Medical Exam, Sputum Culture and Interview Options

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My brother (principal applicant) and his family (wife and 2 sons) had their medical exam at St. Lukes last Monday (Nov. 10). After the chest X-rays, his wife was instructed to undergo the sputum test/culture for three consecutive days next week. My brother and nephews are all clear and received their CD's after the tests.

Questions:

1. Should they cancel their interview (scheduled for Nov. 24) or proceed without his wife? Is it possible for the wife to have a separate interview without the principal applicant after the sputum test results are released?
2. St. Lukes indicated they will not cancel or reschedule the interview for them. Did they change their procedures? How many days before the interview can they cancel? Can they reschedule it without getting the results of the sputum culture? What's the best way way to cancel and reschedule the interview (phone, website, etc?)
3. My sister-in-law was told the results of the sputum culture will be released on Jan. 1 (approx 6 weeks after the samples are taken). Is this possible knowing it normally takes 8 weeks for the test to be completed?
4. If their interview is pushed back to early next year, do they have to get their sponsor's 2014 ITR and W2 instead of the 2013 documents?

Thanks for your help!

[luckytwo15 13]

I don't think they will release the results January 1 if she is doing the sputum test next week. That would overly optimistic. I would think the sputum results would be released approximately January 20th if negative. If positive SLEC will most likely call sooner. We were notified 3 weeks after sputum test.

If positive then plan on a 9 month delay. The first two months to get the diagnosis and then to start the DOT. Then 6 months of DOT followed by 1 month of waiting on the final sputum that is taken at the end of the 5th month of DOT. That has to sit for two months, then into the 7th month there's redoing medical, consultation at SLEC followed by orders to return at a later date to pick up paperwork.

If the interview turns out to be August 2015 then it seems like USEM should require 2014 tax and W-2 documents, but I'm just guessing on that.

I don't know how all that would play into the others traveling with her.

Edited November 12, 2014 by luckytwo15

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I don't think they will release the results January 1 if she is doing the sputum test next week. That would overly optimistic. I would think the sputum results would be released approximately January 20th if negative. If positive SLEC will most likely call sooner. We were notified 3 weeks after sputum test.

If positive then plan on a 9 month delay. The first two months to get the diagnosis and then to start the DOT. Then 6 months of DOT followed by 1 month of waiting on the final sputum that is taken at the end of the 5th month of DOT. That has to sit for two months, then into the 7th month there's redoing medical, consultation at SLEC followed by orders to return at a later date to pick up paperwork.

If the interview turns out to be August 2015 then it seems like USEM should require 2014 tax and W-2 documents, but I'm just guessing on that.

I don't know how all that would play into the others traveling with her.

Thanks for the info, Luckytwo15. Indeed, the 6-week sputum test schedule seems very unlikely, especially after reading in this forum that there is currently a delay in the supply/delivery of St. Luke's sputum testing materials.

Wow, a positive test result can delay the interview by 9 months?? I hope my sister-in-law's result will be favorable considering hers is only a scar from previous infection more than 25 years ago....

Need to know what their interview options are. Can they reschedule her interview at a later date but keep the original interview for the rest of her family so they will be issued visas right away? Does the principal applicant have to accompany her during the interview? Can she request a follow-to-join status? Or is it best that they reschedule their interview when all of them are medically cleared?

[luckytwo15 13]

I read about the sputum supply shortage also. I think that's fixed as there were a lot of people doing sputum samples yesterday at SLEC.

[AR and BA 5]

I was called by slec last week exactly 7 weeks of my culture test to inform that they have supplier issue and it will be 9 weeks for the result. I am exactly 8 weeks today and hoping it will be negative. Problem is I set my interview on the 24th, Monday and the culture result will be on 21, Friday cos of the delay. Waaah! They said I can still make it to the interview, fingers crossed.

There are some people I met there that have same case with your sis in law. The principal and other beneficiaries proceeded to the interview without them and were issued visas. So best if they will just proceed with the interview without her cos clock is ticking and the medical will expire (don't want to pay again fees for all of them). She can reschedule (I read that slec won't resched anymore) after the result. I think if she is negative, they can still go to US together as the 6 months from medical is still valid but she have to go to interview by herself as what others did.

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I read about the sputum supply shortage also. I think that's fixed as there were a lot of people doing sputum samples yesterday at SLEC.

With all the sputum cultures currently being grown at St. Lukes their lab must be the size of a farm now

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I was called by slec last week exactly 7 weeks of my culture test to inform that they have supplier issue and it will be 9 weeks for the result. I am exactly 8 weeks today and hoping it will be negative. Problem is I set my interview on the 24th, Monday and the culture result will be on 21, Friday cos of the delay. Waaah! They said I can still make it to the interview, fingers crossed.

There are some people I met there that have same case with your sis in law. The principal and other beneficiaries proceeded to the interview without them and were issued visas. So best if they will just proceed with the interview without her cos clock is ticking and the medical will expire (don't want to pay again fees for all of them). She can reschedule (I read that slec won't resched anymore) after the result. I think if she is negative, they can still go to US together as the 6 months from medical is still valid but she have to go to interview by herself as what others did.

