medical exam/shots for AOS

[malis 0]

Hi everyone

I had my medical exam done already but did not get any shots, and I have my K1 visa now. I was wondering once I get to the states and apply for AOS what kind of shots do I need to get, and does anyone know how much they might cost in the states with no insurance?

If the are too expensive I'd rather get them done here before I leave, don't have much time left though.

[bahisgirl 11]

When my husband came the Civil Surgeon did require that he get two of his shots redone for Vericella and MMR and the flu shot before they would transcribe them for his medical (even though he had the MMR and Vericella before leaving Morocco). Luckily, the CS only charged $25 for the transcription and then told us to go to the department of health for the shots...they were much cheaper - $30 for all three. My best advice would be to shop around for the Civil Surgeon in your area that charges the least and do some research for a local department of health. Those same shots would have cost us over $100 at the doctors office.

Good Luck,

Jackie

Edited February 17, 2011 by bahisgirl

[Maleman 5]

In our case we had to get married before I could place my wife on my medical insurance. Even though we had my wife on the medical insurance, after the marriage, the Civil Surgeon would not apply his services against the USCIS charge to our insurance. In fact, he would not apply any shots or any other services against our medical insurance. Thank goodness my wife did not require any additional shots or services. We paid a straight $100 (CASH ONLY) US dollars to have him fill out the USCIS paperwork. Outside of this notion, and in his defense, he was very kind and diligent in the process. So, as stated in this post, be prepared to shop around and question the specific charges. By this I mean beyond the processing of the basic USCIS form details, they possibly will charge additionally for services and an extra charge pertaining to the factors regarding the length and time they have to apply to the forms. In summary, question the features as to the charges that you might incur overall. Additionally, in most cases, be prepared to pay in cash!

[Barbara J 115]

Hi everyone

I had my medical exam done already but did not get any shots, and I have my K1 visa now. I was wondering once I get to the states and apply for AOS what kind of shots do I need to get, and does anyone know how much they might cost in the states with no insurance?

If the are too expensive I'd rather get them done here before I leave, don't have much time left though.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/uscis-vaccination-requirements

[Peace.... 281]

Hi everyone

I had my medical exam done already but did not get any shots, and I have my K1 visa now. I was wondering once I get to the states and apply for AOS what kind of shots do I need to get, and does anyone know how much they might cost in the states with no insurance?

If the are too expensive I'd rather get them done here before I leave, don't have much time left though.

Hi, my husband had to also get a Hepatitis B (a three shot series over a period of 7 months), a TB skin test, and a flu shot as well before the Civil Surgeon would sign. Tomorrow, we go back to the Doctor so he can look at the TB skin injection and then if all is okay he will sign the form. It cost us $125.00 for dr. $104.00 for two shots.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hi, my husband had to also get a Hepatitis B (a three shot series over a period of 7 months), a TB skin test, and a flu shot as well before the Civil Surgeon would sign. Tomorrow, we go back to the Doctor so he can look at the TB skin injection and then if all is okay he will sign the form. It cost us $125.00 for dr. $104.00 for two shots.

Hep B isn't required, neither is a TB Skin test (that's for the medical and you didn't have a medical) but flu shots sounds right.

You've done it now but just telling you so others see this. TB skin test is OFTEN incorrectly forced on people requiring only a vaccination transcription but the instructions are quite clear that a vaccination transcription is only Part 1, Part 2 (vaccination table only) and part 5. The TB skin test is part of Part 2, which is the medical and therefore not required.

[Peace.... 281]

Hep B isn't required, neither is a TB Skin test (that's for the medical and you didn't have a medical) but flu shots sounds right.

You've done it now but just telling you so others see this. TB skin test is OFTEN incorrectly forced on people requiring only a vaccination transcription but the instructions are quite clear that a vaccination transcription is only Part 1, Part 2 (vaccination table only) and part 5. The TB skin test is part of Part 2, which is the medical and therefore not required.

Hi, I argued the fact that he didn't need any shots, but he said, I cannot sign this form unless he has it. I could not argue with him as I had already paid him. But below here I found a revision of the I-693 re: TB testing... Is this possibly what the doctor is speaking about?

USCIS has revised Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Revision Date 10/14/09/Expiration Date 10/30/11) based on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Update to the Tuberculosis (TB) Component of the Technical Instructions for the Medical Examination of Aliens in the United States (TB Component of the Technical Instructions), effective November 1, 2009. USCIS anticipated the update and revised Form I-693 to bring the form in accordance with this update to the TB Component of the Technical Instructions. The new version of Form I-693 (Edition October 14, 2009) and its filing instructions can be found on our website at www.uscis.gov.

Under the previous version of the Form I-693 (Edition June 5, 2008), a civil surgeon was directed to use the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) as an initial testing method to determine whether the applicant had cell-mediated immune reactivity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. With the Update to the TB Component of the Technical Instructions, and under the revised version of the Form I-693, a civil surgeon may now administer an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) in place of a TST.

Current acceptable IGRAs for the change of status examination are: QuantiFERON® TB Gold, QuantiFERON® TB Gold In Tube, and the T-Spot® TB test. If the CDC adds additional IGRAs, it will post an announcement on its website. A copy of the Update to the TB Component of the Technical Instructions can be accessed on CDC's website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/civil.htm (click on Technical Instructions for TB or Updates).

