I-693 - Seeing a Civil Surgeon

[shainawalker 0]

I'm a little confused and would greatly appreciate the help.

I am marrying this Friday June 24th 2016, and I was gathering everything to send off for my AoS (I arrived to the States on a K1 visa).

I have just rang around some medical centres with civil surgeons which I found on the USCIS website, and all of them are telling me that I will need a TB vaccination if I have not had in the last year, and one centre told me I would have to have my bloodwork done again if I have not had it done in the past 6 months (for reference, I had my medical examination and DS 3025 filled out Dec 1st 2015).

I explained to them what I have read on the pinned post about the I693 form and the AoS Guide for K1s - which is that I do not need anything doing except having the form signed off by a civil surgeon as I will be sending my AoS forms off within a year of my London medical exam - however I am being told by everyone that I will need a TB vaccination at least and so I am now confused as to what I actually need done.

Also, is it best to wait until I am on my (soon-to-be) husband's medical insurance before I go in for this, as will this affect the cost?

Thanks for the help, I would love to get everything sorted and sent off as soon as poss!

Edited June 21, 2016 by shainawalker

[yuna628 9,540]

Hi there,

You were examined at London, Knightsbridge correct? Did they give you a DS3025 at the end of your appointment and did you have all your required shots beforehand or done at Knightsbridge? I don't really know what they mean by TB vaccination...(the BCG is not routinely given in the US, but was often given in the UK). The required shots are TD, MMR, flu (waiver if not in season), chicken pox (waived if you have had chickenpox).

Technically, you don't need to actually send the I-693 with your AOS application, in lieu of this you may send a photocopy of the DS3025 you should have received from Knightsbridge. The problem becomes when you have a case officer who doesn't understand the rules/doesn't understand the DS3025. Many pass through okay, and some don't. Recently, I and others had our DS3025s rejected for whatever reason, and it was at that time we sought out a civil surgeon to transcribe the vaccinations. It was a simple process that took ten minutes and $30. K1s are NOT required to have another examination. IF for some reason you did not obtain all your vaccinations BEFORE you completed your K1 process and this is reflected in your DS3025, then yes, you will need to seek out a civil surgeon who will complete the vaccinations only and the I-693 vaccination supplement should be included.

Civil surgeon offices can be very much uninformed about the K1 process, so it's important to find one that can help you. Try searching through this thread to see if there is a civil surgeon that may be able to help. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

In general a visit to a civil surgeon is not coverable by insurance companies.

Edited June 21, 2016 by yuna628

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Why are you needing to see a civil surgeon? What vaccinations were not included at your K-1 exam and marked off on your DS-3025?

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

They mean the TB skin test to determine if you have tuberculosis. Civil surgeons perform that first and later x-Ray only if the red dot on your arm swells to 5 mm or whatever. It's part of the full exam. OP was cleared of TB with a chest x-Ray and does not need what he is calling a "TB vaccination". Finding someone who will skip the exam part is a challenge.

[shainawalker 0]

You were examined at London, Knightsbridge correct? Did they give you a DS3025 at the end of your appointment and did you have all your required shots beforehand or done at Knightsbridge? I don't really know what they mean by TB vaccination...(the BCG is not routinely given in the US, but was often given in the UK). The required shots are TD, MMR, flu (waiver if not in season), chicken pox (waived if you have had chickenpox).

I have my DS3025 and had all my vaccinations were up to date so I didn't have any done at Knightsbridge.

Civil surgeon offices can be very much uninformed about the K1 process, so it's important to find one that can help you. Try searching through this thread to see if there is a civil surgeon that may be able to help. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

Thanks for this link!

In general a visit to a civil surgeon is not coverable by insurance companies.

Thanks for your help!

Why are you needing to see a civil surgeon? What vaccinations were not included at your K-1 exam and marked off on your DS-3025?

According to the AoS guide on here I need a civil surgeon to sign off on my I693.

[shainawalker 0]

They mean the TB skin test to determine if you have tuberculosis. Civil surgeons perform that first and later x-Ray only if the red dot on your arm swells to 5 mm or whatever. It's part of the full exam. OP was cleared of TB with a chest x-Ray and does not need what he is calling a "TB vaccination". Finding someone who will skip the exam part is a challenge.

Okay great, I was looking on the list of vaccinations and I couldnt see my TB one, but I remember my xray scan and have the CD ROM of it too. Thanks!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I have my DS3025 and had all my vaccinations were up to date so I didn't have any done at Knightsbridge.

According to the AoS guide on here I need a civil surgeon to sign off on my I693.

Knightsbridge would not have given you shots because you are a K1 and zero shots would still get you a visa. But if you can look at your DS-3025 and see that all are there, you don't have to go to a civil surgeon now. There is a pinned thread in this forum explaining what should be there.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Off topic, but just because I find this sort of thing interesting...

Squinting at your avatar and making a guess, you're maybe of an age that you had a TB jab when you were a kid at school like I did. It's what they called a "BCG vaccine" - nasty one that leaves a red bump on the upper arm in most people. I believe they stopped doing them routinely in school-aged kids.

(Confirm - they stopped in 2005)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BCG_vaccine#Usage

Edited June 22, 2016 by lost_at_sea