Wow, you are definitely cutting it close with your interview date. Why not play it safe and reschedule it to a later date, especially since you only have a couple of days (and on a weekend to boot) between the scheduled release of your sputum test and your appointment at the Embassy? Hope everything works for you in the end.

Really appreciate the info/suggestion you provided regarding our case. I think it makes a lot of sense. I just wasn't sure if

my sister-in-law can have her own interview without the principal applicant (my brother). Thanks again.

[AR and BA 5]

Oh yeah, definitely cutting it close. I will only resched it if I have the medical results already, so from there will do plan B if it won't work. Will stick to plan A first since I really want to spend Christmas in the US as fiance and his family are very excited already to spend Christmas with them. The next early sched will be on December already and spending Christmas with them would not be possible, I guess.

About your sis in law's interview, there are some who actually did that (went to interview without the principal) due to the sputum exam. Maybe try to call or email slec and ask them or the embassy?

[Bella0413 0]

My brother (principal applicant) and his family (wife and 2 sons) had their medical exam at St. Lukes last Monday (Nov. 10). After the chest X-rays, his wife was instructed to undergo the sputum test/culture for three consecutive days next week. My brother and nephews are all clear and received their CD's after the tests.

Questions:

• Should they cancel their interview (scheduled for Nov. 24) or proceed without his wife? Is it possible for the wife to have a separate interview without the principal applicant after the sputum test results are released?
• St. Lukes indicated they will not cancel or reschedule the interview for them. Did they change their procedures? How many days before the interview can they cancel? Can they reschedule it without getting the results of the sputum culture? What's the best way way to cancel and reschedule the interview (phone, website, etc?)
• My sister-in-law was told the results of the sputum culture will be released on Jan. 1 (approx 6 weeks after the samples are taken). Is this possible knowing it normally takes 8 weeks for the test to be completed?
• If their interview is pushed back to early next year, do they have to get their sponsor's 2014 ITR and W2 instead of the 2013 documents?

Thanks for your help!

My brother (principal applicant) and his family (wife and 2 sons) had their medical exam at St. Lukes last Monday (Nov. 10). After the chest X-rays, his wife was instructed to undergo the sputum test/culture for three consecutive days next week. My brother and nephews are all clear and received their CD's after the tests.

Questions:

• Should they cancel their interview (scheduled for Nov. 24) or proceed without his wife? Is it possible for the wife to have a separate interview without the principal applicant after the sputum test results are released?
• St. Lukes indicated they will not cancel or reschedule the interview for them. Did they change their procedures? How many days before the interview can they cancel? Can they reschedule it without getting the results of the sputum culture? What's the best way way to cancel and reschedule the interview (phone, website, etc?)
• My sister-in-law was told the results of the sputum culture will be released on Jan. 1 (approx 6 weeks after the samples are taken). Is this possible knowing it normally takes 8 weeks for the test to be completed?
• If their interview is pushed back to early next year, do they have to get their sponsor's 2014 ITR and W2 instead of the 2013 documents?

Thanks for your help!

My brother (principal applicant) and his family (wife and 2 sons) had their medical exam at St. Lukes last Monday (Nov. 10). After the chest X-rays, his wife was instructed to undergo the sputum test/culture for three consecutive days next week. My brother and nephews are all clear and received their CD's after the tests.

Questions:

• Should they cancel their interview (scheduled for Nov. 24) or proceed without his wife? Is it possible for the wife to have a separate interview without the principal applicant after the sputum test results are released?
• St. Lukes indicated they will not cancel or reschedule the interview for them. Did they change their procedures? How many days before the interview can they cancel? Can they reschedule it without getting the results of the sputum culture? What's the best way way to cancel and reschedule the interview (phone, website, etc?)
• My sister-in-law was told the results of the sputum culture will be released on Jan. 1 (approx 6 weeks after the samples are taken). Is this possible knowing it normally takes 8 weeks for the test to be completed?
• If their interview is pushed back to early next year, do they have to get their sponsor's 2014 ITR and W2 instead of the 2013 documents?

Thanks for your help!

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Oh yeah, definitely cutting it close. I will only resched it if I have the medical results already, so from there will do plan B if it won't work. Will stick to plan A first since I really want to spend Christmas in the US as fiance and his family are very excited already to spend Christmas with them. The next early sched will be on December already and spending Christmas with them would not be possible, I guess.

About your sis in law's interview, there are some who actually did that (went to interview without the principal) due to the sputum exam. Maybe try to call or email slec and ask them or the embassy?

I hope you clear your medical exams (including sputum test) next week so you can do the interview on the 24th. It's actually the same interview date as my brother and his family so you might see them there

St. Luke's staff actually told my sister-in-law she has to reschedule her interview because of the sputum test, but my brother and their sons can proceed with theirs as scheduled. We are not sure how difficult it will be to do that (having separate interview dates). Can she call the embassy to cancel just her appointment without cancelling the entire family appointment altogether? Can she do it online?