Vaccination Certification Questions

[CherilynandDamion 1]

Today I went to my Civil Surgeon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to get my vaccination records certified as required for my AOS from a K1 visa. When I arrived at the surgery I was informed I required a skin test and blood test for TB and HIV. The doctor informed me that regulations had changed on the 5th January 2010 meaning it was now required. I was just wondering if anyone knew for sure if this is correct?

I had my medical and chest x-ray for my K1 visa in London on the 8th December 2009, entered the US on the 23rd December 2009 with my K1 visa, married my girl within the required 90 days on the 6th March 2010. Then unfortunately I had bit of an accident playing football (sorry, SOCCER!!!) and broke my nose and eye socket pretty bad so have not had chance to start the AOS procedure until now (a bit late I know)

I was just curious whether the doctor is right about the regulations changing and me needing these extra tests or whether he is just adding things on to boost the bill? I was told when I made the appointment that the vaccination certification would cost $100 (no mention of new tests) and when I arrived the bill was $300 because of the now needed extra tests.

I know I had a HIV/Aids test in the UK at my medical and I thought that the TB tests were done at the same time and also the chest x-ray was for TB?

Is this correct or am I being ripped off a little?

Any comments would be great, thanks.

[Danu 19]

I thought they removed HIV from the testing as they changed the rule for it being inadmissable. Not positive though. You should really only need your vaccinations transcribed as you did everything else overseas. The only thing I have heard of really being done extra is the chicken pox titre.

[CherilynandDamion 1]

He kept brushing over the HIV/Aids part of it, so you may be corret on that. But he was very adament on me requiring the TB skin test. I wasn't told anything by the doctor at the medical about possibly requiring an additional test for TB in the US.

[Danu 19]

I found http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Green%20Card/Civil_Surgeon_hiv_vaccination_ltr.pdf for you for the HIV part, give me a moment and I will see if I can dig up something on the TB. Really sounds like hes trying to rip you off.

Edited April 14, 2010 by Danu

[Danu 19]

Ok so I can't find anything that specifially says you don't need another TB test, but it falls under the fact that you don't need a whole new medical, just the vaccination portion (which it says on the form instruction). Are there any other CS's in your area?

[CherilynandDamion 1]

I found http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Green%20Card/Civil_Surgeon_hiv_vaccination_ltr.pdf for you for the HIV part, give me a moment and I will see if I can dig up something on the TB. Really sounds like hes trying to rip you off.

Apparently it could be something to do with a BCG vaccination from childhood that can apparently give a positive result on a TB test so they now do the skin test to confirm if it is just the vccination giving a false positive or whether it is actually TB. I showed no signs of it in my life or in my UK medical, so I don't really understand the purpose of the skin test. Maybe I am just not fully understanding it.

[Danu 19]

Apparently it could be something to do with a BCG vaccination from childhood that can apparently give a positive result on a TB test so they now do the skin test to confirm if it is just the vccination giving a false positive or whether it is actually TB. I showed no signs of it in my life or in my UK medical, so I don't really understand the purpose of the skin test. Maybe I am just not fully understanding it.

Yeah I had the same vaccination, but you shouldn't need to get it redone because they tested you in England, as you would have had a listed Class on your medical and been asked to do treatment before they would pass you. BTW the skin test will always come up false positive, the only thing to prove you don't have it is the xray. Anyways, the only thing they might make you do is the varicella titre if you havent had the vaccine to prove that you have immunity, the TB was something they screen for prior to your K1 being approved.

[moroccogirlny 100]

Today I went to my Civil Surgeon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to get my vaccination records certified as required for my AOS from a K1 visa. When I arrived at the surgery I was informed I required a skin test and blood test for TB and HIV. The doctor informed me that regulations had changed on the 5th January 2010 meaning it was now required. I was just wondering if anyone knew for sure if this is correct?

I had my medical and chest x-ray for my K1 visa in London on the 8th December 2009, entered the US on the 23rd December 2009 with my K1 visa, married my girl within the required 90 days on the 6th March 2010. Then unfortunately I had bit of an accident playing football (sorry, SOCCER!!!) and broke my nose and eye socket pretty bad so have not had chance to start the AOS procedure until now (a bit late I know)

I was just curious whether the doctor is right about the regulations changing and me needing these extra tests or whether he is just adding things on to boost the bill? I was told when I made the appointment that the vaccination certification would cost $100 (no mention of new tests) and when I arrived the bill was $300 because of the now needed extra tests.

I know I had a HIV/Aids test in the UK at my medical and I thought that the TB tests were done at the same time and also the chest x-ray was for TB?

Is this correct or am I being ripped off a little?

Any comments would be great, thanks.

This is the latest instructions for CS: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/vaccination-civil-technical-instructions.html

HIV is no longer needed per the CDC which instructs the immigration vaccinations.

[CherilynandDamion 1]

Ok so I can't find anything that specifially says you don't need another TB test, but it falls under the fact that you don't need a whole new medical, just the vaccination portion (which it says on the form instruction). Are there any other CS's in your area?

There are a couple of other CS about an hour away. I have had the tests done now (but not yet paid) as I just want to get this AOS started. I would just like to be able to call him on it when I go back Friday and have a bit of knowledge to ask a few more in depth questions. If he's right then fair enough, but if he is ripping me off then I want him to know that I know he is ripping me off. lol.

