RFE for Medical

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Hello

I just received an RFE for my medical.

A little background: I arrived in the USA last summer on a K-1 visa, got married and then sent my AOS package in October. At that time I didn't know the new requirements for the medical (for K1 holders, fill out the vaccination part of the I-693 form) so I didn't include this I-693 form. My medical in France was done in July 2008.

I received the RFE today but it doesn't say if I have to have then entire form filled out or just the vaccination part. Do I have to redo the entire medical examination?

Thanks to anyone who can help me!

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Actually they do talk about Part 2 and Part 5 in their Vaccinations section but I'm still not sure if it means that's all I have to give:

New Form I-693: Please submit a properly completed and signed form I-693, report of medical examination and vacccination record. A new version of the medical form is required to be submitted by any applicant whose medical exam. was conducted by a civil surgeon on or after June 01, 2008. The new medical form includes the medical information as well as the vaccination record. Under the new guidance, any applicant two years of age or older is required to have a tuberculin skin test performed. Also, the Center for Disease Control has added additional vaccination requirements to its technical instructions for vaccination. these new age-specific vaccines include rotairus, hepatitis A, [...] are required if the medical exaination was conducted by the civil surgeon on or after August 01, 2008 (mine was before). Therefore, if the medical examination a was conducte4d on or after that date, the new vaccinations, if appropriate, must be administered in order for you to be medically cleared for adjustment of status. The results of these new vaccination requirements should be documented on form I-693. Also in order for the vaccination documentation to be complete, the civil surgeon needs to complete both the vaccination table and the results section.

Vaccinations: Please submit a form I-693, report of medical examination and vaccination record, and have the civil surgeon complete the vaccination section of Part 2. The designated civil surgeon must complete the vaccination section and also complete Part 5, the Civil Suregon's certification.

[Dakine 26]

Hopefully you have the DS 3025 vaccination record from your imigration medical. No need the entire medical since it's been less than one year. Prior to your arrival a DS 693a was required. Same trip but different form.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Thank you, I never got a copy of the DS-3025. I have my French "medical book" that shows all the vaccines I got (that's what the doctor in France used to fill out DS-3025), I translated the vaccine pages and will see if it can be used to fill out I-693 vaccination part.

So, only Part 2 and Part 5 need to be filled out, right?

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

What about that TB test? "Under the new guidance, any applicant two years of age or older is required to have a tuberculin skin test performed"

[vickydeutsch 0]

You need to download the form I-693 and look for a doctor in your area. I think you can check it here; since you passed already for the medical exam, the doctor will transfer your vaccinations to this form and you will have some shot that you didnt get when you were in your country. In my case I needed another tetanus shot and the TB skin test. Even though I got already a blood test, the doctor insisted that I needed another one so I just did it. Be careful with some doctors which can overcharge you.

Good luck!!!!

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Something else I wonder about... They also say:

A review of the record indicates that you entered the United States pursuant to a valid K-1 nonimmigrant visa. All USCIS records relating to you have been reviewed. The US department of State medical forms DS-2053, DS-3024, DS-3025 and DS-3026 are not in any of those records."

The DS=3025 WAS in the envelope I gave at POE. Did they lose it? Does it mean they consider I didn't do any medical and therefore must do another complete medical examination?!

Also about the TB test, if I have to get it, I had the BCG vaccine done when I was a child, so the TB test can be positive, so it won't prove anything. How will that work with a CS?

Edited April 2, 2009 by Cecile and Bryan

[gatita 0]

They must have lost my husband's K-1 medical because we did do the medical last August in Mexico and we had the civil surgeon update the shots and fill out the vaccination part of the I-693 here in October. We sent this in a sealed envelope with the AOS. The RFE we got made it sound like they wanted the entire medical. We did it and sent it back in (didn't even update online or anything). I still don't know what they really wanted. The RFE even mentioned about my husband being pregnant at the time of exam (not)! We just paid to do the whole thing, hoping that USCIS would be nice and approve us soon. (It's been a month, without even any confirmation that they rec. the thing. Ugh.)

Also, I thought the same as you about the TB skin test. Our civil surgeon here was very good and he kept telling us that only 1/3rd of people who had the shot will show a reaction. I didn't believe him, but my husband's (who had the shot as a kid) skin test showed no reaction. So, nothing more was needed. According to this doctor, the shot only protects the average person for 10 years, so it wears off.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Thank you gatita.

I think I'm going to have to do the whole medical, just to be sure I give them what they need.

USCIS thought your husband was pregnant? Well that is funny! They really have no idea what they talk about.

[vickydeutsch 0]

Thank you gatita.

I think I'm going to have to do the whole medical, just to be sure I give them what they need.

USCIS thought your husband was pregnant? Well that is funny! They really have no idea what they talk about.

Just be careful in choosing the right doctor. They can overcharge you!!!

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Here's a summary of the week. Monday I went to the civil surgeon to have the physical medical, and the TB skin test. I didn't have any records from my previous medical (in France, to get the K1) but I had my French health book where my doctors had put every vaccine I had. Also I had a paper that proved I had the first 2 shots of the HPV vaccine here in the USA (waiting for next month to do the third). The doctor also gave me a sheet with the blood tests I had to do.

This visit cost me $150 for medical + $30 for TB test = $180

Next day, Tuesday, I went to get the blood test done. It took only 5 minutes (waiting time + test) I'm amazed I didn't have to wait longer. Insurance covered this.

Thursday I went back to the doctor office to show her my reaction to the TB skin test, positive of course as I had the BCG vaccine as a kid (one of its secondary effects is to give wrong TB skin test results apparently). So she ordered me to go get a chest X-ray. She also got the blood test results, everything was fine.

So then I went to get my X-ray done. Insurance covered that too.

And today (Friday) I went back to the CS's office, she said my x-ray was fine, no apparent TB symptoms. She finished filling out the I-693 form and then she told me I should still take a treatment against TB because it may mean that I have a dormant TB (which I'm pretty sure I don't, it's only the BCG vaccine, as she even said the first day I told her). She said that some jobs, in healthcare mostly, will require me to have the treatment done. I don't plan on working in healthcare at this point so I'm not sure it's worth bothering, the treatment is 9 months long or something like that...

Anyway, then I went to the post office and sent my RFE back to USCIS.

Thank you everyone for your advice.