No vaccination records

[leonidas_alexan 44]

I will soon be receiving packet 3 from the US embassy here in Auckland. There's one thing which is bugging me now. I am originally from India but have been living in New Zealand for the last 3 years. I have no official record of any vaccinations administered to me in India. I know that I was given a polio vaccination ( no record to prove this though) when I was a kid but I have got no information on any other vaccinations.

Now, I have read somewhere that I need to carry a record of vaccinations administered to me-- to the panel physician for my medical test. I have no vaccination record at all. Should I first get all these shots administered to me by my GP or simply turn up at the medicals and tell the panel physician that I have no record of vaccinations?

I am not quite sure if I want to get the shots at my GP because I have read here somewhere that not all vaccinations are needed and some are age specific. But some others have suggested that it is cheaper to get these shots done at the GP than directly at the medicals with the panel physician. What should I do now?

Any inputs greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[Villanelle 4,121]

Well heres a link to the required vaccines.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1331.html

I would suggest printing the page and discussing it with your GP.

As you stated, they are not all required. Some are going to be age specific. Your GP should be able to determine which vaccinations you will need to meet the requirement the same way the panel physician would and it may be cheaper and more comfortable for you.

If the GP does give you shots, he or she would give you a record, which you would bring to your medical.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/414753-sydney-medical/page__view__findpost__p__5983195

[Saylin 1,605]

I will soon be receiving packet 3 from the US embassy here in Auckland. There's one thing which is bugging me now. I am originally from India but have been living in New Zealand for the last 3 years. I have no official record of any vaccinations administered to me in India. I know that I was given a polio vaccination ( no record to prove this though) when I was a kid but I have got no information on any other vaccinations.

Now, I have read somewhere that I need to carry a record of vaccinations administered to me-- to the panel physician for my medical test. I have no vaccination record at all. Should I first get all these shots administered to me by my GP or simply turn up at the medicals and tell the panel physician that I have no record of vaccinations?

I am not quite sure if I want to get the shots at my GP because I have read here somewhere that not all vaccinations are needed and some are age specific. But some others have suggested that it is cheaper to get these shots done at the GP than directly at the medicals with the panel physician. What should I do now?

Any inputs greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

You have two options:

1. Get a titer test (blood test) to show what antibodies you have present in your system. This is enough to show that you got the vaccine(s) in the past. If you're still missing vaccines, get the remaining ones before the medical as it'll likely be cheaper than getting them done at a panel physician.

2. Get all the age-appropriate shots done (again). Then bring that documentation to the medical.

To figure out what vaccines you need, follow this link: http://www.panelphysicians.com/Pages/Immunizations.htm and click on your age from the list. Then read the vaccines, it'll tell you which ones you need, depending on your age. [Note: although the link is to a Canadian panel physician, it still applies as everyone is immigrating to the US, so the same vaccines apply everywhere].

[leonidas_alexan 44]

Thank you very much everybody for their inputs. Really appreciate it.

Cheers.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

To figure out what vaccines you need, follow this link: http://www.panelphysicians.com/Pages/Immunizations.htm and click on your age from the list. Then read the vaccines, it'll tell you which ones you need, depending on your age. [Note: although the link is to a Canadian panel physician, it still applies as everyone is immigrating to the US, so the same vaccines apply everywhere].

That list is very cool BUT it's last 3 on the "18 to 64" list are misleading.

Influenza is only required if is the season for it.

Hep B is not required if you are over 18 and neither is Meningococcal and though it states that, it shouldn't be on the list and is misleading.

The top one is also misleading. You only need have the first shot in the series for the medical... that is unless you have the TDAP done somewhere other than the medical and then they may make you have the second shot at that medical.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Here is the chart from the CDC that shows what vaccinations by age will be required for AOS: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/panel/vaccination-panel-technical-instructions.html#tbl1

It is dated 2009, but the chart is still currently accurate.

You will need one in a series of MMR, Tdap(or TD), varicella(unless you already had the chickenpox), and a flu shot(if it is flu season Oct. - Mar.).

[UK-USA-K1 128]

I have heard different replies to this in the past, so hopefully someone here can clear it up definitely for me...

Is it a MUST to have the vaccines BEFORE your medical and interview when applying for a K-1 visa or can you defer them until after you have gotten married and are in the USA?

The reason I ask is that my fiance may need some as she has lost her records and she isn't sure that NHS (I think that's correct) in the UK will give them to her in preparation for immigrating to the US. If she can't get them at her next regular check up will she need to pay for them when doing the medical or can she do them here once she's on my insurance policy?

