Lost X-Rays... what should we do?

[virola 4]

Hi all! My fiancé had his medical today in San Jose, Costa Rica. All went super well (he literally was weighed, measured, and asked if he's done drugs--- less than 10 minutes in and out). However, on his way back home, he left his chest X-ray on the bus! He still has the all-important envelope with the medical results in it to give to the consulate when we interview on April 9. We are wondering if it is worth the effort (or even possible) to try to find duplicates or request replacement X-rays for the POE (date unknown). Time is on our side, and I suppose it's better safe than sorry, but I'm scared we'd have to start the whole medical process from scratch (which is more than a little $$$). And yet-- what if we are asked for the X-rays at POE? (POE will most likely be at an east coast city-- jfk, miami, orlando, atlanta, and charlotte are all options.)

Thoughts?

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

The X-ray CD was for his own records. What is important is what he received in the sealed envelope he will take to the interview. And those will be passed along in another sealed envelope he will need to deliver to CBP at his POE. They don't take the X-ray, just the sealed envelope you are given with your visa.

All that being said, it couldn't hurt for him to ask the clinic if it is possible to receive a replacement CD, if he really wants it.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

There's a 99% chance you will never need those x-rays again. They do not ask for them at the port of entry. They won't be required for adjustment of status.

The 1% chance is remote, but it goes something like this...

After you and your fiance are married you'll be submitting an application for adjustment of status so he can get a green card. One of the requirements for adjustment of status is that your fiance has had an immigration medical exam, and his vaccinations are current. The medical exam results are supposed to be included in the sealed envelope he'll carry into the US, and hand over to the CBP officer at the port of entry. If his vaccinations are complete then he should have a DS-3025 form indicating that. Some people just submit the DS-3025 with the AOS application and everything is fine. Some people don't have their vaccinations complete, so they go to a civil surgeon in the US to have their vaccinations transcribed to an I-693 form, and get any additional vaccinations they require. They send the sealed envelope they get from the civil surgeon to USCIS with their adjustment of status application.

Occasionally, USCIS will somehow manage to lose the results of the medical exam the applicant had in their country, and they'll send an RFE for a complete medical exam. You don't have a heckuva lot of choice in these cases except to go to a civil surgeon and have a full medical done. An immigration medical performed in the US doesn't require x-rays. It only requires a TB skin test. If your spouse has a positive reaction to the TB skin test then new x-rays may be required.

The above scenario is almost what happened to my step-son, but with a few twists. My wife and step-kids needed to go to the civil surgeon because their vaccinations weren't complete. Since I'm allergic to RFE's I decided they should get the complete medical, and the civil surgeon could complete the entire I-693 for each of them. He gave me a generous discount for three. My step-son had a borderline positive reaction to the TB skin test - about 4mm, where the threshold for a positive reaction is 5mm. The civil surgeon was tempted to recommend a chest x-ray. Fortunately, I had brought the x-rays from the medical exam in Vietnam, which were only a few months old by then. The civil surgeon examined the x-rays and saw some old scarring on my step-son's lung, but no active infection. He concluded that my step-son had been exposed to TB at some point in the past, but did not have an active infection, so he passed the medical exam.

To this day, that is still the only case I've heard of where those x-rays actually came in handy. I've never heard of anyone else ever needing them.

[virola 4]

Thanks for the input! Sounds like the x-rays aren't necessary. Do you guys know what happens at POE if we are asked for the X-rays and can't produce them? There must be a reason we were told to bring carry them by hand at the POE, right?

[Inky 1,110]

Thanks for the input! Sounds like the x-rays aren't necessary. Do you guys know what happens at POE if we are asked for the X-rays and can't produce them? There must be a reason we were told to bring carry them by hand at the POE, right?

POE would never ask for xrays. They have nothing to do with that. Its USCIS who would ask you for them in an RFE when filing AOS.

[ticavms 0]

Thanks for the input! Sounds like the x-rays aren't necessary. Do you guys know what happens at POE if we are asked for the X-rays and can't produce them? There must be a reason we were told to bring carry them by hand at the POE, right?

Nobody asked me for my x-rays at POE. They do not care about that. I did not even have it with me at that time.

They just care about the envelope.

By the way, my POE was Miami. Everything was very easy, very friendly people.

Edited April 26, 2012 by ticavms