FAQs: Forms I-693 and DS-3025

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Got the I693 back from Dr. Arnold today! It worked!!!! Thanks to everyone here that helped me....

Now what do I do with it??? Keep it in case we get an RFE? Or can I send it in to someone somewhere as a supplement to the AOS packet I sent in October to avoid a time delay with an RFE??? I'm afraid it will get lost somewhere if I send it without an RFE to attach it to, but hate to cause a delay for nothing...

No action on our file since the first NOA November 7.... no biometrics, nothing. Now that we have everything they could possibly ask for I hate to create a delay if I can avoid it. Hubby's so anxious to get out of the house and WORK!

Thanks for any info about late I 693's..

K

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

Now what do I do with it??? Keep it in case we get an RFE? Or can I send it in to someone somewhere as a supplement to the AOS packet I sent in October to avoid a time delay with an RFE??? I'm afraid it will get lost somewhere if I send it without an RFE to attach it to, but hate to cause a delay for nothing...

Keep it until you get an RFE (if any). If you send it in, the chance of it reaching your caswe file is slim to none, and none just put his jacket on and left.

If you do get an RFE, and you respond immediately, the delay will be less than 2 weeks.

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Now what do I do with it??? Keep it in case we get an RFE? Or can I send it in to someone somewhere as a supplement to the AOS packet I sent in October to avoid a time delay with an RFE??? I'm afraid it will get lost somewhere if I send it without an RFE to attach it to, but hate to cause a delay for nothing...

Keep it until you get an RFE (if any). If you send it in, the chance of it reaching your caswe file is slim to none, and none just put his jacket on and left.

If you do get an RFE, and you respond immediately, the delay will be less than 2 weeks.

I just saw None heading to the airport for Hawaii.. hehehehehe... I know what you mean and I think I'll just hang on to it. Was thinking of sending them a copy but don't think that would help much at all. Just can't figure out why our appoint. for biometrics is going NOWHERE but relieved to hear from some that they got their EAD before their appointment for biometrics.... WEIRD.... but we'll take it!

[Chamy and Gatita 3]

My husband came here on a K-1 visa. He has no vaccination records from Ecuador, and doesn't know which ones he's had. Dr LE Arnold's office told us he needs to get MMR, chicken pox and tetanus, if i remember correctly. We called my doctor to make an appointment for my husband's vaccinations. Even though I have insurance, and it's pretty good coverage and not an HMO, they told me we would be better off going to the local public health clinic because of cost. they also said that he won't get a chicken pox vaccine, but will instead get something to prevent shingles. Does anyone know if this is acceptable? we dont want an RFE. Also, does anyone know why insurance would not cover these normal shots? I could not get a hold of the insurance co today b/c it's a sunday, but will call tomorrow.

thanks for your help!

[headoverheels 0]

good day to all!!

I have my vaccination sheet and I need another shot we called Doctors in the area but they suggested I need another full medical. How it work with Dr. Arnold? where can i get my shot? Can i have my shot in any clinic and have Dr. Arnold validate it? I'm a lil confused. Thanks I will appreciate all your help.

[Chamy and Gatita 3]

hey, Im no expert but i dont think you need another full medical. here's what to do:

call Dr Arnold and leave a message per the instructions. Tammie will call you back. She will tell you what vaccines are needed. they handle these cases all the time so i would trust what she says.

next if you have health insurance, call them and ask if the vaccine is included in your coverage.

if it is, go to your regular dr.

if it isnt, (after you are finished being annoyed ) call your public health clinic and get it for free or low cost. here in CA every county has its own public health clinic. i got the number by looking up my county's website. you call and they tell you what day of the week they do vaccinations.

once you are done, you send the record of vaccination and the other stuff Tammie told you about (name, birthdate, copy of the form etc) to Tammie at the Dr's office. The reason why they can do this is because all they are doing is TRANSCRIBING your records onto the form. Dont worry its legal.

best of luck ---

"on wisconsin!" i'm a badger too!

[headoverheels 0]

thanks a lot .. i truly appreciate it:-)

hey, Im no expert but i dont think you need another full medical. here's what to do:

call Dr Arnold and leave a message per the instructions. Tammie will call you back. She will tell you what vaccines are needed. they handle these cases all the time so i would trust what she says.

next if you have health insurance, call them and ask if the vaccine is included in your coverage.

if it is, go to your regular dr.

if it isnt, (after you are finished being annoyed ) call your public health clinic and get it for free or low cost. here in CA every county has its own public health clinic. i got the number by looking up my county's website. you call and they tell you what day of the week they do vaccinations.

once you are done, you send the record of vaccination and the other stuff Tammie told you about (name, birthdate, copy of the form etc) to Tammie at the Dr's office. The reason why they can do this is because all they are doing is TRANSCRIBING your records onto the form. Dont worry its legal.

best of luck ---

"on wisconsin!" i'm a badger too!

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

Also, does anyone know why insurance would not cover these normal shots?

Insurance does cover it, vaccinations fall under preventative care. Your doctor told you that they don't because he wants you to pay cash. As soon as you said the word "immigration", he heard "cha ching". With insurance, he only makes a few bucks, but with you paying CASH, he'll charge you five times as much for the same service. He's supposed to give you the vaccines that you want, you don't really need to tell them what it's for. It's probably better if you don't say anything.

