HELP me please

Same happened to us but only took DHS 1 day to verify my husband's info, he got his SS card in one week.

How did you know that it took DHS only 1 day to verify? How can we check that?

So my fiance and i went to the local social security office to aplly for a number for myself, and long story short, i was told that they couldnt find anything about me being a k1 even though i have a visa stamped on my passport. The people at immigration did not list me on there as a k1 in fact nothing was listed on my "file" or w.e. so i wojld have to wait months to get my visa they said. Has anyone ever been in this situation?

Oh and we went there 2 weeks after my POE

Hi AL & JM.. Thanks again for the replies.. I already contacted the people at AIRSPEED and was unable to speak to the person u were referring, however I spoke to Nancy and she sent me requirements that were needed for pet travel. One more thing, do I need any documents to show at the immigration in the United States when my dog gets there or when I'm going to pick him up from there?

No, you will not need any extra documents to show them. The documents that you need to give Airspeed such as vaccination card, health certificate and vet certificate, will accompany your dog. Either they will forward it to Delta and they will handle it themselves or they will attach it to the kennel. When you get to your destination to claim your dog, they would have already cleared it with customs. If they have not, they will give you a copy of everything they have of your dog (i.e copies of all the required documents you have already submitted) and they will tell you to go to customs in person to get it stamped.

Wow, that is insane! I hope we don't have to go through something like that. I am glad that you were approved. Congratulations!

Thank you. My son's case was a primary complex cause he was just a yr old then, it was treated though, however you mentioned that St Luke won't consider outside test or findings other than the test they are going to do....would this mean we have to wait for 2-3 months and re schedule our interview date if we already have?And so the request for expedite would also be of no use..;(

Yes, they will decide based on their own findings. You will have to reschedule if your son will need a sputum test done. I think that you can still expedite it but the visa will not be issued without the final medical result from St. Lukes. So you can go with your interview and your son may pass it but they will give him a 221g i.e put him in administrative processing until they get that medical result.

Did you undergo medication at st. Lukes after they found you TB positive. If you were cleared at st. Luke's then, you have just to transcribe your I-693.if you undergone TB medication at st. Lukes, then you need follow up for your treatment here.let's wait for those who have same case as you have.

The OP is not from the Philippines. The Pakistan embassy most likely endorses a different hospital and not St. Luke's. St. Luke's is for the Philippines.

The selfishness of your posts continues to be alarming.

All you seem to care about is passing the USA visa requirement. I on the other hand am focusing on the OPs personal health. A medical Doctor prescribed the OP a TB regiment = FACT. They just don't place folks on TB regiments until after an XRay indicates otherwise. You're making the Philipines to be a backwards country, it's not, it's a progressive oucntry with seasoned Physicians. OP stopped taking her meds on her own accord = FACT. Gowon recommends, prudently I may add, that OP goes back to her Primary Care Provider and discuss her stoppage of prescribed medications = FACT. You argue otherwise and wants her to just keep on going and potentially spreading the germs = FACT.

" it is crucial that you finish the full course of therapy and take the medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Stopping treatment too soon or skipping doses can allow the bacteria that are still alive to become resistant to those drugs, leading to TB that is much more dangerous and difficult to treat" <<<<------- from a medical source

You are a resoundingly selfish human being

LOL

X ray is the determining method in the UK. And is how they do it at the medical.

It is the same in the US and Philippines.

thank you for the quick response....my son is just 12yrs old...but he has tb when he was a yr old....do you think this will delay everything?

Well, St. Lukes will take xrays. If they find anything, which they will since he had TB apparently, your son will be subject to a sputum test. You will have to wait at least 2 months for the results to come in. I hope that everything works out. Are you sure he did contract TB? or was it just a positive skin test? Please explain the situation a little bit further.

Hence why I always tell peopel to take care of themselves first and foremost and forget about immigration for a minute.