Civil surgeons may continue to use the June 5, 2008 edition of Form I-693 until January 1, 2010 but only if the civil surgeon uses the TST test as an initial screening method for TB. If an IGRA is used as a means to initially screen for TB infection, the civil surgeon must submit the results of the medical examination on Form I-693 (Edition October 14, 2009). The civil surgeon may not provide the results of the IGRA on Form I-693 (Edition June 5, 2008). Beginning on January 1, 2010, the civil surgeon must use the October 14, 2009 edition of Form I-693 to record the results of the medical exam, irrespective of the TB screening test used.

[Peace.... 281]

Hi, I argued the fact that he didn't need any shots, but he said, I cannot sign this form unless he has it. I could not argue with him as I had already paid him. But below here I found a revision of the I-693 re: TB testing... Is this possibly what the doctor is speaking about?

USCIS has revised Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Revision Date 10/14/09/Expiration Date 10/30/11) based on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Update to the Tuberculosis (TB) Component of the Technical Instructions for the Medical Examination of Aliens in the United States (TB Component of the Technical Instructions), effective November 1, 2009. USCIS anticipated the update and revised Form I-693 to bring the form in accordance with this update to the TB Component of the Technical Instructions. The new version of Form I-693 (Edition October 14, 2009) and its filing instructions can be found on our website at www.uscis.gov.

Under the previous version of the Form I-693 (Edition June 5, 2008), a civil surgeon was directed to use the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) as an initial testing method to determine whether the applicant had cell-mediated immune reactivity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. With the Update to the TB Component of the Technical Instructions, and under the revised version of the Form I-693, a civil surgeon may now administer an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) in place of a TST.

Current acceptable IGRAs for the change of status examination are: QuantiFERON® TB Gold, QuantiFERON® TB Gold In Tube, and the T-Spot® TB test. If the CDC adds additional IGRAs, it will post an announcement on its website. A copy of the Update to the TB Component of the Technical Instructions can be accessed on CDC's website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/civil.htm (click on Technical Instructions for TB or Updates).

Civil surgeons may continue to use the June 5, 2008 edition of Form I-693 until January 1, 2010 but only if the civil surgeon uses the TST test as an initial screening method for TB. If an IGRA is used as a means to initially screen for TB infection, the civil surgeon must submit the results of the medical examination on Form I-693 (Edition October 14, 2009). The civil surgeon may not provide the results of the IGRA on Form I-693 (Edition June 5, 2008). Beginning on January 1, 2010, the civil surgeon must use the October 14, 2009 edition of Form I-693 to record the results of the medical exam, irrespective of the TB screening test used.

Background

Under the immigration laws of the United States, a foreign national who applies for an immigrant visa abroad, or who seeks to adjust status to a permanent resident while in the United States, is required to receive vaccinations to prevent the following diseases:

• Mumps
• Measles
• Rubella
• Polio
• Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids
• Pertussis
• Haemophilus influenzae type B
• Hepatitis B
• Any other vaccine-preventable diseases recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hi, I argued the fact that he didn't need any shots, but he said, I cannot sign this form unless he has it. I could not argue with him as I had already paid him. But below here I found a revision of the I-693 re: TB testing... Is this possibly what the doctor is speaking about?

It could be, but there's a Q&A here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextoid=1758d5b07655b110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD that was put out when the TB stuff was updated and if you read this:

Q: If an applicant is required to receive only the vaccinations, and not undergo the entire medical exam, does he/she have to submit the entire Form I-693?

No. Applicants who are not required to have the entire medical examination need to submit only pages one, three and five of the new form. The required sections include Part 1, Information About You, the vaccination record portion of Part 2, and Part 5 (if the vaccinations are administered by a civil surgeon) or Part 6 (if the vaccinations are administered by a local health department). Pages two and four, that would have been left blank, do not need to be submitted.

you can see that TB skin test isn't part of what they're saying needs to be done.

Re Hep B. This table here: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5901-Immunization.pdf is from the CDC where the vaccination stuff is taken from and also where the technical instructions for the CS are located. Page 2 has the table, and if you go to Hep B you'll see that its' purple. Purple means you look at table two and if you have any of the issues listed for it THEN you might need it. So Hep B is in the list of requirements, but only if you fit in the age range and health issues for it.

My CS tried to do the TB skin test and I stood my ground and showed them all the Q&A stuff, and technical instructions and I-693 instructions that stated only a vaccination transcription was required, and that the TB skin test is part of the medical. They caved but said if I got an RFE not to come back to them (they either meant not back to them at ALL, or that I would need to pay again... it was a while ago now). I was approved without issue.

[Elham 1]

When I came here I had MMR (twice) and hepatitis (3 times) injected. They said chicken pox is not for adults - Here in the US I just had TB.

Regarding the price : different states are different - you may read some posts that people say they paid $30-40 but here in Los Angeles I called all the Civil Surgeons and their prices was different from $150-500 - I went to the one whose price was $150 although it was not so close to my home. The one that was close to my home said it would cost $350, yuck!

[doodly 0]

i had to get flu, hepatitis A and meningococcal in the US in addition the shots i already had (from my k1 visa medical exam). good thing that my insurance covered all of these shots, new rules effective 2011.