JessicaBlims

6 hours ago, Crowlz said:

No they don’t drug test you. 

How did u know ?

Is drug test included in the standard US medical exam for immigrant application? Or only the basic urine test which is for gonorrhea? 

1 hour ago, NYCruiser said:

I am in the Medical Field....

....No you do not have to disclose the fact that you are HIV Positive (that has been done away with). Your disclosure if entirely voluntary.

.....Yes you can bring in bottles of the medication (not sure how much) however, properly labelled medication bottles in your name are acceptable.

.....No..at the AOS stage, HIV status is not asked.

 

Good luck in your new life....

David

I personally think Panel physician would skip asking for any chronic condition and medications being taken during the medical exam. Would it be an issue of misrepresentation or integrity if chronic condition like hiv wont be disclosed?

Also if OP will be bringing properly labelled meds with prescription and med cert once he landed in US upon in entry in customs immigration officer might inspect for it and validate it from the documents/packet being presented. Will it be questioned that it was not declared during the medical exam and OP brought meds + med cert/prescription? Just a thought.

26 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Yes, the CO looks at a totality of the circumstances to assess the public charge issue. This does include health. But if they are a working-age individual with a work history and/or they have a sponsor that meets that criteria that can cover those costs or add them to the insurance plan, insurance would presumably negate much of this.

The times when it does tend to become an issue is when somebody is sponsoring a parent. Since they won't qualify for most public aid and would need to pay out of pocket or obtain their own insurance (usually in the $1000+/month area) for at least 5 years, this becomes a larger concern. Quite a number of social welfare programs are based upon what you contributed and they will not have contribute enough to ever qualify for those programs.

 

None of this appears to apply to the OP's case, so I wouldn't be concerned.

Impressive assessment. 

6 minutes ago, CatDudes said:

The TB test would have been done regardless according to the French Dr, the scar tissue on Xray was more of an issue in the US at the county department of health office. But either way, I think if you are disclosing status it will generate a TB test on both ends. It was not a nice surprise to experience. The CS in Paris actually didn't cite the shadow in Xray, it was the HIV status itself which prompted the sputum test for TB. 

Hope that helps. I know it isn't 100% definitive because each case is different and so is each Civil Surgeon. It was an ordeal though, felt like we were sucker punched every step of the way. The actual interview was easy as pie though! They barely spoke to the applicant, just took documents and a few related questions and we were done! The medical part was days of trying to get to various offices for tests in absolutely awful winter storm February weather; snow, ice, sleet, you name it our feet were drenched in it! Oh, and a positive on Syphillus somehow, my partner had had it 20 years back and apparently it can resurface even if it is "cured" so that was also a lot of fun arguing in the streets of Paris about that one. 

In the end though, the Residency Card WAS issued and we are happily ever after for the most part, so if you stick through it, and focus on the details and prepare to be stuck without work or pay for a series of months you will be fine. Luckily my partner has family in Portugal so he could stay with them while waiting to get cleared of TB, but then he came home and had to wait two and a half months to get cleared of TB again. The DOH did finally give him a letter clearing him to go back to work based on a blood test they did and the Paris Sputum test, but it definitely struck us off guard when we were told there would be a new series of Sputum testing done. Arguing with them doesn't help either. You want the Greencard, you gotta play the game and pay the fees! 

Ohhh thats indeed a long journey! Glad that you made it through! BTW, when did you have the interview? I read in some blogs and here too that disclosure of HIV status during medical might subject an OP as public charge in the US, which is a very tricky thing and nerve racking ordeal to take when having the interview at the embassy? Is it true?

4 hours ago, CatDudes said:

Oh,  yes,  all that was required. Sputum, xray, syphilis,  gonorrhea tests. There was a little shadow on xray which was just scar tissue in the end which led to the tb testing i guess,  but it was standard for HIV status anyways, they claimed. Basically the guidelines for HIV status are very outdated and won't be updated any time soon with this administration. 

A bit confused about this.

Do you think the additional sputum test was warranted due to the scar which was seen on the Xray which is to rule out TB?

or because its also a SOP if an OP disclosed his/her HIV status although xray is clear?

4 hours ago, carmel34 said:

Good advice to know everything about income and costs of insurance and drugs in the US before you move here.  Every job has different coverage with various plans and different costs associated with everything.  It can be very complicated to understand it all if coming from outside the US where most have government controlled health care for all.  It also depends on where someone lives in the US.  Here in San Francisco there are lots of free clinics for example that treat HIV, so do research before moving as in some places it could be a big expense.

