they're free here) and since I will go to the CS next monday anyways, I could just have everything done so I have it ready in case they ask for it or so I can just take it with me to the AOS interview (since they mention it in the interview letter as I have read).

So, yeah, my question is basically if anyone knows for sure if it would be ok to just have the TB part and vaccine part filled in on the I-693?

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

So, yeah, my question is basically if anyone knows for sure if it would be ok to just have the TB part and vaccine part filled in on the I-693?

I interpret what you are saying as the exact thing we are supposed to do. People are just having difficulty finding a CS who will just do those two parts and sign off on it. Most CSs say they have to do the whole medical before they will sign. If your CS will transcribe both TB and immunization for a reasonable fee, then you are lucky indeed.

[Damian P 92]

So, yeah, my question is basically if anyone knows for sure if it would be ok to just have the TB part and vaccine part filled in on the I-693?

I interpret what you are saying as the exact thing we are supposed to do. People are just having difficulty finding a CS who will just do those two parts and sign off on it. Most CSs say they have to do the whole medical before they will sign. If your CS will transcribe both TB and immunization for a reasonable fee, then you are lucky indeed.

Precisely - if we could find someone who would transcribe the damned TB skin test results onto the I-693, there wouldn't be a problem. The CS that everyone has been using to transcribe up to now, Dr Arnold, won't, for reasons known only to herself, transcribe the TST test onto the I-693.

And therein lies the problem.

[ez2007 1]

Dr. Arnold told me to wait for an RFE regarding my TST, then, she would transcribe it for me. I had my TST after the I-693 was done already.

[Damian P 92]

Dr. Arnold told me to wait for an RFE regarding my TST, then, she would transcribe it for me. I had my TST after the I-693 was done already.

Not what she told me (in writing, btw) and if she'll do it after an RFE, why not do it in the first place!!???

[mary'n'ev 0]

Called several CSs on Monday. Found one where the receptionist said the exam would be around $25 if all i needed was my vaccination history transcribed. He recommended going to county medical clinic for PPD test ($14). Travelled to CS's office yesterday. She was insistent on doing ALL of section 2 (which means a re-do of lab work). I then pulled out the I-693 instructions on which I highlighted the K-1 section. I explained to her my situation. She complied with my request (thanks to VJ, we can all recite the immigration process by heart). I sat on her examination table for 5 minutes while she filled in my vaccination information, TB results (negative, which I already knew thanks to the f-ing conclusive x-ray I had on my previous exam) and section 5. She charged $50 and said if USCIS doesn't accept it, I can come back and i'll have a $50 credit on my account.

Very reasonable person, although weird. As per instructions, K-1's require sec. 2 (vaccination) and sec. 5 filled out by CS. As per new USCIS, a TB skin test is required for I-485 applictions. My guess is, if we follow instructions, we'll be all right. It just sucks that the 4 CSs I called before I talked with the one that did my exam, they wanted, at the minimum, $175... Boo to this stipulation and boo to USCIS for mandating it.....

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

I interpret what you are saying as the exact thing we are supposed to do. People are just having difficulty finding a CS who will just do those two parts and sign off on it. Most CSs say they have to do the whole medical before they will sign. If your CS will transcribe both TB and immunization for a reasonable fee, then you are lucky indeed.

Thing is.. will the USCIS be ok with just Part 1, Part 2.2, Part 2.5 and Part 5? All they state is that if the medical has been done, that Part 1, Part 2.5 and Part 5 should be done.. and if the medical hasn't been done, then the applicant should do the whole medical exam...

So, what I am wondering about is, why doesn't the USCIS give out full explanation what to do when you already had everything except for the TST and vaccine, all they speak about is either full medical including the tst, or just the vaccine thingie... it kinda makes me wonder if the CS's are not right by saying that they should do the complete medical because that's basically what the USCIS asks for in the instructions and everything else. They never state that Part 1, 2.2, 2.5 and 5 would be enough to submit if you did the rest.

