anto3knee

Hi all! 

This is my Wife's experience with Dr Cheema for her medical exam.

We received notice on Dec. 10, 2020 that our interview would take place on Jan. 29, 2021 at 08:30am. 

Booking the appointment: 

On their website, it states to email their office. So on Dec 11, 2020 I sent them an email and provided them with all the necessary details (full name(s), interview date, case number). The office sent me a prompt reply about 2 hours later already giving me an appointment date and time. They had me booked for Dec 16, 2020 at 08:00am. In the email they give you more instructions to have the necessary paperwork in hand. 

I had to bring the following to my medical exam, but always refer to the email attachment to see if they changed/added more requirements:

1. Current and Valid Passport
2. Proof of Interview Letter/Email Print Out (showing your full name(s), interview date, place of interview, and case number)
3. Proof of Immunizations – I lived in 2 different provinces growing up, so I had to contact the Health Units in the communities I lived in to get that information AND don’t forget your up-to-date flu shot if its flu season 
4. Addresses (both current and where you intend to live/stay once you move to the States)
5. Medical Records – mainly for those with a chronic illness/disease. I brought my anxiety medication and birth control with me to the exam, just in case they were to ask. Dr Cheema just quickly checked the label and made a note of it. 
6. Payment – it was $350 for the exam and $50 for a courier (the second is optional, but I opted for a carrier just in case). This covers the Dr Cheema’s medical exam, x-ray, and blood/urine tests.

**You DO NOT need to bring passport photos to the medical exam, they are able to do this for you at the clinic.

Appointment Day:

Since I was visiting from out of province, I booked a hotel (Civic Hotel Autograph Collection in Surrey...I highly recommend it!) that was about a 15 min drive away from Dr Cheema’s office. I arrived at 07:55am. It was early, so it was easy to find a parking space right outside his office. Lots of parking in the plaza. I walked in and told the ladies at the front desk that I had an appointment for my medical exam. The ladies at the front were very kind. They ask you for all the required documents so that they can look through and photocopy them. Once she returned my original copies to me, she gave me more paperwork to fill out and sign, and photocopied them as well (they were basic questions like your full name, date of birth, current address, intended address once in the States, etc.). After filling out their paperwork, they told me to sit down in front of the camera to take passport photos, then they took payment from me. Once that was finished, they told me to sit down and wait to be called, I didn’t wait too long, it was about a 10 min. wait max.

Once I was called in, the lady took me to an area to measure my height and check my weight. She then, brought me over to the exam room and told me to wait there for Dr Cheema. Dr Cheema came in shortly after, and asked me some questions as he listened to my chest, cover one eye and read a chart, checked for more breathing, and checked my blood pressure. After this, Dr Cheema wished me good luck and told me I was good to go. Before I left, the ladies at the front reminded me to go and get my x-ray and blood/urine tests, they highlight the addresses on the paperwork they give you to give to the other offices. The exam itself went by very quick! I was finished by around 08:30am. *They mail/courier you the packet.

Blood/Urine Test:

Next, I headed over to Life Labs for my blood/urine tests. It wasn’t too far away, less than a 10 min. drive. Lots of parking, I parked right in front. I went in and because of Covid they had someone downstairs in the lobby sitting in a desk ready to direct you to which floor you need to go. I showed him the paper I received from Dr Cheema’s office and he instructed me to go upstairs. There was a line for the elevator because it moves super slow and they only allow one person/family inside at a time (due to Covid), the stairs are just to the left of the entrance and you’ll get to Life Labs much quicker that way 😉 I was first in line, and the receptionist took the piece of paper from Dr Cheema’s office and gave me a seat number to go and sit in around the corner. They took a blood sample, and instructed me where to go for my urine sample. I finished and left Life Labs at 09:05am. 

X-Ray:

Finally, I headed over to West Coast Imaging. It was also about less than a 10 min drive away. Parking for this building is in the back of the building. It’s a West Park parking lot, so you’ll need to pay at the pay station. I walked into West Coast Imaging, and waited for a receptionist to call me up. I gave her the other piece of paper that Dr Cheema’s office gave me, and she took it and instructed me to sit down. The wait for x-rays was the longest of all the clinics, but once I was called in the chest x-ray itself went by quite fast and I was able to leave. I left West Coast Imaging at about 10:00am.

The whole thing went by quicker than expected, not sure if it was just pure luck or maybe because of Covid. I’m not sure if its possible to make appointments for West Coast Imaging/Life Labs on the day of, I personally didn’t call to try, both those were just my walk-in experience.  

I received my packet from Dr Cheema’s office by courier on Dec 19 at 11:00am. I live in Alberta so that is why it was couriered to me. But for those living in the Vancouver area, I believe they will instruct you to pickup your packet on a different day.

Hope this review helps any others going through the same thing. Thank you for reading! Wishing everyone the best of luck for their medical exams and interviews! Happy holidays.

1 hour ago, DGF said:

Added you! Like I've told everyone else, please read the FAQ in my signature, if you haven't already  

Hi @DGF, could I please get added to the group too?

Thank you, all! Looking forward to all of you getting approvals! 🙌🏾🎉

We just got approved, too!

Saw that @NM2001 was approved with a later NOA1 date than ours so wanted to check Our myUSCIS.com status just in case. And it said we were approved as of February 12th!

Still haven’t got an actual email or text notification yet but it looks like we should get it in the next coming days.

NOA1: August 8th, 2019

Texas Service Center

NOA2: February 12th, 2020

Good luck to everyone!