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Medical exam @SLEC in Manila - Fiance got sent home

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Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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Hi all, about a month before my fiance's scheduled medical exam she developed some redness in her eyes. She went to an eye Dr. who gave her a prescription for some eye drops and glasses.

Before she goes for the medical she gets what she called a 'medical certificate' from the eye Dr. to take with her. That seemed like a good idea even though the redness was pretty much gone from her eyes by then. She flew from Cebu to Manila, spends the night in a hotel, and goes to the medical the next day. From what I understand she 'passes' the medical but they won't give her a certificate because they can't read the handwritten prescription the eye Dr. wrote. It doesn't have his office number on the paper he wrote it on so they can't call him. The bottom line is she has to fly back to Cebu, get a typed certificate on his official stationery, and then go back to St. Lukes and give them a copy of it before they'll give her the certificate that she passed the medical.

Instead of 3 days off of work, 3 nights hotel cost, and one round trip airfare it will be days off of work, 5 nights hotel cost, and 2 round trip airfares. She said there was a woman that had a prescription for some heart medicine that got sent home too for a similar reason.

We have enough time scheduled before the Consular Interview that this can be handled. I'm sure everything will work out for us. I just want people to know if you go there with a prescription or medical certificate from a Dr., make sure it's typed and on the Dr's office stationery with his phone number and address on it or they probably won't accept it. This will add a lot of time, expense, and frustration that could have been avoided.

Good luck everyone!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

Did she happen to need to be sent money for these additional trips?

November 14th, 2013: She's here!

December 12th, 2013: Picked up marriage license.

December 14th, 2013: Wedding

6gai.jpg

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Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

In hindsight, you're correct she probably shouldn't have mentioned it but she didn't know what to expect at St. Lukes. If they did some super eye exam and found a red tint or something they might have sent her to get it checked out more and she wouldn't have passed that day either. She wanted to be prepared just in case. Before she left she told me she got it from her Dr. and was going to bring it with her and it sounded like a good idea to me at the time too.

Obviously I wasn't with her so I don't know how everything went down during the exam. Just that she ended up showing it to them and it caused a problem because the certificate from the eye Dr. wasn't good enough for them to accept.

Anyway, it's just a cautionary tale if anyone else goes there with a prescription...

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Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

Did she happen to need to be sent money for these additional trips?

They gave her a receipt to show she already paid. She doesn't need to pay again. She just needs to fly back with the new improved medical certificate from the eye Dr. and bring the receipt that shows she already paid

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
Timeline

*** Country-specific thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the Philippines regional subforum. ***

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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If he didn't write it on his official stationery, what sort of paper did he write it on? Just a normal prescription pad without an office address or number?

Edited by iammrsregie
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Vol makes a good point. Do NOT volunteer information!! Do NOT volunteer information!! The only information you are obligated to produce for the authorities is the answer to their questions or the documents requested. Nothing less and nothing more. If you are asked always tell the truth!!

Following this advice is highly recommended from the experiences that we have read over the years and will make the process go smoother and end with happiness..

Spoiler

Adjustment of Status

AOS March 5, 2014 Submitted AOS with EAD/AP package to Chicago USICS

Delivered March 8, 2014 AOS packaged delivered to USCIS drop box

Accepted March 19, 2014 Text message with receipt numbers

Biometrics April 16, 2014 Biometrics completed

EAD May 23, 2014 Employment Authorization Document approved and went to card production

TD May 23, 2014 Travel Document approved and went for card production

Receipt EAD/AP May 30, 2014 Received combo card EAD/AP

Green Card Approved July 11, 2014 Approved, no interview. Went to card production.

Green Card received July 17, 2014 GC received without interview

Removal of Conditions

Mailed I-751 Dec 16, 2015 Submitted ROC (removal of conditions)

Received Dec 18, 2015 USPS notification of successful delivery

Check Cashed Dec 21, 2015 Check was cashed

NOA-1 Issued Dec 21, 2015 NOA-1 for ROC issued

NOA-1 Issued Dec 26, 2015 NOA-1 Received

Biometrics Appt. Jan 29, 2016 Biometrics Appointment Scheduled [Completed]

 

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

All doctors here in the Phils, when they give medical certs, they write it in their personal stationary with complete informations on it. I have kids and i always get medical cert even If its just an outpatient appointment.

Haha. You and I think alike.

Same here :)

Edited by RizandDave

Riz & Dave

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Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

All doctors here in the Phils, when they give medical certs, they write it in their personal stationary with complete informations on it. I have kids and i always get medical cert even If its just an outpatient appointment.

Same here :)

To those who appear to be implying that perhaps my fiance, a woman I love very dearly and have known for many years, and a woman you know nothing about is possibly just a gold digging, skanky, ho out for my money, thank you for your concern. I'll be polite and just say I realize that there are woman like that in the world, and your concern is probably arising from first hand experience, but I can assure you that's not the case.

It is costing extra money which is why I posted this in the first place. So others will know what happened and how to avoid it.

It doesn't matter which of the 7100 islands in the Philippines you live on, if you want a K1 visa to go to the USA the only place the US Embassy will allow you to get an official medical exam done is at SLEC in Manila. You can look it up on the US Embassy website. It seems pretty ridiculous to me that an exam at any other hospital in the Philippines is apparently not acceptable, but like it or not, that's the way it is. Unless you happen to live in Manila or close to it, it costs money and takes time to get there. The exam itself could take up to 3 days and you don't know beforehand whether it will only take 1, 2, or 3 so if you're going to Manila from another island you have to arrange lodging for 3-4 nights just to be safe.

I booked the original flight and hotel for her, and I'll be doing it again for the return trip so it is costing me more money. She is losing money from taking time off of work again. Thankfully we don't have to pay for another medical exam because SLEC gave her a receipt that she already paid, but she does have to spend time tracking down the eye Dr. who has an office in Cebu, and travels throughout the provinces going to local clinics to provide services before she can go back again. In the USA this could all be accomplished electronically and relatively easily, but the Philippines is not the USA. It takes time and effort to do many things we take for granted here.

Prior to needing to have a medical exam done she had never been to Manila, or even flown on an airplane. Going there is a US Embassy requirement, not something she had any desire to do. She doesn't know anyone in Manila and this wasn't a vacation for her. Taking more time off from her job is not something she desired to do. Flying back there and staying at a hotel near the clinic again just to deliver a new medical certificate and hopefully get the certificate from SLEC that she now passed is not something she desired to do. It's all a royal pain.

Lessons learned;

1. Don't volunteer information about any medical things that might be going on in your life. Tell them about it only if specifically asked.

2. If you have a medical condition it probably is wise to bring a medical certificate for it with you if you have one. But make sure it's written so that anyone could read it. It would be preferable if it's typed instead of handwritten. Make sure it has the Dr's full contact information on it. Not just the address like the one she had, but the phone number as well.

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