And I also believe that it's a crime in parts of the US to intentionally stop taking prescribed medication for extreme contagious diseases. It at least has civil litigation written all over it.

man-arrested-for-not-taking-tb-medicine/

woman-arrested-after-stopping-tb-treatment

Completing treatment is essential

After a few weeks, you won't be contagious and you may start to feel better. It might be tempting to stop taking your TB drugs. But it is crucial that you finish the full course of therapy and take the medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Stopping treatment too soon or skipping doses can allow the bacteria that are still alive to become resistant to those drugs, leading to TB that is much more dangerous and difficult to treat.

To help people stick with their treatment, a program called directly observed therapy (DOT) is sometimes recommended. In this approach, a health care worker administers your medication so that you don't have to remember to take it on your own.

My source

I don't really care if people jump the immigration line, I don't care if people come in on a tourist visa and adjust. Gowon cares about people not being contagious intentionally.

What you both do not understand is NO ONE in the philippines can get a visa without passing a medical exam. The OP will HAVE to pass the x-ray exam from the embassy's choice of hospital, which is ST. Luke's. Regardless of whether or not the OP resumes medication, if the OP is not in the clear healthwise, the OP will not receive a visa. St. Luke's will examine the OP and if the OP's xray test is positive, the OP will have to undergo a sputum test. The OP will also be given medication. The OP cannot receive a visa at any point without passing an extensive medical examination. Idk what you do in your country but since I have gone through the same process in the same country, I can attest to this.

And as to your previous statement, one can read between the lines. You said "OP, please go back to your primary Physician, get tested and follow through. If not for yourself but for others around you. We'll all be guessing here on VJ, it's only a Doctor who can tell what your status is for sure." You were assuming that the OP has already contracted the disease. The OP has also specified in the previous posts that the xrays were clear. Hence, the OP has been tested and was proven to be clear of TB. It has also been advised that the OP should go back to take a new set of medication. However, it is still a fact that a positive ppd skin test doesn't mean that a person has contracted TB and should not be treated or seen as such. You can argue that however much you want but the way you have spoken about it already demonstrates that you believe that the OP may be diseased. And please, just because I came from the Philippines does not mean that I cannot "comprehend English language as it's written". Perhaps, you should take that advice, as you do not write very well. =)

I wanted to link you a thread but I can't find it.

While others claim you don't necessarily have TB... I recall a thread where the OP's wife's 20 something year old brother had just died. He, like you, stopped taking medicine long ago. He later contracted TB that was drug resistant (from this prior "stopped taking" situation). You have done yourself, and all the healthy people around you, a serious disservice.

I hope this doesn't happen to you. But what you did was EXTREMELY foolish, not to mention selfish because you are not a doctor and you do not know what the final result of your actions will be.

See your doctor, TAKE your medication, and hope you'll be okay. DO NOT lie to immigration doctors.

I would like to say that it is not a claim that we just made up ourselves. I have encountered this scenario many times already (annual medical check up, school admission medical check up, immigration medical check up etc etc) and have been told by competent medical professionals (doctors, nurses etc) the same thing. But we are by no means telling the OP to not take the medication. It has been suggested many times in fact. We say it so as not to cause unnecessary panic and because it is true. The x-ray test must still be performed as it usually is after a positive ppd skin test. X-ray test should also be performed every year. BTW, it doesn't matter if the OP lies. In the Philippines, an x-ray test is a requirement. AND NO ONE gets a visa without passing a rather extensive medical examination.

Sir,

So you mean if they find the person positive from the tuberculin test they will undergo x-ray and 3 day sputum test...and for the 3rd day sputum test result you will hve to wait for 2-3 months?did i get it right?

The reason im asking is, me and my son is waiting for our papers at NVC to be processed and completed and my husband is planning to hve it expedited due to medical reason...dilemma is my son had tb case when he was a yr old due to exposure and underwent 6 months treatment...i don't have the record of it now...would this post a problem?does this mean my son would undergo the 3 day sputum test and we have to wait for 2-3 months?

I would greatly appreciate your response.

thank you

First of all, how old is your son. If he is 18 yrs of age then he will not be needing the skin test. Just the xray. Once they see that the x-ray is clear, then there will be no need for the sputum test. They will only require the sputum test if they find anything unusual from your son's xray. It takes 2-3months for the sputum result. BTW, even if you have the medical record for that, st. lukes WILL NOT HONOR IT. They will only make a decision based on their findings.

