Vaccinations for Medical

[Mark&Allison 0]

Hello,

We are not expecting our NOA2 until sometime in June but are trying to be as organized as possible. I don't have any records of immunizations/vaccinations and are a little concerned about this. Can I get these done prior to the medical so I can show proof of these vaccinations or can I have them done as part of the medical/after the medical?

Any info on this stage of the K-1 process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

VSC - Sydney Consular Office

03/10/2010 Sent I-129f

03/12/2010 I-129f received VSC

03/17/2010 NOA1

[alex and astrid 38]

Hi!

For the vaccinations, I did all I could to be very organised too. You want to make sure you are up to date before the medical, because I think its easier and cheaper to do this through your GP rather than the Panel Doctor. The Panel Doctors in Australia are more than happy to look at any paperwork from your GP stating what shots you already have or similar. There are many ways to go about finding what shots you have already had, what you are immune to, and what you are exempt from. All these depend on your age.

To give you an example of what I did - try and find your 'baby book.' I am 23 (22 at the time of filing) and my mum still had it floating around. Ask your parents if they have it. I was born in South Australia, so mine was a little vinyl covered blue book. That had all my childhood vaccinations in it. If you don't have that, try contacting the health departments of all of the local councils you have lived in, they carry vaccination records for any shots given within the council, except for those given at hospitals or GP's. If that doesn't turn up anything (like if you are in your late twenties, most of these records don't exist or are destroyed), you can have something called a titre test, which checks your blood for antibodies. You just tell the doctor what you need proof for.

So, I found my baby book, I was able to get shot records from two local councils I lived in as a child and a teenager, and I had a blood test for chicken pox because I had no proof that I had it as a kid.

At the medical, these are the shots they look for, and I have put a note about how it related to me as being someone over 18 and female -

DTap (diptheria, tetanus, and whooping cough for infants) - age exempt, but had the shot as an infant

Td (Boostrix for adults) - I had to get this, but you can only have it if you got the childhood DTap shot

Polio - Age exempt, had it as a child

Measles, Mumps, Rubella - already had shot as a child

Rotavirus - Age Exempt

Haemophilus Influenza Type B - Age Exempt

Hepatitis A - Age Exempt

Hepatitis B - Age Exempt, but had the shots in high school

Meningococcal - Age Exempt, but had the shot in high school

HPV - Completed the series, but this is not longer required for visa requirements

Varicella - Blood test proof

Pneumococcal - Not age Appropriate

Influenza - Not age approriate

So as you can see, a lot of stuff is age exempt. You pretty much just have to prove DTaP/Boostrix, Measles/Mumps/Rubella and chickenpox. And being Australians, we get most of the shots anyway as kids, the only ones I had to get were Boostrix and the HPV series.

Good luck! This link http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/206016-australian-beneficiaries-packet-3-to-interview-date/ is an EXCELLENT resource about the whole K1 journey for Aussies, a lot of common questions are addressed there, plus its out little support group

[Mark&Allison 0]

Thank you soooooo much for your help. I really appreciate it and will also check out the Aussie support group as well =) This is such an amazing site, and it's people like you that really make a huge difference to people. Again, thank you!!!!

[payxibka 10,044]

Hello,

We are not expecting our NOA2 until sometime in June but are trying to be as organized as possible. I don't have any records of immunizations/vaccinations and are a little concerned about this. Can I get these done prior to the medical so I can show proof of these vaccinations or can I have them done as part of the medical/after the medical?

Any info on this stage of the K-1 process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

VSC - Sydney Consular Office

03/10/2010 Sent I-129f

03/12/2010 I-129f received VSC

03/17/2010 NOA1

A K-1 technically does NOT have any vaccination requirements... The requirements are for immigrant visas and residents.

moving to consulate forum

Edited May 8, 2010 by payxibka

[alex and astrid 38]

A K-1 technically does NOT have any vaccination requirements... The requirements are for immigrant visas and residents.

moving to consulate forum

But, the K1 is processed as an Immigrant Visa at many Consulates, like it was for us at Sydney. We had to have the medical to get the visa. We need the shots in order to AOS. For Australians, it is way easier and cheaper to do all the shots while we are still at home.

It's not a good idea to muddy the waters for people who are just starting this process by pointing out 'technicalities'.

[payxibka 10,044]

But, the K1 is processed as an Immigrant Visa at many Consulates, like it was for us at Sydney. We had to have the medical to get the visa. We need the shots in order to AOS. For Australians, it is way easier and cheaper to do all the shots while we are still at home.

It's not a good idea to muddy the waters for people who are just starting this process by pointing out 'technicalities'.

ALL K-1's need a medical.... ALL K-1's must meet the vaccination requirements for AOS... If Sydney processed the visa as an immigrant visa then it would have required the shots for the visa and not just for a future AOS application... The question was about what the vaccination requirements are and when are they needed. NOT about it being cheaper.

Talk about muddying the water...

