RFE for medical exam???

[aikorob]

We received a RFE today---one of the boxes checked was that a I-693 was required.
WTF????-she just had her medical exam in Kiev on March 15!!!!!!---well within the 1 year limit for documents. We did see a civil surgeon for the vaccination supplement---it was submitted in a sealed envelope with the AOS packet.
N. did not get a copy of the medical report from the clinic---the only copy was in the envelope she presented at JFK.
I went back and checked the copy we kept of the I-485-----in part 2 box C is clearly checked-"I entered on a K1 visa"

Anybody got any ideas or suggestions? We go for the Biometric visit on Thursday; so I WILL be asking the folks at the Atlanta office.

[catzenmouse]

We had the same thing happen to us. You have to get the list from USCIS of the Civil Surgeon in your area and she/they will need to go for the exam. Insurance will not pay for this and the cost for both of them was around $800. The CS will fill out the form and give it to you in a sealed package. DO NOT open the package. USCIS has to have it with the CS seal intact.

Didn't matter to them that we had exams within the year. If you want to continue the process you have to do it. Nice bit of change for a 20 minute exam and a couple of x-rays.

Just another way to feel the love from USCIS.

Ken

[aikorob]

Average price down here in GA is running about $300

I've looked over on the VJ forum---seems to be a common occurrence. A few posters there have reported that their Congress people have gotten things straightened out---but only a few.

Ken, I hope they never develop the affection for us that you have been shown!

[catzenmouse]

Ken, I hope they never develop the affection for us that you have been shown!

I truly hope so as well as I would not wish that kind of "affection" on anyone!

Good Luck!

[aikorob]

I started calling to the other Civil Surgeons in GA--I found one in Columbus who would fill out the forms for $120---if we bring him the test results for HIV, RPR, PPD--they won't do these tests in his office. So I guess next step is to schedule some time off to go by the county health department.

Talking to the nurse in his office, she said it was a very common problem--for USCIS to "misplace" the medical docs. She also said that since March; USCIS has required a TB skin test (PPD) and then a follow up X-ray if the results are positive; and the X-ray must be within 90 days. Sounds like they are administratively changing the rules to require a new medical exam over here.

[catzenmouse]

Beware of false positive results on the TB skin test.

The inoculation they get when they are young will often show up as a positive result here. We were given a piece of paper showing the different result patterns and were asked to check the correct box and fax it to the CS to include in the packet so it was not a problem for us but it can be if you have to go back to the Dr. for them to check the results.

I'm sure someone here has more information as to the specifics of the shot they get and how it can show up as a positive result.

Ken

[ScottinCrimea]

Some countries give a TB vaccination derived from horse serum.  The problem with it is that it is not 100% effective against all forms of TB.  It creaties antibodies in your system that cause routine TB skin tests to show false positive.  That is one of the reasons that the US does not use this vaccine, because it makes routine TB screening much more difficult. The only way you can rule out TB in someone who has had this vaccine is to do a chest X-ray.

[Son of Clyde]

Some countries give a TB vaccination derived from horse serum.  The problem with it is that it is not 100% effective against all forms of TB.  It creaties antibodies in your system that cause routine TB skin tests to show false positive.  That is one of the reasons that the US does not use this vaccine, because it makes routine TB screening much more difficult. The only way you can rule out TB in someone who has had this vaccine is to do a chest X-ray.

Yep, my stepson needed another chest xray a few weeks before our AOS interview. He had been taking pills for a year. If we have to go through it again to remove conditions it will be even more money to spend. My wife has never had a problem with a false positive reading.

[groovlstk]

This really bites, sorry to hear it!

Be careful of the doc you choose to do her vaccinations. My wife had to do an I-693 supplement when she arrived. I made an appointment with a local doc (the name was Dr. Kim something or other, like a dummy I assumed "Kim" was a female but of course he was a Korean dude) and told the assistant repeatedly that we needed the supplement ONLY as she had had her medical exam only two months prior. So of course when she arrived Dr. Kim wanted to poke and prod her and asked her several times to strip naked. She refused and then he told her he couldn't take her blood because she had a cold (which she didn't). They made a new appointment for her and I made sure to take the day off and accompany her - Dr. Kim was a bit surprised to find me with her in the examining room but he didn't complain and did what was required. He tried to charge us for a full medical exam + supplement - and he never even did the medical exam, no matter how much he tried to convince my wife to let him do it, then had the cajones to try to charge us for it. I refused to pay for it and he relented, the bill for the supplement came to $165.

Anyway, just FYI be careful when dealing with any person/party/agency that primarily serves new immigrants. They know they can often push these people around and seem to enjoy doing it. And don't even get me started on FSU people working in official capacity at some of these places in the US, you'd think sharing a common language and culture might make them sympathetic but it's just the opposite, they think they're higher on the social scale than new arrivals and treat them even worse than they treat new immigrants from other countries.

[Randy]

Anyway, just FYI be careful when dealing with any person/party/agency that primarily serves new immigrants. They know they can often push these people around and seem to enjoy doing it. And don't even get me started on FSU people working in official capacity at some of these places in the US, you'd think sharing a common language and culture might make them sympathetic but it's just the opposite, they think they're higher on the social scale than new arrivals and treat them even worse than they treat new immigrants from other countries.

Maybe that is why my wife keeps saying she has no desire to meet local people from FSU.  She says that just because they speak the same native language does not mean they have anything in common.

She has been here 5 years and when a couple from Russia moved in down the street, the woman chased us down when we were walking around the block. One of the first things she asked my wife was "So, how old is he anyway?"  I don't think she has spoken with her since.

I am only 14 years older than her and at the time I was not even 40!


She wanted me to add that the women who come here with their husbands through the green card lottery seem to look down on women who come on a K-1 visa. "They think women who come on a K-1 visa get everything handed to them on a silver plate where they had to work for it" (Yes the woman down the street did come through the GC lottery)

Randy

[catzenmouse]

And don't even get me started on FSU people working in official capacity at some of these places in the US, you'd think sharing a common language and culture might make them sympathetic but it's just the opposite, they think they're higher on the social scale than new arrivals and treat them even worse than they treat new immigrants from other countries.

Elena feels the same way. Since she has been here she has met one person (Russian couple actually) through casual encounters that she was comfortable with and who were not manipulative, jealous, or otherwise disruptive to her and our life.

Her best friend was met through RWD.

[aikorob]

A small measure of good news-N's TB test came back negative were both certain it would be a false positive, I had already scheduled time off to take her for a Xray.
As soon as her blood tests results come back, it is off to the Civil Surgeon.

Fingerprinting was quick and easy last Thursday--only there about an hour total. Lady inside stamped her invitation letter, and said that would be sufficient for DMV to issue a license--but no dice   DMV in Georgia has to have an APPROVED document.