Here is something useful for you.

Tuberculin Skin Test - Required for applicants 2-14 years of age

Chest X-ray (CXR) - Required for all adult applicants aged 15 and above, or children who had exposure to TB Cases or history of TB disease

http://www.slec.ph/us-visa-applicants.shtml#required-docs

Please refer to that website for more information. This goes to the OP as well.

Good luck to both of you.

I agree with Bri and Mar. It seems like there are some people here who are feeding you wrong information but what Bri and Mar said is correct. A positive skin test does not necessarily mean you have TB as I have said previously. Since your x-ray came back clear then you should be ok. You can go back to your doctor and ask for another set of medication. However, St. Lukes will not be acknowledging any of your doctor's findings. They will only care about the x-ray test that they will perform on you. St. Lukes will not perform the skin test on you. Only minors will get the skin test from st. lukes. Since I assume that you are an adult then you will undergo an x-ray examination. SPUTUM TEST will be performed by ST.LUKES and this will only be done if your x-ray came back with something unusual. Since your x-ray came back clear, you should not have to go through that. All other advice given here regarding getting sputum test regardless of your clear x-ray is laughable. It would be a waste of time and money since there is no use for it and since St. Luke's will not even honor that sputum test. If I were you, I would wait to see what St. Luke's have to say.

Best of luck to you and I hope you get better information from people who actually know what theyre talking about.

P.S. All the information you need have already been said in this topic.

This.

I'm always amazed of those who put getting to America over their safety, happiness, health, relationship, etc

People come first then the immigration process.

OP, please go back to your primary Physician, get tested and follow through. If not for yourself but for others around you. We'll all be guessing here on VJ, it's only a Doctor who can tell what your status is for sure.

Please, don't say anything unless you actually know what you're talking about. A positive skin test DOES NOT MEAN THAT PERSON HAS TB! Please do your research or talk to your doctor.

awesome job !

Thank you =)

From what I know, as long as his legal presence is valid, for example his i-94 has not expired and he has a pending case, such as AOS, that he should be fine and will not be subject to deportation. =)

Since no one here really offered you a useful answer other than condemning you for not continuing your medication, here is what I can tell you. Having a positive skin test does not necessarily mean that you have tb. It just means that you were somehow exposed to it, as most of the philippine people are. You should have had an x-ray test if you had a positive tb skin test. That will determine whether or not you have TB. Keep in mind that you only get the skin test once!!! The rest of the time you will be undergoing an xray test. In my case, the reason why I had a positive skin test during my teens was because back in middle school I was already tested for it. Once tested you will always get a positive skin test. The nurse did not bother checking my past medical history and still gave me that skin test. You will be given another set of medication, so take them. You should also take that x-ray exam. St. Luke's will take an x-ray for you during your medical exam. AND YES As long as your x-ray is clear, you should have no problems.

Hi Al & JM.. Well, that is what it says in Delta, I still dont know the total amount of shipping and other charges.. What is the breed of your dog? So everything's good for the rabies shots right?

Yes, you should be good with rabies shot. Well if Delta will fly your pet for 200$ then that's good! But be sure to contact the local office. I actually have the contact information for the Delta Cargo company.

Toni Michelle L. Santiago

--------------------------------------------------------

GGB Building Pascor Drive, Paranaque City

DL: +632-852-7360

TL: +632-852-7357 ext.170

Fax: +632-854-1286

Please visit us at www.airspeed.com.ph

I contacted them as well when I thought United Airlines wasn't gunna be able to book my pet. I have an e-mail from her, if you want I can forward it to you. Hopefully, your experience will be better than mine. Toni replies quite fast. She seems reliable.

My dog is a half pomeranian half spitz.

Hi AL & JM.. thanks for the reply, I'm flying through Delta Air.. going from Manila to New York...he is a small dog but 10 lbs heavy so I can't fly him with me in the cabin, I believe it'll cost US$200 in Delta... He just had his rabies shots plus the 5 in 1 vaccine for dogs.. regarding rabies shots, can i still use that even if my flight will be on Dec? I'm confused because it says that the dog should have his shot 30 days before my scheduled flight...