[CherilynandDamion 1]

Yeah I had the same vaccination, but you shouldn't need to get it redone because they tested you in England, as you would have had a listed Class on your medical and been asked to do treatment before they would pass you. BTW the skin test will always come up false positive, the only thing to prove you don't have it is the xray. Anyways, the only thing they might make you do is the varicella titre if you havent had the vaccine to prove that you have immunity, the TB was something they screen for prior to your K1 being approved.

Interesting!! I am fine with ALL the vaccines so no worries there. I took my chest x-ray to the appointment and they said it wasn't any use to them as it was more than 3 months old (it is just over 4 months old). If the skin test always gives a false positive, do you think he is also going to try and hit me up for another chest x-ray?

[Danu 19]

Interesting!! I am fine with ALL the vaccines so no worries there. I took my chest x-ray to the appointment and they said it wasn't any use to them as it was more than 3 months old (it is just over 4 months old). If the skin test always gives a false positive, do you think he is also going to try and hit me up for another chest x-ray?

Quite possibly. The skin test almost always gives a false positive if you have had the vaccine, so if you react I wouldn't doubt he will ask to do more tests or say he can't sign off...

[Nik+Heather 121]

There are a couple of other CS about an hour away. I have had the tests done now (but not yet paid) as I just want to get this AOS started. I would just like to be able to call him on it when I go back Friday and have a bit of knowledge to ask a few more in depth questions. If he's right then fair enough, but if he is ripping me off then I want him to know that I know he is ripping me off. lol.

Well, I think since you already had the tests you'll have to pay for services rendered.

Of course, the other option is to not go back - heh.

He is ripping you off. The TB skin and the HIV tests are not needed for adjustment from the K-1 when all you need is the vaccination supplement. I agree with what Danu said earlier. Shop around. You should be paying less than $50 for the vaccination supplement (part 1, 2- vaccination sheet ONLY, 5)

[CherilynandDamion 1]

Well, I think since you already had the tests you'll have to pay for services rendered.

Of course, the other option is to not go back - heh.

He is ripping you off. The TB skin and the HIV tests are not needed for adjustment from the K-1 when all you need is the vaccination supplement. I agree with what Danu said earlier. Shop around. You should be paying less than $50 for the vaccination supplement (part 1, 2- vaccination sheet ONLY, 5)

Thankyou. I had a feeling he was ripping me off. I am willing to pay the money as that is not really the issue I have with him. The issue I have is that this whole visa procedure is stressful and expensive enough without someone you should be able to trust with your life lying to you and ripping you off. Luckily I am OK financially but the lying definately bothers me. I am going back tomorrow to get the results of my skin test and I am going to call him on it and ask him for some exact details of where his information is from.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thankyou. I had a feeling he was ripping me off. I am willing to pay the money as that is not really the issue I have with him. The issue I have is that this whole visa procedure is stressful and expensive enough without someone you should be able to trust with your life lying to you and ripping you off. Luckily I am OK financially but the lying definately bothers me. I am going back tomorrow to get the results of my skin test and I am going to call him on it and ask him for some exact details of where his information is from.

He is right that the instructions are now that ALL AOS'ers require a TB skin test... HOWEVER this is ONLY when they are required to undergo a complete medical. It has been added to the MEDICAL side, not the "vaccination transcription" side.

I can 100% say this is true (that they're not needed) and here's why.

- Firstly in terms of HIV, there is a new I-693 (updated 25 Feb 2010) and on the USCIS main page for this form, here: http://www.uscis.gov/i-693 states that "The February 25, 2010 edition of the Form I-693 reflects that an individual should no longer be tested for HIV infection, and that individuals do not have to be vaccinated with the herpes zoster (zoster) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Any reference to HIV, HPV or zoster has been removed in the February 25, 2010 edition."

ONLY the October 14, 2009 edition or this new form are the valid forms. They should have barcodes at the bottom of the pages too. it's also listed in the new CS instructions that someone else posted but I'll list it on the CDC site too: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/hiv-guidance-panel-civil.html

For the TB SKIN TEST---

- the I-693 instructions (also updated 25 feb 2010) here: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-693instr.pdf page 4 states that if you are a K1 visa applicant then you need only to complete part 1, part 2 (vaccinations ONLY) and part 5 (see 2,c,a)

- This page on the USCIS website Q&A: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextoid=1758d5b07655b110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD this question & answer --

"Q: If an applicant is required to receive only the vaccinations, and not undergo the entire medical exam, does he/she have to submit the entire Form I-693?

No. Applicants who are not required to have the entire medical examination need to submit only pages one, three and five of the new form. The required sections include Part 1, Information About You, the vaccination record portion of Part 2, and Part 5 (if the vaccinations are administered by a civil surgeon) or Part 6 (if the vaccinations are administered by a local health department). Pages two and four, that would have been left blank, do not need to be submitted."

So looking at the form then you can see that TB skin test is under the MEDICAL section, which we are NOT required to have or complete.

So... take a print out from all of these with you and ask him to explain himself... I wouldn't pay personally.. or at least not ALL of the fee, I'd try for none of it on the basis that you were given an unnecessary test.

**Edit -- Add to all this, the MULTIPLES of people that haven't had the HIV test or TB skin test and who now have their green cards. This dude needs to update his info... BADLY. Make sure he has the right form too.. fyi.. mine didn't and I had to take it back and tell her to fix it.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony