Read this if you admitted to trying marijuana many years ago..

[ammez 5]

Don't read the rest of the forum about it, I did and worried myself SICK. Literally.

 

I admitted to trying marijuana when I was a teenager and subsequently was made to take an observed drug test at the end of my medical. For the last month I have been worried sick that I would be adding another year onto my visa at best and at worst...a complete ban (thanks internet for the scare mongering and my mind for jumping to the worst conclusion haha). Considering how long the process had already taken us it really felt like the end of the world. It didn't help that the London Knightsbridge doctors are AWFUL at communicating. I rang them about 5 times in total regarding my medical. One of the times they informed me they required further information from my gp and I only found this out because I chased them. They hadn't told me in my medical and hadn't contacted me about it, they had just waited for me to contact them. This added about 3 weeks onto my wait time and it would have been worse if I hadn't checked up on them.

 

Anyway, I was told by them that NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. This was their excuse for not communicating. My application was finally sent off 2 weeks after I had my interview. I had passed my drug test and all the other information they had was satisfactory.

 

Today my visa was ISSUED...hooray!

 

So while I did admit to trying marijuana it did not hinder the administering of my visa at all. It did however, cause me to endure a lot of stress despite working hard to not feel that way.  I had been kicking myself for being so honest in the medical but at the same time there is a box they can check on your paperwork that says if they think you are being honest in your answers or not, so ultimately I am glad I was honest with the doctor and didn't lie about it.

 

For anyone else going through the same, try not to worry - I know easier said than done - but times are changing and it's absolutely not a dealbreaker anymore. Best of luck!

[Wuozopo 4,293]

I don't think it was ever a deal breaker if you come up clean in a drug test and have no police records over drugs. Admission of ever using will get you a drug screening in London for sure. A failed screening will get you subsequent screenings that need to show clean over many months and maybe even counseling. But there have been many who blabbed about previous use that got their visa without delay. 

 

Congratulations on getting to the the end of the visa part. 

[geowrian 22,337]

Congrats!

 

A lot of it is up to the physician. Using marijuana is not a ban in itself. However, if they believe there is a health concern / abuse, then expect a bar. Physicians at different facilities are more strict with this than others. Some will refer you to a psychological evaluation, some won't question just a single use, and some are more inclined to go through a mandatory period to verify that you are clean.

 

In the end, the only thing to do is be truthful.

[ammez 5]

4 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

I don't think it was ever a deal breaker if you come up clean in a drug test and have no police records over drugs. Admission of ever using will get you a drug screening in London for sure. A failed screening will get you subsequent screenings that need to show clean over many months and maybe even counseling. But there have been many who blabbed about previous use that got their visa without delay. 

 

Congratulations on getting to the the end of the visa part. 

Yes that's absolutely right. 

 

For me I was extremely worried about failing the test (absolutely no reason why I would have but I have an irrational mind that thinks the worst and was seriously worrying about false positives from NSAIDs) and then having to take drug tests every 3 months. Also the idea of having to reapply for an ESTA because it would count as a visa denial and the issues that would bring with the potential of not being able to see my husband for a year. Ah my brain was a mess. 

[ammez 5]

2 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Congrats!

 

A lot of it is up to the physician. Using marijuana is not a ban in itself. However, if they believe there is a health concern / abuse, then expect a bar. Physicians at different facilities are more strict with this than others. Some will refer you to a psychological evaluation, some won't question just a single use, and some are more inclined to go through a mandatory period to verify that you are clean.

 

In the end, the only thing to do is be truthful.

Thank you!

 

Yes this was exactly what I was worried about and it was unnecessary in my case as someone who hasn't abused drugs. I feel like I had a fairly hard-####### doctor as well, she was quite brash and abrupt throughout the medical with a terrible bedside manner which compounded my worrying.

[Ryan H 3,813]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.