I hope you understand my issue a bit.. I wouldn't mind getting an RFE or being instructed to bring the documentation with me to the interview but it would be kind of senseless to get an RFE, only to get another RFE since we still didn't submit the whole I-693.

Bleh, why can't the USCIS be clear about these things >_<

[Stinky Monkey 1]

What I find unbeleivable is that I called Knightbridge docots where I am scheduled to have my medical and they know nothing about the TST test, why oh why if it is a requirement dont they even know about it, I find it totally absurd.

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Travelled to CS's office yesterday. She was insistent on doing ALL of section 2 (which means a re-do of lab work). I then pulled out the I-693 instructions on which I highlighted the K-1 section. I explained to her my situation.

That's a bit what I have in mind for the CS where I am going to. My wife already knows this doctor and says that he is really easy with things. For example, she needed a full medical exam (she is in the health care business so it is mandatory for her) and all he did was checking pulse, bloodpressure, listening to the lungs and that was it "you're healthy" he said... lol... it only cost her 35 dollars back then so, yeah, I kinda don't think he will be too much of a pain for me

TB results (negative, which I already knew thanks to the f-ing conclusive x-ray I had on my previous exam)

The x-ray only shows if someone has active TB.. someone can have inactive TB and carry that with him for his whole life without getting sick once and if someone has this form of TB then it can only be proven by the TB skin test. With the x-ray alone you can never be sure if you will read negative for the skin test (which is why we need to do the TST now).

The normal procedure, meaning to see if someone has TB, is to do a TST, then after the results are negative, they do another test to be sure, and if then still negative, then this person has no TB. If someone has inactive TB, he/she will be postive on his/her skin test but this form does not show on the x-rays, x-rays will however be taken after they show positive on the skin test, to make sure this person isn't developing, or does not have, active TB.

And in case anyone is interested, here some facts: 2 billion people (1/3 of the world population) has TB (wether it is active or inactive), 1 out of 10 people who have inactive TB will develop on a later stage active TB. Inactive TB does not mean someone gets sick and they cannot infect other people (thank god, my wife has inactive TB and does not want to start meds yet as we want a kid, her getting meds would postpone it all). TB is curable but out of all these people still about 4400 die from active TB every year (source: the health center I was today for my TST, lol)

My guess is, if we follow instructions, we'll be all right.

That is a bit my problem.. it is nowhere in the instructions that we can do only the TST and vaccine part of the I-693 next to our 'old' examination which we had in our old countries.

What I find unbeleivable is that I called Knightbridge docots where I am scheduled to have my medical and they know nothing about the TST test, why oh why if it is a requirement dont they even know about it, I find it totally absurd.

I agree, that's even more ridiculous. Then again, I also find it kind of unacceptable that my doctor at the time of my medical did not inform me about it. He did know about the vaccine part apparently as he checked those things and that was actually changed on a later date than the TB requirements.

[mary'n'ev 0]

"My guess is, if we follow instructions, we'll be all right."

That is a bit my problem.. it is nowhere in the instructions that we can do only the TST and vaccine part of the I-693 next to our 'old' examination which we had in our old countries."

Page 4, Sec. 3, Subsection A-C. "if you were admitted as a: (a) K-1 fiance(e)..."then ( c), "[and] you received a medical examination prior to admission" then: (c )(a), "you are NOT required to have another medical examination as long as your form I-485...is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination. (then), (B ), you will, HOWEVER, be required to complete Part 1, information about you, and submit the VACCINATION section of Part 2 with your adjustment of status application. A designated civil surgeon MUST complete the vaccinatino section and Part 5, the CS certification."

This is just my guess, but maybe the TST (sorry, I thought the x-ray was more conclusive) is not stated as mandatory because they assume that our "overseas medical examination" would include one, just as it included a chest x-ray (for most countries). The instructions were last revised in June of this year, maybe they havn't updated it yet. who knows. But if the above is correct, that a TST is just as valuable as a chest x-ray, then one will not rule out the other and a TST test is mandatory as per USCIS policy.

Edited December 6, 2008 by mary'n'ev