We have been working under the assumption that the vaccines would not be mandatory until she tries to adjust status here, meaning we could feasibly get married, get her coverage, get her vaccinations and file for AOS.

Hoping someone here can clear this up for me, thanks.

[lost_at_sea 995]

I have heard different replies to this in the past, so hopefully someone here can clear it up definitely for me...

Is it a MUST to have the vaccines BEFORE your medical and interview when applying for a K-1 visa or can you defer them until after you have gotten married and are in the USA?

The reason I ask is that my fiance may need some as she has lost her records and she isn't sure that NHS (I think that's correct) in the UK will give them to her in preparation for immigrating to the US. If she can't get them at her next regular check up will she need to pay for them when doing the medical or can she do them here once she's on my insurance policy?

We have been working under the assumption that the vaccines would not be mandatory until she tries to adjust status here, meaning we could feasibly get married, get her coverage, get her vaccinations and file for AOS.

Hoping someone here can clear this up for me, thanks.

The vaccinations are *not* required for the K1 (because the K1 is a "non-immigrant" visa), but they are for AOS. The reason people tend to get them at home, particularly if you're somewhere like the UK where you can get them for free from your GP, is because it's a pain-in-the-butt to get them done in the US as you have to find a chartered physician and they're expensive/faff etc. and they may want to do a whole new medical. If you get the vaccinations done during your K1 visa process, they'll supply you with a form that you'll only need to get notarised by the american doctor, instead.

As she's in the UK, she'll be fine at the medical without records. The doctor she'll have to see for the visa medical will be able to offer the vaccines (for a fee) if she doesn't have them and would like them then. I don't have my records at the moment - they're currently lost between two surgeries - but I just got my MMR done (because I knew I hadn't had that one) and if they want me to get the dtap, I'll just have that done at the medical and pay for it. I'm going back to my GP in a couple weeks to see if they've found my records, and if they have and it shows I'm out of date on my dtap, I'll have them do that too.

If she speaks to her GP, she can probably get them done for free. The most they may charge is a prescription for each vaccination (which is like, £7.65 at the moment). I'd really recommend she do them before the medical if it's a money thing, because I'm certain it'll cost you more in the long run if you do them in the US. Take a look at this thread about medicals, btw: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/8321-london-medical-knightsbridge-doctors/

Here's the document about the medical from the London embassy too: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/cons-visa/iv018a_medical.pdf

See:

"Special notice for K visa applicants: K visa applicants are not required to meet the

vaccination requirements at the time they apply for a visa. However, they are required to

meet them at the time they apply for an adjustment of status in the United States. If you

take your vaccination records to the medical appointment, it may be possible to use the

results of the medical examination in the United States."

Edited March 13, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[UK-USA-K1 128]

The vaccinations are *not* required for the K1 (because the K1 is a "non-immigrant" visa), but they are for AOS. The reason people tend to get them at home, particularly if you're somewhere like the UK where you can get them for free from your GP, is because it's a pain-in-the-butt to get them done in the US as you have to find a chartered physician and they're expensive/faff etc. and they may want to do a whole new medical. If you get the vaccinations done during your K1 visa process, they'll supply you with a form that you'll only need to get notarised by the american doctor, instead.

As she's in the UK, she'll be fine at the medical without records. The doctor she'll have to see for the visa medical will be able to offer the vaccines (for a fee) if she doesn't have them and would like them then. I don't have my records at the moment - they're currently lost between two surgeries - but I just got my MMR done (because I knew I hadn't had that one) and if they want me to get the dtap, I'll just have that done at the medical and pay for it. I'm going back to my GP in a couple weeks to see if they've found my records, and if they have and it shows I'm out of date on my dtap, I'll have them do that too.

If she speaks to her GP, she can probably get them done for free. The most they may charge is a prescription for each vaccination (which is like, £7.65 at the moment). I'd really recommend she do them before the medical if it's a money thing, because I'm certain it'll cost you more in the long run if you do them in the US. Take a look at this thread about medicals, btw: http://www.visajourn...bridge-doctors/

Here's the document about the medical from the London embassy too: http://photos.state....18a_medical.pdf

See:

"Special notice for K visa applicants: K visa applicants are not required to meet the

vaccination requirements at the time they apply for a visa. However, they are required to

meet them at the time they apply for an adjustment of status in the United States. If you

take your vaccination records to the medical appointment, it may be possible to use the

results of the medical examination in the United States."

Thanks for the response. That's pretty much what I'd ascertained, but you gave better specifics. I'm not as worried about it as she is. She's painfully shy, and not a big fan of seeing and talking to strangers, including doctors, so she's a bit overwhelmed, so knowing that she can't mess up no matter what she does with this will ease her mind.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Thanks for the response. That's pretty much what I'd ascertained, but you gave better specifics. I'm not as worried about it as she is. She's painfully shy, and not a big fan of seeing and talking to strangers, including doctors, so she's a bit overwhelmed, so knowing that she can't mess up no matter what she does with this will ease her mind.