 Can this possibly answered to the CO during the actual consulate interview if ever CO ask OP regarding his/ her resources.

What other recommendations should we provide to an OP so he can easily or somehow convince CO that he/she wont be a future public charge considering the factors of age, health, familty status ,income/resources and skills/education while on consular interview?

or do we think CO wont be questioning OP on this factors but will soley consider his (CO)own evaluation based on his assessment without questioning OP regarding this factors to consider?

5 hours ago, CEE53147 said:

Even if the employer offers insurance, the employee often must contribute to the cost of the insurance as well as deductibles and copays.  OP should investigate the costs on the marketplace.  A larger cost than doctors visits is likely to be that of drugs; whether the drugs are on the plan formulary is a big issue.  Just because one gets a job offer in the US does not necessarily mean that it is a good idea to take it. 

 

Remember too, OP, if you have to take a lot of time off for health care, this can be a major issue with maintaining employment.  Many companies limit "sick leave" and "paid time off".  One place I worked gave 3 days PER YEAR of sick leave before you had to take disability (a major hassle); after that it was out of vacation and if you ran out, you could be terminated for cause.  If you were out more than 3 days, you needed a doctor's note to return to work.  There are no uniform policies dictated by law in my state; I am not familiar with what might be available elsewhere. 

 Per other blogs they say CO will take into consideration some things about the OP when determining if OP would be a public charge in the future: age, health,family status, resources/ assests, skills/ education. As affidavit of support ( still a good and positive factor) but  is no longer sufficient on its own to refute public charge inadmissibility.

what do we need to recommend OP to be ready for , would the CO asked certain measures regarding age, health,family status, resources/ assests, skills/ education to determine if he/she will be candidate for a future public charge? 

If yes, then how to answer the CO regarding this matters?

Just now, JFH said:

Anyone with a credit card with sufficient funds. 

But would it be questioned by consulate if applicant pays for it instead of the petitioner/ employer?

Just to ask who pays for the visa fee bill? 

Reading some blogs that visa fee bill payment can have two options either the principal (applicant)  or the petitioner can pay for visa fee bill.

16 minutes ago, CEE53147 said:

 

 

Not necessarily.  It all depends on the size of the business.

With that being said, is it good to validate with the employer if they will be providing insurance?

i guess that way OP will be ready if ever consulate will be asking about insurance coverage once he/she landed in the US?

30 minutes ago, mimi11 said:

You disclose if asked. HIV is not part of the diseases they ask. 

My cousin applied and they approved his. They are more concerned of communicable diseases such as TB, Measles, Ebola etc

Hmmmmm generally i dont know if the Panel Physician would skip asking OP if he or she has any chronic condition and taking any regular medications on the medical history taking.  

Did the Physician ask your cousin about his/her chronic med history? And did he/she disclose hiv status?

Alright.thank you. 

I believe it is a standard operating procedure to have an xray for TB , blood test for syphillis and urine test for gonorrhea.

i just dont know if the sputum test will still be done if the xray for TB would be negative if ever you disclose the hiv status. 

Anyone can shed a light on this?

Any updates on this?

8 hours ago, Carla V said:

Not an expert, but you should definitely disclose it, more if it’s not longer a disease that would cause a denial in your process ... also, you have to consider the cost of your prescriptions in the US... if you don’t have insurance and sometimes even with insurance the cost of the meds is so expensive...

When you are migrating is normal that some people, if not all, to be checked in the port of entry so they would probably see your meds... check first the number of pills you can bring and mostly if you can bring them into the country (TSA page have some info about it, if not, call the info number or even FDA?!? ) there are prescription medicines you cannot bring to the US at all and others for what you need a prescription and other paperwork. 

 

In my opinion, don’t risk your health without informing you first on how the employment, insurance, cost of treatment would be in the US... if your condition is controlled that well it’s not worth to put that in jeopardy... 

 

but as I said, check if you would have insurance in your job, check if you would have to buy the meds by yourself, the cost per month...

 

And last, if you will work in a patient care environment (hopefully someone with real knowledge correct me if i’m wrong) I believe you need to disclose it to your employers depending on the laws of the state you are going to work... Check that part beforehand... 

Should it be disclosed if not being asked? Or should he/she initiavely tell the MD even not being asked?

Back to the question

would it be necessary for an inidividual to disclose hiv status on Medical background check and run through? ( if hiv testing is no longer to be facilitated) but the MD might still run some questions do you have current medical condition like hiv/aids? What would be his /her appropriate answer?