Edited December 30, 2008 by Eric-Pris

[bevs 0]

hi Vj'S! I have an important question about the medical for AOS, that include the new SKIN TEST and some of the vaccines we need to get here.

we have a 3 yrs old boy who had a skin test last sept 2008. He is my petitioner son but his not USC yet since he got born in my place when his father is not a USC yet. And we are applying for his USC together with my AOS. Does he need to do the SKIN TEST again? or he just need to have the vaccines?

second, im living here at Idaho, we have district health here who charge less for vaccines and do SKIN TEST, is that ok if we do it at the said district health? if yes? what next after that?

normaly how much it cost to transcribe the result?

tnx u very much guys, im just really confused and huby is always busy at work. ill be waiting for you here. GOD BLESS US ALL!

[Chamy and Gatita 3]

hi bevs,

i can't answer your other questions, but i can tell you that Dr. Arnold in Texas charges $30 to transcribe your immunization records. It took about 5 days for them to do ours- I overnighted the papers they requested on Friday, they mailed the stuff back to me today (Thursday) via priority mail. Their mailing cost is included in their fee.

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

No one on this group has access to anyone else's insurance policy.... Insurance policies may or may not cover immunizations... and often specifically EXCLUDE any procedure or exam done FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMMIGRATION.

So when you tell them you want something for IMMIGRATION purposes, they may deny it. You forgot that you wanted to PROTECT HIM FROM CONTAGIOUS DISEASES!!!! Had you said that they may have responded differently..

We were denied immunizations at our County Health Clinic because I asked which ones he needed for IMMIGRATION purposes. They wouldn't even do it for $$$$$$! We had to go to another county's health clinic and never MENTIONED the word IMMIGRATION. I figured out what ones he needed by reading the chart on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, so we wouldn't need to ask them a single question...

He is 48 and was required to have MMR (2 shots 30 days apart), One shot DPT, and we did the titer test for Chicken Pox (Varicella) to prove that he had it before since the test was $30 (takes 3 weeks to get the results) and the shots (you need 2) were $90 each!

I sent the immunization record and copies of the receipts for each shot to Dr. Arnold per her instructions and got it all back promptly.

I was totally disgusted that even though we offered to pay FULL FEE that my country refused to provide it because he needed it for immigration! Most of the people they treat in my county are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, who get services for FREE because they have no (verifiable) income. I swear this is one dysfunctional system we have here...

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

I realize that not all insurance companies are the same. And these days, they are trying to cut benefits every way they can. I called my insurance company (United Healthcare) and specifically asked about vaccinations for immigration. I was told it was no problem.

Another good reason to use to get vaccines at your doctor's office is travel. Say you are travelling and you need the vaccines (Hep A & B are good to have for travel).

[chris11xb 0]

Hey folks,

I am a K-1 fiance, moving to the US from Canada about two weeks from now. I've read and read and read this thread, but here's yet another question regarding the TB skin test:

I had my medical and vaccinations completed in Sept, and will get my vaccinations transcribed through Dr. Arnold (thanks for the tip!).

I did not have the skin test, but rather the x-ray, presumably as that was what was requested on my Packet 3 which was sent by USCIS in August (after the change, but whatever) and I just did whatever the doc said at my appointment.

I plan on submitting, with my I-485, the DS-3025 and the I-693 from Dr. Arnold.

Now, I understand I may or may not get an RFE for the TB skin test, so my options as I see it are:

A ) wait and see what happens, and if I get an RFE, follow through with that

B ) be proactive and get a TB skin test prior to submitting my I-693 form with the I-485

Now, if I choose to be proactive and get a TB skin test, is it:

A ) advisable to obtain that from the doc who did my original medical, seeing how I am still in Canada for the next few weeks? Or,

B ) should I wait and do this once I cross the border? Or,

C ) yet another variation, can I simply have this done by my family physician (in Canada) and attach the results to the entire package?

Just looking to see what the options are. Thanks for your responses.

Lori (and Chris)

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

Now, I understand I may or may not get an RFE for the TB skin test, so my options as I see it are:

A ) wait and see what happens, and if I get an RFE, follow through with that

B ) be proactive and get a TB skin test prior to submitting my I-693 form with the I-485

Since nobody (even CIS) knows what the "correct" procedure is these days, I would just wait and see what happens. CIS doesn't even know what to do and it's their own rules.

[Jesse and Hema 2]

Hey folks,

I am a K-1 fiance, moving to the US from Canada about two weeks from now. I've read and read and read this thread, but here's yet another question regarding the TB skin test:

I had my medical and vaccinations completed in Sept, and will get my vaccinations transcribed through Dr. Arnold (thanks for the tip!).

I did not have the skin test, but rather the x-ray, presumably as that was what was requested on my Packet 3 which was sent by USCIS in August (after the change, but whatever) and I just did whatever the doc said at my appointment.

I plan on submitting, with my I-485, the DS-3025 and the I-693 from Dr. Arnold.

Now, I understand I may or may not get an RFE for the TB skin test, so my options as I see it are:

A ) wait and see what happens, and if I get an RFE, follow through with that

B ) be proactive and get a TB skin test prior to submitting my I-693 form with the I-485

Now, if I choose to be proactive and get a TB skin test, is it:

A ) advisable to obtain that from the doc who did my original medical, seeing how I am still in Canada for the next few weeks? Or,

B ) should I wait and do this once I cross the border? Or,

C ) yet another variation, can I simply have this done by my family physician (in Canada) and attach the results to the entire package?

Just looking to see what the options are. Thanks for your responses.

Lori (and Chris)

My belief is that the TB skin test is not required for all countries (though I am not 100% sure). Can anyone clarify? This might be new-thread material...