Flu shot really needed for AOS on K1?

[AleGwi 11]

I had my flu shot AFTER my medical in London. It was the only shot I needed so I chose to get this after as per the regulations of the K1 visa medical stipulating that I only need to get it done before the AOS. But now my DS-3025 is technically "incomplete" because under the flu tab it says "K1"

I have been told by many (including the consular officer at the embassy) that the flu vaccination is not "really" required. Or if it is, only at certain times. I know the flu season is something like november to march. However, what does this mean and how does it affect if I need it or not?

I need a certain/sure answer on this now as I am getting a lot of "I thinks" which is helpful, but they are all conflicting.

It says influenza is on the list of vaccination requirements, so I would therefore imagine it IS required, no exceptions, meaning I need to pay a civil surgeon to verify my flu certificate and vax records. I don't want to go through all the hassle of getting a civil surgeon to transcribe or authorise this for a fee, just for a flu shot if it isn't required. It is costing enough for the AOS as it is!

Also, I am pretty sure this is correct but since I had my medical in London, I do not need to complete and submit form I-693 with my AOS package correct?

[jdh 103]

Posting response from USCIS website.

http://www.uscis.gov/news/questions-and-answers/vaccination-requirements

Q. When does the flu season start for purposes of the seasonal flu vaccine requirement? Since the seasonal flu vaccine is required, do I have to get the seasonal flu vaccine if it is not the flu season?

A. For purposes of the immigration medical examination, the flu season starts on October 1 and ends on March 31 each year. If your immigration medical examination is during this period, you are required to have the seasonal flu vaccine. If you have an immigration medical examination completed between April 1 and September 30, when it is not the flu season for immigration purposes, you are not required to document that you have received the seasonal flu vaccine.

Edited January 30, 2014 by jdh

[kitthekat 1,317]

Nich-Nick has a very comprehensive post on this: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/335754-ds-3025-complete-or-not/?p=4971318

So, assuming it was flu season when you got your K1 medical exam done, you should have asked the clinic to hold your medical exams until after you got the flu shot, and then emailed/faxed them the proof of it so they could include it on the DS-3025 before you left the UK.

Since your DS-3025 is incomplete, you need to get a civil surgeon to transcribe your vaccinations (including the flu shot) onto the I-693. You don't need to get a new medical exam unless it has been a year since your K1 exam. See this thread for civil surgeons who will do just the transcription: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Flu shot is required for medicals done between Oct 1 to March 31. You are correct that your DS-3025 is not complete to be used for AOS. If you go to a civil surgeon and show him your flu shot proof and the DS-3025, he can complete the I-693 immunization record.

However-- if you sent DS-3025 and the AOS case happens to get adjudicated when it is not flu season (April 1-Sept 30), then because a flu shot is not required at that time, you would not be required to have one, even if it was required on the medical date of record. That's how the field manual reads. Please understand, it is not when you mail in your AOS. it is when the adjudicator pulls your file off the stack to review it for approval. So first question is "Do you think you will get AOS approval before Sept 30?"

If your case get adjudicated without interview and it is flu season, you could get an RFE to submit an I-693. If an interview at your local office, they could go say get your immunizations complete and mail it to this office, then I can approve you. Or they could even not notice it.

So the most correct thing is get an I-693 now. Or if you don't mind a short delay if your case is not reviewed until next October, then take a chance with what you've got. Pay a civil surgeon only if you are forced to.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[AleGwi 11]

Flu shot is required for medicals done between Oct 1 to March 31. You are correct that your DS-3025 is not complete to be used for AOS. If you go to a civil surgeon and show him your flu shot proof and the DS-3025, he can complete the I-693 immunization record.

However-- if you sent DS-3025 and the AOS case happens to get adjudicated when it is not flu season (April 1-Sept 30), then because a flu shot is not required at that time, you would not be required to have one, even if it was required on the medical date of record. That's how the field manual reads. Please understand, it is not when you mail in your AOS. it is when the adjudicator pulls your file off the stack to review it for approval. So first question is "Do you think you will get AOS approval before Sept 30?"

If your case get adjudicated without interview and it is flu season, you could get an RFE to submit an I-693. If an interview at your local office, they could go say get your immunizations complete and mail it to this office, then I can approve you. Or they could even not notice it.

So the most correct thing is get an I-693 now. Or if you don't mind a short delay if your case is not reviewed until next October, then take a chance with what you've got. Pay a civil surgeon only if you are forced to.

Ok yes thank you. I think I have seen this before. With what you have just said in mind then...

I will be mailing my AOS next week (marriage certificate is available on tuesday) So we will be sending it then.

My medical was in November 2013 (in flu season)

if they take 3 months to process it will be April when they do (not flu season)

I don't know what to do for the best. I don't really want anymore delays as I have a possible job offer here to that may be willing to wait for me. However, I don't want to spend anymore money. We are already getting bled dry by the AOS as it is. $1000 what is with that?!?!

