Medical Exam at SLEC - Question Regarding Timeline

[marryingparis 3]

Hello people!

After a looong wait, we've finally received our NOA2. Woohoo!

Now I need advice regarding the medical exam.

I've read that the Philippine USEM recommends that the medical be done 7-10 days before the interview. Now I know it says "recommends," but is this actually a requirement? Will a medical exam performed, say, a month prior to the interview date be invalid?

The reason I ask is that I stumbled upon a comment here on VisaJourney stating that this man's fiancé had scars on her arm from slashing her wrists several years back. She was required to come back and see either another doctor on a date much later than her scheduled interview, forcing her to reschedule her USEM interview.

Now, here's the situation:

- I was diagnosed with clinical depression three years ago. I have a LOT of scars on my left forearm from cutting myself (as a coping mechanism, not suicide attempts). I am on antidepressants and see my psychiatrist at St. Lukes BGC on a regular basis.

- My fiancé and I are planning on scheduling my interview for March 2016, as he will be here for three weeks. He would like to accompany me to the interview.

- I plan on talking to my psychiatrist about this visa situation so that she could write me an evaluation letter or something else that I can then present to the folks at SLEC. But I'm concerned that despite coming prepared with whatever my doctor gives me, SLEC would still ask me to come back on a later date to come and see their own psychologist or psychiatrist.

So I would really prefer to go and have my medical exam done at least a month before my scheduled interview so that if they end up asking me to come back for a psych eval or whatever, I can still make it to my original interview date and have my fiancé with me.

I'd appreciate your input!

[leisli 15]

it will still be valid a month prior to the interview date.

BUT it is really recommended to come near the date of the interview, the medical that st lukes performs has a 6 month validity as I have understood (please VJers correct me if i am wrong),

so you might want to take advantage of that to use for your AOS or else take a new medical exam in the US w/c is really expensive.

I think the plan for you to get a medical certificate is good you might want to bring 5 copies of that during your medical.

[Tahoma 2,298]

1. You can do an early medical.

2. You will have to return to St. Luke's to have a chat with the psych doctor.

3. Your fiancée visa will be valid for six months from the date you began your medical. You must enter the U.S. within that time frame.

4. You won't have to complete another medical in the U.S. if you file to adjust your status in a timely manner.

[marryingparis 3]

Thanks so much for the input! I didn't take into consideration that the medical is also needed for the AOS. And I definitely didn't think of bringing multiple copies of the medical certificate. Thanks a bunch.

it will still be valid a month prior to the interview date.

BUT it is really recommended to come near the date of the interview, the medical that st lukes performs has a 6 month validity as I have understood (please VJers correct me if i am wrong),

so you might want to take advantage of that to use for your AOS or else take a new medical exam in the US w/c is really expensive.

I think the plan for you to get a medical certificate is good you might want to bring 5 copies of that during your medical.

I figured they would ask me to come back to see their psychologist. Thank you for your input!

1. You can do an early medical.

2. You will have to return to St. Luke's to have a chat with the psych doctor.

3. Your fiancée visa will be valid for six months from the date you began your medical. You must enter the U.S. within that time frame.

4. You won't have to complete another medical in the U.S. if you file to adjust your status in a timely manner.

[Tahoma 2,298]

I didn't take into consideration that the medical is also needed for the AOS.

For adjusting status, the medical is valid for one year from the date of the medical.

[marryingparis 3]

It is? Well it would be great if that were the case. I was getting stressed with all the time crunch, trying to meet all these deadlines.

Thanks for the information.

For adjusting status, the medical is valid for one year from the date of the medical.

[Tahoma 2,298]

Normally, St. Luke's will schedule you to see the psych doctor within about a week or so. However, lately I noticed one or two VJers said they were scheduled to see the psych doctor in one month. You may want to take that possibility into account.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K1 Progress to Phil. Regional Forum~

~Inquiry is country-specific~

[Hank_ 9,174]

Hello people!

After a looong wait, we've finally received our NOA2. Woohoo!

Now I need advice regarding the medical exam.

I've read that the Philippine USEM recommends that the medical be done 7-10 days before the interview. Now I know it says "recommends," but is this actually a requirement? Will a medical exam performed, say, a month prior to the interview date be invalid?

The reason I ask is that I stumbled upon a comment here on VisaJourney stating that this man's fiancé had scars on her arm from slashing her wrists several years back. She was required to come back and see either another doctor on a date much later than her scheduled interview, forcing her to reschedule her USEM interview.

Now, here's the situation:

- I was diagnosed with clinical depression three years ago. I have a LOT of scars on my left forearm from cutting myself (as a coping mechanism, not suicide attempts). I am on antidepressants and see my psychiatrist at St. Lukes BGC on a regular basis.

- My fiancé and I are planning on scheduling my interview for March 2016, as he will be here for three weeks. He would like to accompany me to the interview.

- I plan on talking to my psychiatrist about this visa situation so that she could write me an evaluation letter or something else that I can then present to the folks at SLEC. But I'm concerned that despite coming prepared with whatever my doctor gives me, SLEC would still ask me to come back on a later date to come and see their own psychologist or psychiatrist.

So I would really prefer to go and have my medical exam done at least a month before my scheduled interview so that if they end up asking me to come back for a psych eval or whatever, I can still make it to my original interview date and have my fiancé with me.

I'd appreciate your input!

You got it ALMOST correct as to what the embassy states. They say AT LEAST 7-10 days before the interview, so doing it a month early is not an issue.

And yes you will have to complete an evaluation if you have scaring, maybe because your psychiatrist is at St. Luke's already you have that easily covered.