Hidden cost of processing a K1 Visa

[PWB 213]

You are correct.  We submit another I-693 with our AOS.  So you could say there was 3 separate actions. 

[Loren Y 2,732]

On 5/18/2022 at 12:57 PM, Scandi said:

I believe you have to have a certain program to even see what's on the CD anyway, something us regular people don't have. So the CD is useless either way

99% of all medical CD's for MRI's . X-rays, scans, whatever, come with the appropriate software on the disk to read the images and notes. This is just for reference for anyone reading. Due to the fact that there are 3-4 large medical programs in use, and many other small ones, I have yet to receive or see a CD from any imaging or doctors office that doesn't include the software to read it. I have a drawer full of disks I have collected, and I am able to view all of them. Including the one from Thailand my wife got with her Medical exam for the K1 with the chest x-ray on it.

[K1visaHopeful 2,662]

On 5/19/2022 at 8:10 PM, PWB said:

You are correct.  We submit another I-693 with our AOS.  So you could say there was 3 separate actions. 

Another I693?

 

The overseas medical exam is completed by a Panel Physician (not CiviL Surgeon) and is recorded on the DS302X series of forms.

Your panel physician is required as their obligation held as a civil surgeon to provide you with a personal copy of your DS3025 vaccination worksheet while the rest of the DS302X form is sealed in your visa packet or recorded electronically for visa categories with electronic visas.

An I693 cannot be completed by a panel physician overseas. 

 

The medical exam record completed in the US by US Civil Surgeons is called an I693. A US Civil Surgeon cannot use the DS302X series of forms nor can they sign off on an incomplete DS3025 when new vaccinations are given after the overseas medical exam is completed.

They can only transcribe the prior DS3025 and new vaccination record to a new vaccination portion of the I693.

It's rare they will only transcribe though and that's not new nor surprising as they are cash paid doctors who do not take insurance.

 

This is a very common problem that we have helped solve many many many times prior to letting it go as far as you let it. 

Posting your DS3025 when you received it or researching through posts to see what a complete one looks like would have been helpful. 

Posting your RFE would also have been helpful so we could have clarified what was really wrong. 

 

You have unfortunately made some incorrect assumptions about the process so its not fair to put the blame elsewhere. 

 

For others reading, don't let it get this far where you have to spend unnecessary money.

 

Read up FAR ahead on the process so you aren't scrambling at a deadline or when it's too late to fix it.

[K1visaHopeful 2,662]

In fact, you could probably post your RFE here now, and we could likely interprete it.

I have a gut feeling you received the I693 deficiency notice which is not an RFE at all.

You would never get an RFE for an I693 until after your AOS interview. 

[Family 3,479]

I do agree  the I-485 instructions ( all 43 pages ) and I-693 instructions ( 13 pages) are confusing and not DIY friendly…but you DID IT, so kudos to you and I hope you feel a little satisfaction from saving yourself the big costs of legal representation. 
 

As for the Civil Surgeons that refuse to complete a “ partial “ vaccination portion of  I -693 as USCIS clearly instructs , I hope you take the time to lodge a complaint for improper conduct , nothing you can do about the wildly varied pricing because unlike Panel Physicians ( overseas) , these doctors can charge whatever they chose. …but enough improper conduct complaints may insure they abide by their “ designation “ contracts. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-c-chapter-4

 

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-693instr.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PWB 213]

7 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

In fact, you could probably post your RFE here now, and we could likely interprete it.

I have a gut feeling you received the I693 deficiency notice which is not an RFE at all.

You would never get an RFE for an I693 until after your AOS interview. 

RFE no doubt.  Clearly stated as such.

[PWB 213]

We have little doubt that we were played by the CS, but the reality of the situation is you are so thankful to get the past behind you and move on with your life you don't take the time, and you should, to correct the situation.

[K1visaHopeful 2,662]

40 minutes ago, PWB said:

RFE no doubt.  Clearly stated as such.

Look I get it...you want to vent.

But I'm telling you, the majority of the time it's because we messed up or didn't understand the process.

Your full disclosure with conclusion/ remedy from us could help others.

I understand if you don't want to do that however this thread is quite useless to others then as your situation has not been made clear and explained away with assumptions. 

We can help or we can post a warning to take your story with a grain of salt as to that's not what really happened (and by really happened meaning you have not been able to explain it well with evidence) so others please don't stress about what happened to this member. 

[PWB 213]

2 hours ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Look I get it...you want to vent.

But I'm telling you, the majority of the time it's because we messed up or didn't understand the process.

Your full disclosure with conclusion/ remedy from us could help others.

I understand if you don't want to do that however this thread is quite useless to others then as your situation has not been made clear and explained away with assumptions. 

We can help or we can post a warning to take your story with a grain of salt as to that's not what really happened (and by really happened meaning you have not been able to explain it well with evidence) so others please don't stress about what happened to this member. 

I have fully, and correctly,  explained the RFE, for privacy reasons I will not post the RFE.  Have no axe to drive in this matter.  If you have read all my posting on this matter you will see that I fully explained the RFE.   As far as remedy I think we need to be aware of the importance of medical records.   You are starting to sound like I am lying and trying to create despair amongst the readers.  That is not my intention and if you knew of the problems caused by trying to comply with the RFE you would understand .  Yield to the expert. 

[Joyoussinger 1,410]

8 minutes ago, PWB said:

I have fully, and correctly,  explained the RFE, for privacy reasons I will not post the RFE.  Have no axe to drive in this matter.  If you have read all my posting on this matter you will see that I fully explained the RFE.   As far as remedy I think we need to be aware of the importance of medical records.   You are starting to sound like I am lying and trying to create despair amongst the readers.  That is not my intention and if you knew of the problems caused by trying to comply with the RFE you would understand .  Yield to the expert. 

