How does civil surgeon appt work if they don't have the vaccination record?

[SOflaherty 40]

We cannot be the only one facing this. How does the appointment with the civil surgeon go if you don't already have the vaccination record and are unsure if it can be gotten? (Assuming there has been no previous medical exam, situation would be AOS from tourist visa).

Thanks.

[Alla 3]

We cannot be the only one facing this. How does the appointment with the civil surgeon go if you don't already have the vaccination record and are unsure if it can be gotten? (Assuming there has been no previous medical exam, situation would be AOS from tourist visa).

Thanks.

In my situation I had to obtain my medical records from my country (thanks to parents) and translated everything by PA. It saved me a lot of money.

At the civil surgeon's office they said they need written proof. They made a copy and attached to my I-693. I couldn't get a record about one vaccine and they made me do it. Otherwise they can't sign anything.

[Bernie C 24]

Worse case scenario - you'd have to get new vaccinations and medical exam.

If you can get any past vaccination records from home, you may be able to minimize or eliminate the need for vaccinations.

Not sure about skirting the medical - for K-1 you have to had a medical by a board certified (maybe not the correct term) physician within the past year and be able to obtain those records.

If the medical needs to be performed again it would need to be done by a USCIS designated Civil Surgeon, costs can very greatly by location and Civil Surgeon.

If new vaccinations are required you can have them done by other than the civil surgeon. My wife is having hers completed at the local health department for free (although I've heard that some health departments will charge a fee). You could also have them done by family physician. Just need a properly completed record of vaccination to give to the Civil Surgeon.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Without a vac. card, they will have to either:

1. Give you tests to see if you have the vaccination (Umit had to do this, since her vac. card didn't show the chicken pox vac. - ended up she needed it) (just like Alla)

2. Give you all the shots required.

So I would try to get a current vac. card from the persons doctor in their country if at all possible.

[Kittyfang 6]

There is a problem with my shot record and I am not going to be able to use it. After speaking with the nurse at the doctor's office. She told me that at my age, they doctor will most likely care only about MMR and Tetanus. She didn't make a fuss about me not having (or not being able to use) the shot record. She just said that I could either get the shots done, or get a blood titer.

[Val Marty 1]

I got all my shots done again. I didn't want to bother with getting the records, and I didn't even know that I could use them at the time, so I got everything redone. It is PRICEY!

[HeatDeath 430]

I had blood tests for MMR and Varicella, and got TDap from a travel clinic in Vancouver the day of the medical. Later, in the US, the CS wouldn't transcribe my vaccinations unless I also got at least the first shot of Hep A, so I did.

[LT.Nora 7]

I didn't have any record and I just got all the shots that are appropriate to my age which was MMR, TDap and HPV (which made me sick and is no longer required)(I paid $270 for the medical exam + $200 for HPV Gardasil shot). Everybody gets varicela shots when young, so just get a blood test to verify that (I paid for the test $245).

You can have a look yourself what is appropriate for your age here:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/adult/2010/adult-schedule.pdf

and here, on page 1:

http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/pdf/2009-vaccination-technical-instructions.pdf

I don't have insurance, so that's why it was so expensive. And the civil surgeon was an a** too

[pianojangee 0]

My husband and I, both adjusted from Student and Work visas, got the required shots at County Health Department. We are both from overseas and had very difficult way of getting vaccination records our counries. It costs us but it was easier and quicker way for both of us without hassel. My TB test looked positive since I had BCG shot when I was a child. I had to do X-ray to clear the TB. Civil Surgeon accepted the records from Health Department.

Edited April 14, 2010 by pianojangee

[Kittyfang 6]

Concerning Varicella, I read that they take verbal confirmation for this. And indeed, every doctor I called about vaccination confirmed this.

[HeatDeath 430]

They take verbal confirmation of chicken pox (which makes varicella unnecessary). If you haven't had chicken pox, they want a blood test to prove you've had varicella. At least, that's how the immigration medical clinic in Vancouver does it.

Obviously this opens up a theoretical opportunity to lie to save some money. If you say you've had chicken pox they have no way of checking it, and it alleviates you of the responsibility to pay for varicella and/or a titers blood test to check for immunity; Insert standard warnings about lying on anything immigration-related here [i.e. Don't do it].

[Alla 3]

Concerning Varicella, I read that they take verbal confirmation for this. And indeed, every doctor I called about vaccination confirmed this.

They take verbal only if you had an illness. Regarding vaccinations you need to have a written proof.

[babito 29]

In my case, I had no records with me and wasn't sure I still have them in my home country.

Fortunately I was due for a physical with my new insurance done by the health care provider. I just checked with the Civil Surgeon what tests I needed done to ascertain if any past vaccines were still valid. So my blood work was done with those mandatory vaccinnes being checked on. The results indicated I required only two vaccines, one which was done under my new insurance cover (Tdap) and the second one (Varicella) I did it at a local RiteAid since my health provider and the local hospitals around did not have it in stock. My TB skin test went well so no need of an Xray. That was all.

The civil Surgeon gave me a copy of the signed I-693 as my new medical record and she asked me to check if my details (name, address etc) were correct. Then she handed me a sealed envelope with the original. All in all it cost me just one vaccination (the one done at RiteAid)

[Kittyfang 6]

They take verbal only if you had an illness. Regarding vaccinations you need to have a written proof.

True. They ask if you've had chicken pox. Not if you've had the actual shot.

[Winonan 3]

I did not have most of my vaccination records. My civil surgeon said I did not need most of the vaccinations because it did not apply to my age (24). All I got was a tetanus shot. I got that at civil surgeon because of time constraint, but I suggest you avoid doing that. Get it somewhere else. I paid $70 bucks for something I could have gotten for $15.