Medical expired -- advice on vaccination records

[Rose_3001 23]

Hello,

 

On my one-year anniversary of being in the US (today!) I got a notification that my AOS interview has been scheduled. 

 

I'm now just looking for some reassurance/advice before I get the interview date. My medical was done in London in March 2017, and therefore is now invalid as it is over a year old.

 

So as I understand it, it's best to go to the GC interview with a new medical in hand to avoid any further delays. What I want to know is if I also have to get the vaccination record re-done (and if this is a separate cost on top of the medical exam?) And if I do have to get the vaccination record re-done, do I need to bring all the original documents that I took when the medical was initially completed in the UK?

 

Also, I did not get the flu-shot at the time of the first medical. I assume that since it is not flu season currently, I won't need to get this?

Advice much appreciated, thanks!

 

[TNJ17 1,329]

You can still get a flu shot at some clinics if you pay out of pocket. I was under the assumption that if you filed for AOS while your medical was still valid then it doesn’t matter that a year has passed since your medical. If you submitted your vaccinations sheet at the time of aos filling you should be ok. I don’t think you need to bring a new medical, but let more people put in their two cents before you quote me on that. 

[Rose_3001 23]

9 minutes ago, TNJ17 said:

You can still get a flu shot at some clinics if you pay out of pocket. I was under the assumption that if you filed for AOS while your medical was still valid then it doesn’t matter that a year has passed since your medical. If you submitted your vaccinations sheet at the time of aos filling you should be ok. I don’t think you need to bring a new medical, but let more people put in their two cents before you quote me on that. 

Thanks for your reply! I heard before that you can only get the flu shot during flu season or else they don't have it in stock anywhere. 

The info about the medical expiry date seems to be mixed - I think back a few years ago people were getting away without having to re-do it, but threads like this one seem to suggest it has to be re-done if it has expired at the time of your AOS interview. So I think I'll just go ahead and do it for peace of mind. I would like to know about the vaccination records, though, because that isn't information that changes, so it would seem odd to need to get it done again...

[shumway1756 304]

Vaccine records don't typically have an expiration date to my knowledge. The only time they need updating is when a new vaccine needs to be added. Other than that, they're as accurate and valid today as they were when they were last updated. Unless USCIS has some weird rule I don't know about, you should be fine to take what you have and present it as proof of your vaccination status. If you go for a new exam, just take that vaccine documentation with you and I would think they would accept it and make a new note on your updated exam results that you've met all vaccine requirements.

 

If you still have the old documentation from UK then maybe take it with you just to cover your bases.

Edited July 24, 2018 by shumway1756

[AshMarty 360]

Your medical will be valid for one year after you file for AOS. After that one year make has passed it will be considered expired. 

 

If your interview date is after your AOS submission date, you will need a new medical.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-issues-new-policy-form-i-693-report-medical-examination-and-vaccination-record

"Starting June 1, 2014, USCIS will limit the validity period for all Forms I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS."

Edited July 24, 2018 by AshMarty

[Rose_3001 23]

21 minutes ago, AshMarty said:

Your medical will be valid for one year after you file for AOS. After that one year make has passed it will be considered expired. 

 

If your interview date is after your AOS submission date, you will need a new medical.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-issues-new-policy-form-i-693-report-medical-examination-and-vaccination-record

"Starting June 1, 2014, USCIS will limit the validity period for all Forms I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS."

Thanks. I applied for AOS August last year, so the medical may have expired by my interview date and I am planning on re doing it. My main question is around the vaccination document - the info you quoted above would suggest that this becomes invalid one year after submission. But I want to make sure this is the case before paying for a new one.

[AshMarty 360]

7 minutes ago, Rose_3001 said:

Thanks. I applied for AOS August last year, so the medical may have expired by my interview date and I am planning on re doing it. My main question is around the vaccination document - the info you quoted above would suggest that this becomes invalid one year after submission. But I want to make sure this is the case before paying for a new one.

At my local office this happened to a couple of people. 

 

One couple showed up to the interview and were told to get a new medical after the fact (because of it being over the year since filing) and it was small hold up on their case approval. Another couple just brought it to the interview with no delays but it always worked out  

 

Just ask the interviewer to be clear. There was another couple that their medical expired after the interview but before the GC was approved and that was a headache for the couple from  my local office forum. 

Edited July 25, 2018 by AshMarty

[AshMarty 360]

15 hours ago, Rose_3001 said:

Thanks. I applied for AOS August last year, so the medical may have expired by my interview date and I am planning on re doing it. My main question is around the vaccination document - the info you quoted above would suggest that this becomes invalid one year after submission. But I want to make sure this is the case before paying for a new one.

Sorry, my apologies. I didn't read and realize you were asking only about vaccinations. 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-693

 

The I-693 form, in order to be completed needs to have the civil surgeon sign off on your vaccinations as well. I linked the form the civil surgeon will have to complete. 

 

If you have your records on hand from your previous examination or the history of vaccinations, it should cut down significantly on what they will need to supply you with because most vaccines don't expire and if you needed a booster for one of the vaccinations you would have likely received it during your last civil surgeon medical exam for the K1. Hopefully you have your vaccination records on hand  I told my husband to get copies of his during his originally K1 medical because I work in Health Care and have been asked frequently over the years to supply my vaccination records.  

 

Tests such as TB will likely need to be retested because in the US we dont get the vaccine for it, along with STDs testing. This is because those aren't vaccinations but they want to make sure you aren't carrying any diseases into the US (especially if it is treatable). 

 

Good luck! 

 

Edited July 25, 2018 by AshMarty

[Rose_3001 23]

44 minutes ago, AshMarty said:

Sorry, my apologies. I didn't read and realize you were asking only about vaccinations. 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-693

 

The I-693 form, in order to be completed needs to have the civil surgeon sign off on your vaccinations as well. I linked the form the civil surgeon will have to complete. 

 

If you have your records on hand from your previous examination or the history of vaccinations, it should cut down significantly on what they will need to supply you with because most vaccines don't expire and if you needed a booster for one of the vaccinations you would have likely received it during your last civil surgeon medical exam for the K1. Hopefully you have your vaccination records on hand  I told my husband to get copies of his during his originally K1 medical because I work in Health Care and have been asked frequently over the years to supply my vaccination records.  

 

Tests such as TB will likely need to be retested because in the US we dont get the vaccine for it, along with STDs testing. This is because those aren't vaccinations but they want to make sure you aren't carrying any diseases into the US (especially if it is treatable). 

 

Good luck! 

 

Many thanks for the info! I will need to see if I brought the original vaccine records over with me - I didn't think I'd need them after they were all initially checked through for the first immigration medical. I thought that new form would be sufficient going forward, but perhaps not - a lesson on always bringing everything with you! Thanks again.

[AshMarty 360]

Just now, Rose_3001 said:

Many thanks for the info! I will need to see if I brought the original vaccine records over with me - I didn't think I'd need them after they were all initially checked through for the first immigration medical. I thought that new form would be sufficient going forward, but perhaps not - a lesson on always bringing everything with you! Thanks again.

I remember getting really stuck on this part of my husbands submission packet as well because as a K1 filer the original records are sent with the K1 packet and will eventually meet up with AOS packet. I was searching everywhere for my husbands records from his medical.

 

It turns he only kept one sheet from the medical (which had his vaccinations on it because I told him to ask for an extra copy) but the rest of the originals were at immigration.

 

Hopefully you also can track down your vaccination records If you don't they will likely just do titers to ensure you have had the vaccinations in the past and just make sure you keep a copy for yourself after the appointment, if you dont find the records before than