I think @K1visaHopeful is trying to do the opposite and create hope among the readers and help anyone reading this thread to navigate similar issues without the confusion an RFE can cause. Posting the RFE, with personal information redacted of course, would help. You're certainly not compelled to do so, but please understand the reason for having been asked.

[PWB 213]

3 hours ago, Joyoussinger said:

I think @K1visaHopeful is trying to do the opposite and create hope among the readers and help anyone reading this thread to navigate similar issues without the confusion an RFE can cause. Posting the RFE, with personal information redacted of course, would help. You're certainly not compelled to do so, but please understand the reason for having been asked.

I posted so much information about the RFE I thought it was understandable and that is based on the responses I received from others. For someone to argue that it was not an RFE and on top of that say that  I made a mistake in understanding the processing requirement is not accurate.  Once again I will go over the RFE.  It  initially stated that a vaccination was missing and  then in the fourth paragraph I am told that I must submit a new I-693.  I called USCIS and read them the RFE and their response was to only get the missing vaccination.  The only provision for submitting the missing vaccination was to submit a new I693  signed and sealed by a CS.   The CS would not submit the I-693 with only the missing vaccination.  The results were the completion of a battery of vaccinations and a chest x-ray was done in order to submit the I-693.  If someone is confused about the RFE then join the club because so was I.   Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but does not work for someone having to comply with USCIS suspense dates.    

[Joyoussinger 1,410]

24 minutes ago, PWB said:

I posted so much information about the RFE I thought it was understandable and that is based on the responses I received from others. For someone to argue that it was not an RFE and on top of that say that  I made a mistake in understanding the processing requirement is not accurate.  Once again I will go over the RFE.  It  initially stated that a vaccination was missing and  then in the fourth paragraph I am told that I must submit a new I-693.  I called USCIS and read them the RFE and their response was to only get the missing vaccination.  The only provision for submitting the missing vaccination was to submit a new I693  signed and sealed by a CS.   The CS would not submit the I-693 with only the missing vaccination.  The results were the completion of a battery of vaccinations and a chest x-ray was done in order to submit the I-693.  If someone is confused about the RFE then join the club because so was I.   Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but does not work for someone having to comply with USCIS suspense dates.    

I agree. Hindsight doesn't help at the moment you are dealing with something, but it can help others as they begin to deal with it. I realize you posted just to tell us your experience so those following in the same experience will be prepared. However, your experience was unusual and confusing and the members here asked questions so we could all try to understand. That's necessary in a forum in which members help each other. You came here in that spirit, I know, and that's so appreciated!

As for your experience, it would have been wonderful if you could have avoided the unnecessary hassle and expense you went to. Maybe your experience will help someone else. I hope the rest of your journey goes well. 

[Redro 4,599]

7 hours ago, PWB said:

I posted so much information about the RFE I thought it was understandable and that is based on the responses I received from others. For someone to argue that it was not an RFE and on top of that say that  I made a mistake in understanding the processing requirement is not accurate.  Once again I will go over the RFE.  It  initially stated that a vaccination was missing and  then in the fourth paragraph I am told that I must submit a new I-693.  I called USCIS and read them the RFE and their response was to only get the missing vaccination.  The only provision for submitting the missing vaccination was to submit a new I693  signed and sealed by a CS.   The CS would not submit the I-693 with only the missing vaccination.  The results were the completion of a battery of vaccinations and a chest x-ray was done in order to submit the I-693.  If someone is confused about the RFE then join the club because so was I.   Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but does not work for someone having to comply with USCIS suspense dates.    

I believe your issue is one that comes up frequently for those going through adjustment from work/student and tourist visas. 

There are some civi surgeons who want to charge the full price for the medical. 

They are not interested in titre tests or looking to accept vaccines from other medical centers. 

Common advice on VJ is to shop around and find a civil surgeon who is more amenable to conducting a less intense medical exam. 

It appears your first medical (in Manila) was lost and you had to conduct a second medical for the K1 visa. And to compound to your frustration, you were unable to find a civil surgeon willing to update the medical for AOS. The majority of K1 applicants do not have to undergo 4 medicals. Your case is an outlier but... 

 

Your post is a really good PSA. There are some hidden costs involved in the K1 visa process (and the CR1/IR1 process). 

And one hidden cost might be the medical if records are lost, if the interview happens after a certain date, and if another medical is required and the civil surgeons in your area are only interested in charging the full price. 

[Quell 3]

On 5/3/2022 at 5:39 PM, PWB said:

Recently we were knocked backwards on the processing of our Adjustment of Status.  As you are aware the initial cost for the processing of the AOS  is $1225.00 USD.  What is not as well known is the cost  of processing the I-693, that document, which is seldom discussed here on VJ,  proved to be very costly,  We originally paid in excess of $450,00 for the first I-693, but to our surprise after our AOS interview we receive a  poorly written RFE requiring that we submit a new I-693.  This second I-693 cost over $850.00.   Not only the money, but up to a 90 day delay in processing the AOS.  All of this through no fault of our own.  When you are wondering if a K-1 is for you, or a CR-I would work better you need to consider the cost and frustration of K-1 processing.

Why do u need i693?? Your fiance medical is valid for one year in his or her country so what exactly are you saying??

[K1visaHopeful 2,662]

5 minutes ago, Quell said:

Why do u need i693?? Your fiance medical is valid for one year in his or her country so what exactly are you saying??

Please do not follow this post.

It is full of confusing information that the OP has not made clear after we have asked so that others (like you) would not be confused.