Worried! Do they ask us for drugs test in the medical exam?

[sammy1978 1]

Hi everyone.

As the title of my post says: are we asked for drug test with the medical exam?

my fiance and i are going to start the k1 visa process this week. Im worried bc i have been reading about people who have got the k1 visa denied for drug abuse.

I have to admit that i do drugs. I use marihuana, about once a day, everyday. I am worried it will be a problem for me.

I quitting smoking right now. but i am worried that they will notice it in the medical exam.

also, do they ask us if we do drugs? bc im reading some people have been asked about that, and even when they said they had smoked long long time ago, they got it denied.

also, that theres a 1-year-ban when u admit u did drugs. is that right?

has any of you passed through this?

i know that i can clean my body from marihuana in a few months. i can do it, but, if they ask me, what if i lie and say i never did it?

i know that we shouldnt lie in the interview, but, if they cant find it in the blood test, they wont need to know wherer i did it or not.

[Pheebs1201 269]

I read elsewhere that they only drug test if you have a history of drug abuse. I don't know if this is correct.

I recommending reading through the threads I posted in response to this thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/530112-london-medical-drug-testing/

It may also be country specific, I do not know.

I wouldn't recommend continuing to smoke either way.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Pheebs1201

[Boiler 45,638]

Varies by Consulate.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Which country are you applying from? Some drug test by default, some only when they know there is a history or suspicion of drug use.

[Pheebs1201 269]

it will help people answer you more easily.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Pheebs1201

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

What country are you from? Some embassies are a lot tougher than others.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Hotter Otter

[HeatDeath 430]

Bear in mind that the worst possible thing you can do is lie about it. If they catch you in a lie while applying for a visa, that's it: denial and lifetime ban with no chance of appeal or amnesty.

Even if you somehow slip through, and they find out that you lied later, after you have your green card, even after you have US citizenship, they can take it all away and send you home. A lie is a cancer growing in your immigration file that can pop up at any time, even years later, and totally destroy you.

Admitting to drug use may get you a temporary ban of a year or a few. But lying will permanently scr*w you over. If they ask you straight up about drug use, for the love of YHVH, tell the truth!

[diane79 14]

Edited January 13, 2015 by diane79

[sammy1978 1]

What country are you from? Some embassies are a lot tougher than others.

Argentina

Which country are you applying from? Some drug test by default, some only when they know there is a history or suspicion of drug use.

Argentina

[GaRaS 10]

Sammy1978, this is only an example what will happen if u admitted for using drugs:

DID YOUR RELATIVE “USE” DRUGS OR VIOLATE PHILIPPINE DRUG LAWS?

By Michael J. Gurfinkel, Esq.

Dear Atty. Gurfinkel:

I am a U.S. citizen and petitioned my husband, who is in the Philippines. When he went for his medical exam at St. Lukes, the doctor asked him if he had ever smoked marijuana. Being honest, he said that when he was in college, he smoked a few times, but it has now been decades since he last used marijuana or any other drugs.

When my husband later went to the US Embassy for his immigrant visa interview, the consul told him that because he had admitted using marijuana, he was now banned for life from ever going to the U.S. I am completely shocked and devastated. My husband and I have 3 children, all born in the U.S. Do you mean that my kids will have to grow up in the US without their father? He was 18 years old when he last smoked marijuana, and is now 45 years old. It was so long ago, and such a minor thing, that I cannot believe he is now banned for life. Is there anything that can be done to help me, my kids, and my husband?

Very truly yours,
E.S.



Dear E.S:

U.S. immigration laws state that a person could be “inadmissible” (or ineligible to go to the U.S.) if he “admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of … a violation of … any law or regulation of … a foreign country relating to a controlled substance …” In other words, if a person merely admits they violated a drug law, they could be inadmissible, even if they were never caught, arrested, charged, or convicted of violating any drug laws. However, the question needs to be asked: which drug law was violated, and what are the essential elements of that law?

In your husband’s case, the law in question is Section 15 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 of the Philippines (“DDA 2002”). Under that law, a person violates the law if he had been “apprehended or arrested, who is found to be positive for use of any dangerous drug, after a confirmatory test...” Thus, to violate Section 15 of the DDA 2002, not only must a person have “used” drugs, but they must also have tested positive for the drug used. It would seem that the Embassy is interpreting the law by focusing merely on the admitted use of a drug, but overlooking the provision that requires that the person must have also tested positive.

