No Vaccination Records for K-1 Visa Medical

[Maya_Jahann 11]

My K-1 visa has already been approved, and I’m preparing for the medical exam in India. I’m 24 years old, but I don’t have any childhood vaccination records, and I haven’t received any adult vaccines either.

 

I’m worried that getting all required vaccines on the day of the medical exam will be expensive and stressful.

 

Could someone please advise:

 

1. Which vaccines are actually required for the K-1 visa medical exam?
2. Has anyone been in a similar situation without records—what’s the best way to handle it?
3. Is it better to start vaccines in India before the medical exam to save costs and avoid stress?

 

Any advice or personal experiences would be really helpful.

 

Thank you!

[TBoneTX 47,941]

3.  Absolutely!!!

 

2.  Consult your family about what vaccinations you got.  Go to your family medical clinic, with parent or older relative if possible (as a witness or validator).  Have the clinic reconstruct a vaccination record with at least the approximate year, or month/year.  Get TWO originals of this list, on their letterhead with their stamp.  Keep one list for yourself, and plan to use the other for the medical.  As you get additional vaccinations, have the personnel update both lists.  You should be in good shape for the official medical.

 

1.  Lists are on VJ (you'll find them).  At least the flu vaccine is seasonal; if you have time, get it in late September or the first week in October for maximal protection during flu season.

 

Let us know if the above advice helps.

 

Your visa has been approved pending the medical exam?  Please clarify.

[appleblossom 4,902]

57 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Your visa has been approved pending the medical exam?  Please clarify.

From previous posts, I think that the OP means their petition has been approved - they haven’t applied for the visa yet. 

[TBoneTX 47,941]

3 hours ago, appleblossom said:

their petition has been approved - they haven’t applied for the visa yet. 

Aha -- effective research is crucial.

OP, let us know whether you try the suggestion, and, if so, tell us how it went.

[Maya_Jahann 11]

On 8/30/2025 at 4:29 AM, TBoneTX said:

3.  Absolutely!!!

 

2.  Consult your family about what vaccinations you got.  Go to your family medical clinic, with parent or older relative if possible (as a witness or validator).  Have the clinic reconstruct a vaccination record with at least the approximate year, or month/year.  Get TWO originals of this list, on their letterhead with their stamp.  Keep one list for yourself, and plan to use the other for the medical.  As you get additional vaccinations, have the personnel update both lists.  You should be in good shape for the official medical.

 

1.  Lists are on VJ (you'll find them).  At least the flu vaccine is seasonal; if you have time, get it in late September or the first week in October for maximal protection during flu season.

 

Let us know if the above advice helps.

 

Your visa has been approved pending the medical exam?  Please clarify.

As i mentioned i have not taken any adult vaccinations , and yes my visa is approved soon pending for medical exam.

[TBoneTX 47,941]

2 hours ago, Maya_Jahann said:

As i mentioned i have not taken any adult vaccinations

Your family can help reconstruct a list of childhood vaccinations.

[rbv_shard 16]

On 8/29/2025 at 3:14 PM, Maya_Jahann said:

1. Which vaccines are actually required for the K-1 visa medical exam?

Here is the official list (USCIS links to it):  https://www.cdc.gov/immigrant-refugee-health/hcp/civil-surgeons/vaccination.html#cdc_generic_section_10-table-1-vaccine-requirements-according-to-applicant-age-for-civil-surgeons

The 18-64 years column applies to you.

 

If you cannot find records of childhood Tdap vaccination, then you need at least 3 doses spaced out over a few weeks.  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/adult-notes.html#note-tdap

Edited September 1 by rbv_shard

[Starnexus 18]

For a K-1 medical, the panel physician follows the CDC Technical Instructions. There isn’t a “menu” you can pick from it’s age-based requirements. At 24, they’ll look for things like MMR, varicella, Tdap, influenza (if in season), and possibly hepatitis B. If you don’t have records, the doctor will assume you’re unvaccinated and either test for immunity or administer the shots.

 

Two practical points:

 1. Yes, you can start locally. If you can get MMR, Tdap, varicella, etc. at a government clinic in India, it’s often cheaper than paying U.S. panel physician rates.

2. Don’t stress about completeness. You don’t need to have every series finished before the visa just documented as “started” or immune.

Plenty of applicants show up with no records; it’s common. The key is either bringing proof of doses you do get beforehand or being ready for the panel physician to update everything during the exam.

[Nagpetisyon 2]

I have been told that the applicant can show up for the medical in country missing many immunizations, and the physician can pass them along without the mssing shots to get the K-1 granted and let the applicant get the remaining series done in the USA as part of the Adjustment Of Status process.

Can anyone speak about this, specifically for Philippines?

[OldUser 10,406]

2 hours ago, Nagpetisyon said:

I have been told that the applicant can show up for the medical in country missing many immunizations, and the physician can pass them along without the mssing shots to get the K-1 granted and let the applicant get the remaining series done in the USA as part of the Adjustment Of Status process.

Can anyone speak about this, specifically for Philippines?

This is the most expensive and inconvenient option. Why go this route?

Most of the times getting vaccines in the US costs substantially more. Plus many civil surgeons will demand doing the whole exam in the US costing sometimes as much as $500-800 out of pocket 

[Nagpetisyon 2]

I would be happy having my fiance get vaccinated in the Philippines, but do not know if that would change the medical exam into a multiple visit experience in which we should plan more than a few weeks before the embassy interview date. Appreciate any comments from those who have Philippine exam experience where the applicant had vaccines missing from the requirements at the time of their medical.

[OldUser 10,406]

5 minutes ago, Nagpetisyon said:

I would be happy having my fiance get vaccinated in the Philippines, but do not know if that would change the medical exam into a multiple visit experience in which we should plan more than a few weeks before the embassy interview date. Appreciate any comments from those who have Philippine exam experience where the applicant had vaccines missing from the requirements at the time of their medical.

You get all missing vaccines at once, whatever is age appropriate 

Edited yesterday at 05:27 AM by OldUser