PS. I am a 6ft 5" 24 year old male in great condition. Like I care about the flu... Pleeeeease stupid requirement

Rant over!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I don't know what to do for the best. I don't really want anymore delays as I have a possible job offer here to that may be willing to wait for me. However, I don't want to spend anymore money. We are already getting bled dry by the AOS as it is. $1000 what is with that?!?!

Rant over!

You should have your EAD approved well before an AOS adjudicator gets into the nitty gritty of your shots. If you get an RFE, it would be a late one when they are about to approve the greencard. You are applying for EAD and AP along with your AOS. Yes?

[AleGwi 11]

You should have your EAD approved well before an AOS adjudicator gets into the nitty gritty of your shots. If you get an RFE, it would be a late one when they are about to approve the greencard. You are applying for EAD and AP along with your AOS. Yes?

So do you think I should just risk it for a biscuit then? Send them what I have and hope for the best and deal with the RFE if and when it comes? I have the certificate of the vaccination and a list of vaccination records from my GP with the batch numbers and dates on, on letter headed paper and signed. I was just going to send copies of all of those along with my 3025. Since it is only for the flu shot...

And yeah I am applying form them all at the same time. Although, whilst it would be nice to have the AP, I don't have any planned visits out of the country and it asks for specific dates so is it even worth bothering, I take it it's not something I can just have "in case" I want to leave sometime for a bit.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Your choice whether to risk it. Don't send jab records to USCIS. That's why they contract medical to doctors. They want it all on a DS-3025 or I-693. They don't read notes from Uk doctors.

You can have AP for no reason or "in case of emergency" and say unknown for dates. There are sad stories where Mum or Nanny died suddenly and K1s were stuck not able to leave because they didn't have any plans to go back so soon. Apply for it.

[SMB22 22]

I thought the flu shot was only required for people up tp the age of 18 and then again for everyone over 50 or 55, something like that. Has there been a change in the regulations?

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

I thought the flu shot was only required for people up tp the age of 18 and then again for everyone over 50 or 55, something like that. Has there been a change in the regulations?

Not really recent. It happened in 2010. Anyone over 6 months is required to get the flu shot during flu season, http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/updates/action-recommendations-flu-vaccine.html

~ Moved from K-1 Process to AOS from Family Based Visas - topic is AOS, not K-1 ~

[SMB22 22]

Not really recent. It happened in 2010. Anyone over 6 months is required to get the flu shot during flu season, http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/updates/action-recommendations-flu-vaccine.html

~ Moved from K-1 Process to AOS from Family Based Visas - topic is AOS, not K-1 ~

Ok thank you! I went and got my flu shot today.

Is there then a newer form than this http://germany.usembassy.gov/visa/files/iv_immunizations.pdf ?

Since this still says no flu shot required in a certain age group, but this is the only one on the official consulate page.

I wish they would at least update their stuff, if they change it. It makes everything so confusing...

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Ok thank you! I went and got my flu shot today.

Is there then a newer form than this http://germany.usembassy.gov/visa/files/iv_immunizations.pdf ?

Since this still says no flu shot required in a certain age group, but this is the only one on the official consulate page.

I wish they would at least update their stuff, if they change it. It makes everything so confusing...

The one posted on the London website is also out of date. This is the full immunization discussion from CDC http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/panel/vaccination-panel-technical-instructions.html

If you want to get to the table only, then hit the link called "Table...." or scroll way, way down to the end of the page.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You could opt to delay your AOS until the end of flu season

[SMB22 22]

The one posted on the London website is also out of date. This is the full immunization discussion from CDC http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/panel/vaccination-panel-technical-instructions.html

If you want to get to the table only, then hit the link called "Table...." or scroll way, way down to the end of the page.

Thank you so much! That helped a lot

[Heading2VietNam 6]

Ok yes thank you. I think I have seen this before. With what you have just said in mind then...

I will be mailing my AOS next week (marriage certificate is available on tuesday) So we will be sending it then.

My medical was in November 2013 (in flu season)

if they take 3 months to process it will be April when they do (not flu season)

I don't know what to do for the best. I don't really want anymore delays as I have a possible job offer here to that may be willing to wait for me. However, I don't want to spend anymore money. We are already getting bled dry by the AOS as it is. $1000 what is with that?!?!

PS. I am a 6ft 5" 24 year old male in great condition. Like I care about the flu... Pleeeeease stupid requirement

Rant over!

AleGwi, I just paid for my wife's AOS, and I'm pretty sure you're going to want to send a check for $1,070, it breaks down as a $985 for the AOS, and $85 for the Biometrics.

If you already knew the total was $1,070, sorry for bringing it to your attention, I just wanted to try to save you a headache later on

Take care!!!