Double-Check Your Vaccinations

[The White Fiance 22]

Today my wife and I drove around a landmine we could never have predicted, so I am sharing it to help other people.

 

The US says it wants immigrants to be vaccinated, and that includes the flu shot. I sent my wife to get everything done, and they recorded her shots on the card they use in Zambia. She didn't have records of her childhood shots because Zambia doesn't give kids records.

 

Later, she visited the place where they do medical exams for immigrants, and they told her Zambia doesn't have flu shots. They said the people at the hospital where she got her shots lied.

 

One of them told her she needed to get new shots and a separate record. She was told that if the interviewer saw a shot record with a fake shot on it, she would be accused of fraud.

 

Now we are out $500 for shots, and she has to get them again. I'm very glad we were warned. We did everything right, and we were still in danger.

[Verrou 1,901]

flu shot only needed during flu season ( october-march). 

[Chancy 6,233]

8 minutes ago, HaroKitty said:

flu shot only needed during flu season ( october-march). 

 

Or April to September for most countries in the southern hemisphere.

 

[bck86 19]

So is the advice here to simply wait until it's time for the medical exam to get any needed shots?

Edited June 19, 2023 by bck86

[Chancy 6,233]

Just now, bck86 said:

So is the advice here to simply wait until it's time for the medical exam to get any needed shots?

 

Flu shots must be taken during flu season at the time of the visa medical.  If the visa medical is not during flu season, flu shots are NOT required as they are likely not available anyway.  All other required vaccinations may be taken before the visa medical, even years before.

 

[The White Fiance 22]

I learned two things from this. First, there are places where people lie about the shots they give you, and second, you can actually be blamed and get in trouble. I never dreamed an applicant could be rejected because of a problem with a simple vaccination.

[Pinkrlion 2,612]

It is not flu season. Not necessaery

[Lemonslice 4,610]

 

Quote

The four “Not Medically Appropriate” reasons for Blanket Waivers are:

[...]

Influenza vaccine not available
Influenza vaccine is required when available in the United States. The influenza vaccine is usually given from fall through early spring in temperate areas and is often not available in the summer months in these regions. If influenza vaccine is not available because it is not vaccination season in the United States, document the “Not flu season” reason.

https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/civil-surgeons/vaccinations.html#anchor_1506438048561

Edited June 19, 2023 by Lemonslice