WOW! Just 200$? that's cheap compared to the fare I had to pay. Well, as far as vaccines go you should be able to take your dog with you since your dog is getting the shot more than 30days prior the flight. The 700$ was based on weight,taxes and handling fees.

hi im flying my dog to the US as well.. my dog is a mini pincher.. he may be small but overweight.. did u bring him with in the cabin or as cargo? how much did it cost?

Hi Mikey and Lizzie,

First of all, you can only fly your dog in cabin if it's kennel is small enough to fit under the seat. I think that as long as it is around 10lbs or less, it can fly in cabin. Which airline are you using to ship your pet? and if you are flying to Hawaii there is no way your dog can fly in cabin. I dropped my dog off at the cargo bay and she flew as cargo. She was too big to fit in cabin, and none of the planes I flew on accommodated dogs in cabin. Since I used United Airlines, I paid about 700$ to take my dog with me. United Airlines does charge a bit more because of their Petsafe program. If you want to save money, I recommend using a different airline. Try Delta. If you need anymore help or advice let me know =).

Goodluck!

Hi guys,

I recently brought my dog with me to the US. I had a 24 hour flight and I flew on United Airlines. This guide is to help everyone else who may be wondering how to bring their dog to the US without the hassle of quarantine (NOTE: Hawaii will quarantine your dog regardless of how well you prepare) or a chance of your dog flying back. This may also apply to cats. I hope this helps!

Step 1: Making Sure It's What You Want

Decide whether you really want to bring your dog to the US. Prepare to spend a lot of money. Bringing a dog is not like bringing a check-in baggage. You have to think about whether or not you can take care of your dog once you get there and whether or not you are ready to go through whatever extra processes you have to go through. Keep in mind that your dog's readiness to fly is also important to consider. Some dogs go through separation anxiety and it might be turned away at the airport if it is deemed to be aggressive.

Step 2: Choosing The Right Airline Company

Choose the right airline for you. It is the next step because different airlines have different policies on flying a pet as well as different pricing. I chose United Airlines for their Petsafe program not knowing that it will be more expensive than the rest. So, I spent about 700$ to fly my 10lb dog with me. United Airlines also does not ship pets as checked baggage any longer. In some countries, you might have to contact the local office to get your pet booked.

I sent the pdf Petsafe booking form at petsafe@united.com and I was informed to contact the local office. They gave me the wrong number so be sure to double check for yourself if you are calling the right one. If you booked a flight using a travel agent, you can tell them to inform the airline you chose that you will be bringing a pet with you. They might also provide you with a list of numbers to contact. If you are in the Philippines, Rapid Cargo is the cargo company that works with United Airlines. They will send you a form once you contact them, and they will correspond with the local UA office in the country. The UA local office is very unreliable. Sometimes they won't even pick up the phone. I called to book my pet 1 week in advance and they said that everything should be set once I sent in the form I got from rapid cargo but I never heard anything from them about pricing or confirmation until I raged and called them 3-4 times 2-3 days before my flight. I called them every single day before that. They told me that they needed confirmation from Petsafe since they never got that pdf form that I sent 1 week in advance! So a tip, e-mail petsafe@united.com the pdf form you can get on their website. Then call the local office and ask for someone's email address so you can forward them the e-mail that you sent to petsafe. Be firm with them or they will just sit on their butts and do nothing.

I believe that Delta still ships pets as checked baggage and is a lot cheaper than United Airlines. You can search for that information online to check. Philippine Airlines charges 200%-300%excess baggage rate + extra 100% for additional 10kgs. I suggest not only to look at which airline will fly your pet cheaply but also try to research their quality of service when it comes to handling pets. We don't want our pooches to get treated horribly at our expense!

Step 3: Prepare Your Dog For Flying

Contact the airline company and ask for information on what they require from you if you are taking your dog. You might have to call their local office to check. You can also go on their websites for information. United Airlines and Delta airlines have forms you have to fill up to book your pet. The website will also provide you with information on whether or not they will accept the kind of dog you have. Some airlines do not take short nosed breeds for health reasons. You might also want to check the kennel size that is appropriate for the airline you chose.

