VACCINATIONS: What's the story?

[Al_C]

I have been getting all sorts of contradictory information about vaccination requirements.  The only thing that seems clear to me is that they are not needed for the K-1 but are needed for the AOS.

The question here is what exactly is required?  Most ladies have had many of these vaccinations already.  What if they can't document them because they happened 40 years ago or more?  Do they need them again even though they may be medically unnecessary?

I heard several cases where the ladies just ignored the vaccination requirements and got their green cards with nobody ever asking for them.  Has anybody experienced this?

What if a lady has a medical issue where a required vaccination is medically dangerous to her and the bureaucrats just won't listen and blindly follow the list?  What can be done about that?

[Vaughn]

The only thing that seems clear to me is that they are not needed for the K-1 but are needed for the AOS.

That is correct.

What if a lady has a medical issue where a required vaccination is medically dangerous to her and the bureaucrats just won't listen and blindly follow the list?  What can be done about that?

There's a provision for such. As far as what proof an applicant must submit, I do not know.

Al_C, here's a good comprehensive link covering much ground:

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

My wife and stepdaughter had their immunization records translated into English well before interview time. And
why not? Eventually that will have to be done. Upon arrival to the US, we were instructed to visit a Civil Surgeon
before applying for AOS, and to submit the infamous "sealed envelope" with our AOS application. My wife had all
her shots up to date, but the daughter needed a 3-part hepatitus series - although, that was a local public school
requirement, and had to be addressed immediately for her to start classes.

As for missing shot records - man, I don't know what to tell you. It seems from the info on that link, she should be
able to talk her way through some or all of it with the panel physician.

[viking]

For the K-1 she needs to bring her personal medical records to the embassy approved doctor. He does a chest X-ray and an exam and puts it all in the "brown envelope". You can ask to have these translated into English while she is there as you will need them for the AOS. The envelope is sealed ( no secret what is inside) only so that the embassy knows they are getting undoctored ( no pun intended)  documents. There is another brown envelope that is given to her for the AOS, which only contains a copy of the x-ray. For the AOS, you do need several vaccinations, but if she already has them, it should be in the English translated document given back by the embassy doctor.

BTW...speak to me before you do the AOS. I got ripped off by these civil surgeons and now know the drill. Actually, you dont really even need to see one, other than for a signature, and I have heard the USCIS is even thinking about doing away with them. There is nothing they do that your family doctor can't do. Only they make a lot of money doing very little. It costs a lot of money to file to be a CS and they need a return on their investment.

[Al_C]

Greg,

We will have time to talk before she needs her AOS.  As of now, she does not even have her NOA2, as Vermont is now running slower than a dead tree sloth.

But thanks for your advice.  I just want to do what I can now to keep this vaccine thing from turning into a nightmare.

[Wayne]

It is a lot cheaper to get the vaccinations done in her own country.  The requirements for an adult are different than for a child. In the city where I live, there is only one Civil Surgeon and he charged a lot!  She did not have any records. For someone 18 or less, the vaccinations were free. If she does this at her country, make sure she gets an extra copy that is not the the package.

[cranehand]

Al_c there is a list of vaccinations required, Vaughn put up the link.  My wife and I are going through AOS now, We just had biometrics done Dec 3rd and are waiting for GC interview date.

We had our dealings with CS and I could not agree more with Viking about being ripped off.  What a joke I got so fed up with arguing with the doctor that we walked out as I was telling him he was #1.

[viking]

I think it is a DS-156, if I remember correctly. It list all the vaccinations. If you have that, you dont even need to see a CS. Read the instructions carefully.

[cranehand]

Viking,
That is what I discovered after reading and re-reading the instructions.  I sent AOS package W/O CS signing any of it.  We have been accepted and have had biometrics and no RFE yet waiting to see if we get GC interview. 

[Vaughn]

We never really met our local Civil Surgeon - he was like a ghost, with a staff of nurse practitioners
covering the bases. The fees down here were outrageous - and it should be noted that CS fees are
unregulated so there'll be variances.

Effective 23 November, petition fees will rise by an average of 10%, with the exception of I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e),
which will fall from $455 to $340. Biometrics fee goes up 5 bucks.

( Edit: DUUUH !!           It's December, Vaughn, December - the above is now old news... )

Al_C, I don't exactly know in which county you reside, but this new Holtsville office is worth consideration:

 http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ab230d1fd9bab210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=8a2f6d26d17df110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

[Brianinaz]

To answer the question of what you can do if you don't have the records but need to prove the history you can get antibody titers for which ever virus/vaccination is in question. Titers above a certian level document immunity. It is however a lab test that requires a physician to order them.