Edited May 8, 2010 by payxibka

[alex and astrid 38]

ALL K-1's need a medical.... ALL K-1's must meet the vaccination requirements for AOS... If Sydney processed the visa as an immigrant visa then it would have required the shots for the visa and not just for a future AOS application... The question was about what the vaccination requirements are and when are they needed. NOT about it being cheaper.

Talk about muddying the water...

I answered the OP's question, and they were satisfied with my answer. I also answered at as an Australian who has done the K1, and told them what my experience (as well as many other Australian experiences) was. I told the OP the different ways you can get your vaccination records in Australia. I told them that yes, you can get the shots before the medical. I gave the OP the list of shots that are from the vaccination worksheet. If that is muddying the water....wow.

As for Sydney processing K1's in the Immigrant Visa unit - they need to see a complete medical. Getting the vaccination worksheet done is part of completing the medical. It says in the sheet itself "Required for all U.S. Immigrant Visa Applicants." You either have all the shots done, get a waiver to have the shots later, or the doctor says the shot(s) are not appropriate for you. Why would you not want to make your life easier and try and do as mych of that as you can back home?

Most of us would agree that it's a good idea to get the shots completed before you leave for the US, so they you don't need to mess around with getting the remaining shots from doctors you don't know or whatnot. The shots being potentially cheaper to get in Australia is just a side note. Doing all your shots in the home country can also potentially save you a trip to a CS if you DS-3025 is ticked as complete, because you can send just that form in as part of AOS. That is what I did - no RFE's.

To the OP - Sorry your thread got hijacked. Like I said, head over the Aussie K1 thread, you'll get heaps of help in there

Edited May 8, 2010 by alex and astrid

[VanessaTony 3,567]

A K-1 technically does NOT have any vaccination requirements... The requirements are for immigrant visas and residents.

ALL K-1's need a medical.... ALL K-1's must meet the vaccination requirements for AOS... If Sydney processed the visa as an immigrant visa then it would have required the shots for the visa and not just for a future AOS application... The question was about what the vaccination requirements are and when are they needed. NOT about it being cheaper.

A K1 visa in AUSTRALIA requires vaccinations to be up to date PRIOR to obtaining the visa. Astrid is correct. Australia processes the K1 as an immigrant visa. Whilst the shots are for future AOS reasons, it is still a REQUIREMENT of the Australian consulate (though if you want to be pedantic "US Consulate in Sydney Australia") that at the time of doing my K1 medical that I am given, or have, all necessary shots.. (excluding time sensitive shots of course) kinda like ensuring their citizens are "good to go" when the time comes to AOS and also ensuring their citizens are protected. Without the shots I will not get the visa.

It is incredibly confusing to new people to make such a sweeping statement that immunisations are not required simply to be pedantic and to focus on "technicalities". For AUSTRALIA immunisations ARE required. As Aussies who went through the K1 process in Australia, both Astrid and I are suitably "qualified" to inform other Aussies about what Australia REQUIRES.

--------------

To the OP. Astrid's answer is correct. Please head over the Aussie forums where you will be assured of correct and Australia specific information. Welcome to VJ

**Edit - there are a couple of Aussie specific threads in my signature

Edited May 8, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[VanessaTony 3,567]

moving to consulate forum

Also out of interest... WHY did you move this thread? Where was it's prior location?

[payxibka 10,044]

Also out of interest... WHY did you move this thread? Where was it's prior location?

Because an answer specific to the Sydney consulate is required..

and here is another reason (self explanatory):

US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

You are almost there and now you have to deal with the embassy. This is the place to post your experiences or questions related to this last step before moving to the US. Topics relating to I-134's, packets sent from consulate and medical & police certificates should be posted here.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Because an answer specific to the Sydney consulate is required..

and here is another reason (self explanatory):

US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

You are almost there and now you have to deal with the embassy. This is the place to post your experiences or questions related to this last step before moving to the US. Topics relating to I-134's, packets sent from consulate and medical & police certificates should be posted here.

So where WAS it?

**Edit - in case you're wondering why I'm asking... where it was will explain to others why it doesn't go there. It could have been in CR-1 or something and people would wonder why you didn't move it to K1... not knowing you moved it FROM K1 they could just assume you picked one other option and YOU didn't know it was supposed to be in K1. Whilst I know why it's supposed to go there, the OP and others reading might not. Others might wonder why you didn't send it to the Regional area instead...

Edited May 8, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[pushbrk 12,220]

While the law doesn't require K1 applicants to have their vaccinations in order to receive the visa, a Consulate is certainly allowed to require them. It is my general advice that where practical, K1 applicant's go ahead and get all their vaccinations prior to or during the medical exam, whether required or not. It saves the trouble of dealing with a Civil Surgeon in the USA, many of which won't sign the vaccination supplement without doing the medical again.

[USAand OZ 2]

Hi Allison and Mark

I am waiting for my NOA2 from Vermont hoping it will be soon.

I too could not find records of my immunizations/vaccinations. I took the list of required vaccinations to my doctor and he worked out what I would require. He has been using me as pin cushion for the past month or so but it has been worth it. I want to be organised and have everything prepared for when I go for my medical and interview.

All the best and keep in touch this Aussie forum helps us all hold it together while we wait patiently.