Eh, sounds like me. The reason my medical records are lost between two places is I hadn't registered with a Doctor for like, 4 years, and I kept putting it off... I did not enjoy the idea of going to the GP and explaining the vaccination thing, but it turns out they didn't even really bat an eyelid and have tried to be helpful. I went in, showed them the grid that says what I need to have and it was fine. I think she'd do well to go and at least ask about it and find out if they'd do it for free (or prescription costs). If she gets the GP to do the two that adults have to have (the MMR and tetanus, IIRC, that link I pasted above has the chart on it), they'll make her a record of it and it'll be one less thing to worry about at the medical. In fact, she could get someone else to call on her behalf and enquire at the GPs about vaccinations for adults, then at least you'd know your options there.

Edited March 13, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The vaccinations are *not* required for the K1 (because the K1 is a "non-immigrant" visa), but they are for AOS. The reason people tend to get them at home, particularly if you're somewhere like the UK where you can get them for free from your GP, is because it's a pain-in-the-butt to get them done in the US as you have to find a chartered physician and they're expensive/faff etc. and they may want to do a whole new medical. If you get the vaccinations done during your K1 visa process, they'll supply you with a form that you'll only need to get notarised by the american doctor, instead.

Mmm no.

First, some countries DO require them for the K1 visa. This is a country specific thing. Just like some countries "require" you to give tax returns for the I-134 but it's not actually required for the form. Australia for example I got the required shots at the K1 medical per the instructions and tax returns aren't required for the I-134. Some countries do things differently so for the OP this is great advice because they're in the UK, for anyone else, just an FYI your country might do different.

The main "no" part is the part I bolded. If you get the vaccinations completed at the K1 medical, you simply send a copy of your vaccination sheet (DS-3025) with your AOS packet. If you're missing shots you see a CS here in the US and get a "vaccination transcription" done where they give you the missing shots and fill in specific portions of the i-693, that's not the same thing as "notarised". The problem with this is the way the form is now worded, it appears to the CS that they need to give you a new medical or sight your K1 medical. Most people don't get a copy of the K1 medical, and getting the medical redone isn't cheap (I know someone that paid $1500, I'm not kidding, I about fell over when she told me!) so it is ALWAYS better to make sure you're up to date at the K1 medical, it possible (mexico apparently they refuse to give shots period).

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I have heard different replies to this in the past, so hopefully someone here can clear it up definitely for me...

Is it a MUST to have the vaccines BEFORE your medical and interview when applying for a K-1 visa or can you defer them until after you have gotten married and are in the USA?

The reason I ask is that my fiance may need some as she has lost her records and she isn't sure that NHS (I think that's correct) in the UK will give them to her in preparation for immigrating to the US. If she can't get them at her next regular check up will she need to pay for them when doing the medical or can she do them here once she's on my insurance policy?

We have been working under the assumption that the vaccines would not be mandatory until she tries to adjust status here, meaning we could feasibly get married, get her coverage, get her vaccinations and file for AOS.

Hoping someone here can clear this up for me, thanks.

Your insurance may not cover her shots and rarely cover the I-693 that she will require because it's for immigration, not "health reasons". So it is a better option to get this done in the UK where it's going to be cheaper and easier.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Yes, agree with Vanessa. While the vaccinations are not actually a requirement for entering the US on a K-1, they are required for AOS. Finding a civil surgeon that won't insist on a new medical and/or overcharge you can be a time consuming hassle. It will be much easier, and perhaps cheaper, to get all the required vaccinations by the time you have your K-1 medical and get them all marked off properly on your DS-3025. That way you just send in a copy of the DS-3025 with your AOS paperwork and never need to see a civil surgeon in the US at all.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Hi again my friends....

I have a question regarding vaccines and this seems to be the place to get answers. I hope you can help.

At my fiance's physical she was offered and accepted vaccines becuase her records were gone. She was given the following vaccines at St. Lukes in Manila Philippines:

1) Tdap

2) MMR

3) Varicella

These camw from St. Lukes. Does she need anymore? She's 48 and in on a K1 visa. We need to know because we'll be filing for her AOS as soon as we get married in 2 weeks.

Does anyone know if she needs more at her age? We're in the USA by the way.

Thanks!

Doug

Was it still flu season? What does it state for the flu vaccine? Still should probably be ok without flu shot, since it is not flu season, unless you get a picky adjudicator.