United Airlines has a guide on their website on the acceptable shipping kennel sizes. Other websites also offer the same information as well as the type of acceptable kennels. The dog must be able to move freely inside the kennel. For my 10lb dog, I bought a 27x20x19 kennel. You will also need to buy food bowls you can attach inside the kennel. You can even watch videos on youtube on how to prepare your dog for a flight.

The biggest thing you have to do to prepare is to get your pet accustomed to the kennel and being by itself. You don't want your dog barking the entire time it's inside the crate especially once you are at the airport as it might get turned away. Do this at least 1 month in advance. My dog learned pretty quickly. I placed snacks in there and fed her there. You might want to include a t-shirt you slept in inside the kennel so your dog can smell you even when you are away and feel comforted by it. That's what I did. I also brought a calming collar for my dog.

Step 4: Country Requirements

You need to get health certificates, vaccination card and perhaps an exit/export permit from your country. It depends on your country. For the Philippines those are the things we need to ship a pet out of the country. The US requires to see Health Certificates and Vaccination cards proving that your dog is free of rabies and swineworm infection. Take note that the Certificate is only valid for 10 days and that is why this is step 4. While you are getting your dog accustomed to its kennel, you can work on getting the vaccination card from your vet and then get the health certificate at most 5 days before your flight to make room for changes. Don't do it too early because the count starts from the date that is stamped on your health certificate. So if your flight leaves on the 10th of the month don't get the certificate on the 1st day of the month.

Step 5: Final Step

Once you have confirmed that your pet has been booked, the kennel well prepared and the certificates, export permits, vaccination cards have been acquired, then you are ready to take your pet to the US. Bring your dog to the cargo bay or the airport, whichever one applies, pay the fee and say goodbye.

OH! Walk your dog for at least an hour beforehand. Get rid of all its excess energy before the flight so that they just lay down and sleep in the kennel and make less of a fuss when you leave.

I hope that this guide helps everyone interested in bringing their dogs with them to the US! Bon Voyage!

ouch! Time and timing, alas.

Since your flight leaves in the morning, you need to decide if your dog is that important to get on the plane with you, or no.

Sorry, simply smells like a lack of planning, combined with a lack of talking to the right ticket agent .

My flight left at 11pm. I actually got the paperwork done and booked her 1 week in advance which is a reasonable time. I got all her paper work ready. It was not a lack of planning on my part. Since I was flying on United Airlines I used their petsafe program. Since they didn't have an office in the philippines I had to call so many people just to get to the cargo company that works with united. Again I did this all 1 week before. THEY didn't get back to me with anything useful till the day before my flight. I called them everyday and they said they had to check with petsafe...That was the same excuse that I kept getting. Until I finally raged 2-3days before my flight and something actually got done. Anyway, I read that United Airlines changed their policy about pet shipping and they now really do cost a lot more than all the other airlines due to their petsafe program. They have handling fees and all that. My dog's fare cost more than mine. The LESSON is do not use United Airlines' petsafe program! It's way too costly.

If you're shipping your dog on her on then yes. That pricing is about right.

Nope, she went with me

Are you taking him as bagage in the hold on the same flight as you? If so, it should be much less.

If you are shipping him later then yes, it can cost that much.

My dog came with me on the same flight. Apparently, United Airlines does not accommodate dogs as checked baggage anymore. I dropped her off at the cargo bay.

I don't know if this helps, but I paid 200 euro to bring my wife's dog with us in the cargo hold. I prearranged this about a month in advance, and they annotated the dog on my ticket.

Wow which airline was it?

I dont know if I can believe this. I was just given an estimate a day before my flight even after sending in the booking for 1 week in advance and I was told that it would cost almost 40,000php to ship my 10lb dog from the philippines to the US. I've read stories of people shipping 50+lb dogs for much less than that! Is this true or am I being duped? My flight leaves tomorrow!

yes, you can check my timeline by clicking on my name =)

Thanks Lanie. I was able to find metal food bowls that can be attached to the crate door. Hopefully they accept it. I already called united and submitted my pet's booking form. Hopefully everything works out. Thanks guys. If everything works out alright, I think I will post about my experience to help others wanting to bring their pets to the US.