Civil Surgeon in DFW area

[MikelanNida 28]

Does anyone know of a civil surgeon in the DFW area, (Texas), that doesnt require you to retake the entire medical again? We cant seem to reason with the doctors we have found so far, thanks for any help on this matter.

[MikelanNida 28]

I-693, Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status. If you are a K-1, K-2, K-3 or K-4 visa holder the I-693 instructions state that 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. Only if your DS-3025 is marked "incomplete" is a I-693 required to be completed. If it is marked as such (incomplete) you are required to complete certain portions of the I-693 and have a Civil Surgeon certify the form (and seal it in an evelope). Specifically, you will complete Part 1 (Information about you) of the I-693 and provide both the form and your DS-3025 (if you have it, proving your vaccination history) and any proof of required vaccinations that were completed prior to entering the US. If you do not have a copy of your DS-3025 you will need to provide sufficient evidence of your vaccination history to the Civil Surgeon (talk to the civil surgeon's office to discuss what vaccination records they accept as proof). If you do not have proof of your vaccination history the Civil Surgeon may insist on re-administering all the required vaccinations prior to completing the I-693. Once the Civil Surgeon has has verified that all required vaccinations have been performed, they will complete form I-693 Part 2 (the vaccination section) and Part 5 (the Civil Surgeon's Certification). They will then seal the form in an envelope and return it to you.

We found a civil surgeon who would complete the I-693 for $110.00. He said we needed a TB. test and blood tests to complete part 2 of the I-693 since the DS-3025 only shows proof of vaccinations. Even though our DS-3025 was checked incomplete he said all required vaccinations were given so part 5 is no problem. Any comments on this???

[Lainie B 465]

What kind of blood tests does he say you need?

You shouldn't need a TB test if this was already done as part of the K-1 medical. TB has nothing to do with the vaccination record.

There is a thread here http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/ that might help you, if you haven't seen it already.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

I-693, Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status. If you are a K-1, K-2, K-3 or K-4 visa holder the I-693 instructions state that 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. Only if your DS-3025 is marked "incomplete" is a I-693 required to be completed. If it is marked as such (incomplete) you are required to complete certain portions of the I-693 and have a Civil Surgeon certify the form (and seal it in an evelope). Specifically, you will complete Part 1 (Information about you) of the I-693 and provide both the form and your DS-3025 (if you have it, proving your vaccination history) and any proof of required vaccinations that were completed prior to entering the US. If you do not have a copy of your DS-3025 you will need to provide sufficient evidence of your vaccination history to the Civil Surgeon (talk to the civil surgeon's office to discuss what vaccination records they accept as proof). If you do not have proof of your vaccination history the Civil Surgeon may insist on re-administering all the required vaccinations prior to completing the I-693. Once the Civil Surgeon has has verified that all required vaccinations have been performed, they will complete form I-693 Part 2 (the vaccination section) and Part 5 (the Civil Surgeon's Certification). They will then seal the form in an envelope and return it to you.

We found a civil surgeon who would complete the I-693 for $110.00. He said we needed a TB. test and blood tests to complete part 2 of the I-693 since the DS-3025 only shows proof of vaccinations. Even though our DS-3025 was checked incomplete he said all required vaccinations were given so part 5 is no problem. Any comments on this???

You don't need any new tests like TB. Those are part of the medical exam. You already did them. You do not need to do them again. If the CS said you have all the required vaccinations, then skip the CS altogether and send in a copy of your DS-3025 with your AOS package. It can be marked incomplete because some are not required due to age and such, but you still have all the ones you personally require for AOS. Since the CS said you had all your required shots, you most likely will be good to go without spending any money on a civil surgeon at all.

If they so happen to send you an RFE later for vaccinations, then find a CS then who won't rip you off by charging you for more tests you do not need.

[MikelanNida 28]

You don't need any new tests like TB. Those are part of the medical exam. You already did them. You do not need to do them again. If the CS said you have all the required vaccinations, then skip the CS altogether and send in a copy of your DS-3025 with your AOS package. It can be marked incomplete because some are not required due to age and such, but you still have all the ones you personally require for AOS. Since the CS said you had all your required shots, you most likely will be good to go without spending any money on a civil surgeon at all.

If they so happen to send you an RFE later for vaccinations, then find a CS then who won't rip you off by charging you for more tests you do not need.

Wow?! The top portion of my post is a part of the visa journey step by step guide that says if your DS-3025 is marked incomplete you are required to complete theI-693and have a civil surgeon certify the form, I am confused now, thanks for the info.

Edited October 18, 2011 by MikelanNida

[MikelanNida 28]

What kind of blood tests does he say you need?

You shouldn't need a TB test if this was already done as part of the K-1 medical. TB has nothing to do with the vaccination record.

There is a thread here http://www.visajourn...nt-rip-you-off/ that might help you, if you haven't seen it already.

Part 2 of the I-693 has to do with blood tests for certain contagious diseases, The cs said since the only doc. they give you is the vaccination record he has no way of knowing if the blood tests were given, we have no proof, and as for the TB test, one wasnt given, only an Xray, but the I-693 asks for test dates and results, the guide here on VJ is what led me to believe the cs.. is it wrong? Also the guide here states if your vaccination states in complete you must do the I-693 and have it certified by a cs...