(I know that in 2002, there was a court decision, Pazcoguin vs. Radcliffe, which dealt with the issue of a Filipino admitting to drug use. However, the Pazcoguin case was based on an old Philippine law, the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972 (“DDA 1972”). That law has been repealed and replaced by the DDA 2002! While the old law imposed penalties for the “use” of marijuana, the DDA 2002 has now changed that law, and is more lenient, requiring not only the use of drugs, but also testing positive for that use. It could be possible that the Embassy has been relying on the old law, by applying a life time ban for merely admitting drug use, even if the person does not test positive.)

This life-time ban (for merely admitting drug use so long ago) bothered me so much that on a recent trip to Manila, I made it a point to meet with Atty. Cezar Posada, the Legal Officer of the Legal Affairs Division of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) of the Philippines. The DDB is mandated to perform a number of tasks in connection with the DDA 2002 including: formulate, develop, and establish comprehensive, integrated, unified and balanced national drug abuse prevention and control strategy; and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the Act. In other words, the DDB in charge of interpreting and administering the DDA 2002, and Atty. Posada is the former chief, legal division, now consultant. (The DDB would be like the Visa Office in the State Department, which provides legal guidance to the Embassies, and writes the FAM).

Atty. Posada confirmed that the “essential elements” of a violation of Section 15 of the DDA 2002 requires both the use of drugs AND testing positive after confirmatory test. If the person does not test positive, then the law is not violated, as there would be NO hard evidence to show possible violation of Section 15.

Atty. Posada further noted that the Philippines changed its drugs laws from the 1972 version (which criminalized the mere use of drugs) to the present version, because drug dependency is viewed more of a medical issue than a criminal violation. Even if a person tested positive for drug use, the “penalty” for a first offense is a mere 6 month rehab program – not prison or a “life time ban”.

In fact, Atty. Posada was surprised to learn that the Embassy would ban people for life for admitting that, years ago, they may have used drugs, but are now completely drug free. He believed that if a person was now drug free, it should be viewed favorably by the Embassy (since the person has no drug dependency), versus being viewed as a reason to impose a life time ban. (If you think about it, if Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama were Filipino, and were applying for visas, they would also be denied, as they admitted to drug use many years ago!)

I think that this is great news for people who may had been banned for life for admitting drug use, but have not used drugs for years, and were never tested for drugs, or, if tested, never tested positive. To have an official of the Philippine government in charge of that very law confirm that the law requires not only “use” of the drug, but also testing positive as an essential element of a violation of that law, provides new hope for old denials.

If you or somebody you know was banned for life for drug use, but was never tested (or did not test positive), these new developments could provide new hope for them and their chances of immigrating to the U.S. They should seek the advice of a reputable attorney for assistance in dealing with their lifetime ban.

[Boiler 45,638]

The issue is the medical consequences.

[raven52 233]

You could find more information on how to handle your problem, if we knew anything about you.

Where do you live, where is the beneficiary, which are you petitioner of beneficiary.

Where is each of you located now.

I would stop the 'weed' now, if you are the beneficiary, as most countries are different, about their drug policies.

Some are very tuff, some not so tuff.

Good luck on your journey, follow the 'Guides' link on the top of the home page, and learn to double and triple check everything you submit.

[TBoneTX 45,447]

Even if you somehow slip through, and they find out that you lied later, after you have your green card, even after you have US citizenship, they can take it all away and send you home. A lie is a cancer growing in your immigration file that can pop up at any time, even years later, and totally destroy you.

This is the heart of the matter.

[TBoneTX 45,447]

I have to admit that i do drugs. I use marihuana, about once a day, everyday.

i am worried that they will notice it in the medical exam.

i know that i can clean my body from marihuana in a few months. but, if they ask me, what if i lie and say i never did it?

i know that we shouldnt lie in the interview, but, if they cant find it in the blood test, they wont need to know wherer i did it or not.

The OP admits to drug use and is asking about lying about it. Participants in this thread have been condoning this possible action or have not been speaking out against it.

This thread, and several responses in it, violate this tenet in the VisaJourney Terms of Service:

"Condone or instruct, either directly or indirectly, others on how to commit fraudulent or illegal immigration activities in any way, shape, manner or method."

This thread is locked and is not to be restarted. Administrative action has been taken.

TBoneTX

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