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

Edited October 19, 2011 by MikelanNida

[Lainie B 465]

I think you should try to find a different CS. You already did the medical, including the TB xray and blood tests etc, and passed, you wouldn't have got the visa otherwise. They only need to transcribe the vaccination table from the DS-3025 onto the I-693, and sign it and put it in a sealed envelope. If there are any required vaccinations they you didn't receive in he first medical (if there was an insufficient time interval to have them all done during the first medical, for example), they will have you do those too. That's all the CS needs to do. USCIS will have your complete medical and will see the other test results (including the blood tests, TB report etc).

[MikelanNida 28]

I think you should try to find a different CS. You already did the medical, including the TB xray and blood tests etc, and passed, you wouldn't have got the visa otherwise. They only need to transcribe the vaccination table from the DS-3025 onto the I-693, and sign it and put it in a sealed envelope. If there are any required vaccinations they you didn't receive in he first medical (if there was an insufficient time interval to have them all done during the first medical, for example), they will have you do those too. That's all the CS needs to do. USCIS will have your complete medical and will see the other test results (including the blood tests, TB report etc).

Thank you for the info, I see that the cs may be thinking money first and serving the patients second.

[Mhayonaise 14]

We found a civil surgeon who would complete the I-693 for $110.00. He said we needed a TB. test and blood tests to complete part 2 of the I-693 since the DS-3025 only shows proof of vaccinations. Even though our DS-3025 was checked incomplete he said all required vaccinations were given so part 5 is no problem. Any comments on this???[/size]

Same here, CS told me that all vaccines were met but I need to undergo TB test and blood test to complete the I-693. I think this is pretty normal esp to those who came from Philippines since our DS-3025 doesn't state wether we done such test or not.

[Lainie B 465]

It shouldn't make a difference which country you came from, the DS-3025 is always the same. I think it depends on how experienced the CS is with the 1-693 form, and how much they want your money. It helped me a lot I had brought a copy of the entire medical with me, not just the DS-3025, but if the CS knows the correct procedure this shouldn't be necessary anyway. I got lucky, the first CS I tried agreed to do just the transcription, for $30. You might be able to find one who will do it for the same or even less, I suggest keep trying. Take the I-693 instructions and show them page 4, FAQ #2 where it explains about the K-1 requirement. It clearly states that the applicant fills in Part I, the CS fills in part 2 vaccination chart ONLY, and part 5 (CS signature).

[Mhayonaise 14]

It shouldn't make a difference which country you came from, the DS-3025 is always the same. I think it depends on how experienced the CS is with the 1-693 form, and how much they want your money. It helped me a lot I had brought a copy of the entire medical with me, not just the DS-3025, but if the CS knows the correct procedure this shouldn't be necessary anyway. I got lucky, the first CS I tried agreed to do just the transcription, for $30. You might be able to find one who will do it for the same or even less, I suggest keep trying. Take the I-693 instructions and show them page 4, FAQ #2 where it explains about the K-1 requirement. It clearly states that the applicant fills in Part I, the CS fills in part 2 vaccination chart ONLY, and part 5 (CS signature).

In my case, St. Lukes (USEm Manila's accredited Medical institution) only gave me 1 sheet/DS3025 for personal copy(which i believe likewise happen to other K1 Visa holder from PI), hence we dont have the entire medical record to show to the CS and this might be the reason why the CS asked TB and blood testing.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Wow?! The top portion of my post is a part of the visa journey step by step guide that says if your DS-3025 is marked incomplete you are required to complete theI-693and have a civil surgeon certify the form, I am confused now, thanks for the info.

If you choose to go to a civil surgeon for the I-693, then call around until you find one that will do the vaccination transcriptions only. You should not have to pay more than $50 for the vaccine transcription. That is all you need. You do not need a full medical again, and many civil surgeons will try and insist you do and charge you for it. The chest x-ray was your TB test, and is more reliable than the skin ####### test. You can print out the instructions for the I-693, paying attention to Section 3 FAQ #2, from the USCIS website, and take that with you to show that you are adjusting from a K-1 and do not need a medical. Sometimes you have to point it out to them in writing. You only need to fill out Part 1, Part 2-Vaccinations Sections ONLY, and Part 5. Bring any vaccination records with you, and they can transcribe those over onto the I-693 for you. The civil surgeon can tell you which vaccines you need. You can get the shots you need somewhere cheaper, like the public health clinic, or get any you need directly from the civil surgeon while there.

Since you said they already told you that you have all the required shots you need for AOS, then that is why I said I would skip paying a civil surgeon and just send along a copy of your DS-3025 to show your completed vaccines. The USCIS has a copy of it with the copy of your full medical already in your file.

[MikelanNida 28]

In my case, St. Lukes (USEm Manila's accredited Medical institution) only gave me 1 sheet/DS3025 for personal copy(which i believe likewise happen to other K1 Visa holder from PI), hence we dont have the entire medical record to show to the CS and this might be the reason why the CS asked TB and blood testing.

This is exactly what our civil surgeon told us too. And since we have paid and received our sealed packet we cant dispute it now, I agree with you on the theory that Phiippines may differ from other countries, btw., it wasnt a full retake of the medical, that would have costed us $300.00. Thanks to everyone for the input.