London Medical Jan 28th

[SSAH 0]

I went with my fiancé to Bentinck Street for the medical and we parked on a meter just around the corner on Queen Anne Street .

I was quite nervous but the medical isn’t really something to worry about - its worrying what its going to be like which is the worst bit.

First you fill out a form about your medical history. Then you get called to have a little chat with a nurse to see what vaccinations you have had. I needed the MMR and tetanus. I had them done after with the nurse at my GP to save paying £30 each. She wrote out what was needed and told us to have the nurse write down the batch number of the injections and then we were to fax it to them. They would keep the case open and not forward to the embassy until they received the information that the shots were done.

Then you get put in another waiting room with a weird picture on the wall of an egg being cut with a knife.

The x-ray lady called me in and took an x-ray of my chest which was very quick. Then it was back to the main waiting room to wait to see the doctor.

The doctor was a very nice Irish man who checked my height weight, blood pressure. He checked my breathing with the stethoscope. He pressed down on my groin to see if I had a hernia (I think) then he said he would have a peep down there which was as quick as a second. Right at the end he did a blood test. He also talked about my medical history and wanted some more info from my GP about when I had depression 10 years ago. That was it, nothing to worry about.

[Lansbury 19]

The interview is even easier than the medical

[tomsandi 0]

I had my medical at Bentinck yesterday, like you say nothing to worry about. As soon as I entered the surgery the woman at reception said 'that'll be £200 then' - mixed me up with someone else going out. I was like, I know they're keen to get my cash, but that's pushing it a bit!

ps. the chest x ray machine is really cold! they should warm that thing up before i press up against it!

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

Thanks for sharing

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

now i don't mean to go on about it (i hijacked someones else's thread about this before) but I, personally, am very very very grateful that I have read people's reports about the medical and am forewarned going in that a look down my knickers is in store. I think I would die of shock if that was spung on me, when I'm already nervous.

thank goodness i found VJ

[Darren&Laura 3]

Had my medical at Bentnick Street on Monday after flying back to the UK on Thrusday last week after spending the past three months with my fiancé in the USA.

I caught the train from Leeds to Kings Cross, (cost £57 return), then bought a Tube day pass, (£5.60 I think). I caught the tube over to Bond Street and walked up to the surgery. I was over an hour early so bought a newspaper and sat with a glass of lemonade in the pub just across the road from the surgery and relaxed. The medical itself was a snip - I had the chest XRay, my height and weight confirmed, my blood pressure taken, and then a brief examination of my body and dangly bits. The doctor then handed me over to a nurse who gave me an MMR jab, but I didn't require the tetanus as I had one in the USA last month when I had to have some stitches after slipping and cutting my foot. I then had to give a blood sample and everything was done to my surprise already.

The medical cost £205 including the MMR jab and they promised my results would be at the Embassy by thursday, (tomorrow).

My appointment was at 2:10pm and I left there just after 3pm, so as my train back north wasn't until 7pm I decided to make use of my tube day pass and went sightseeing.

All in all, it was a pleasant day out in London and the medical was nothing at all to be nervous about. I hope this allays some fears.

Hopefully my Embassy appointment will be scheduled shortly and I can get back home to the USA to be with my future wife and our two gorgeous baby twin girls, (born December 2007 during my last three month trip.)

Darren.

[j4k 0]

congrats on those twins! and good luck for a quick return to be with all 3!

[zoobuffalo 0]

thanks for these info shares on the medical! i have mine coming up and it's good to know how quick n easy it is

[bakofoil 27]

Had my medical at Bentnick Street on Monday after flying back to the UK on Thrusday last week after spending the past three months with my fiancé in the USA.

I caught the train from Leeds to Kings Cross, (cost £57 return), then bought a Tube day pass, (£5.60 I think). I caught the tube over to Bond Street and walked up to the surgery. I was over an hour early so bought a newspaper and sat with a glass of lemonade in the pub just across the road from the surgery and relaxed. The medical itself was a snip - I had the chest XRay, my height and weight confirmed, my blood pressure taken, and then a brief examination of my body and dangly bits. The doctor then handed me over to a nurse who gave me an MMR jab, but I didn't require the tetanus as I had one in the USA last month when I had to have some stitches after slipping and cutting my foot. I then had to give a blood sample and everything was done to my surprise already.

The medical cost £205 including the MMR jab and they promised my results would be at the Embassy by thursday, (tomorrow).

My appointment was at 2:10pm and I left there just after 3pm, so as my train back north wasn't until 7pm I decided to make use of my tube day pass and went sightseeing.

All in all, it was a pleasant day out in London and the medical was nothing at all to be nervous about. I hope this allays some fears.

Hopefully my Embassy appointment will be scheduled shortly and I can get back home to the USA to be with my future wife and our two gorgeous baby twin girls, (born December 2007 during my last three month trip.)

Darren.

Belated congratulations on those twins! Hope you get an interview date soon. Good luck!

[zalala 0]

I went with my fiancé to Bentinck Street for the medical and we parked on a meter just around the corner on Queen Anne Street .

...

Right at the end he did a blood test. He also talked about my medical history and wanted some more info from my GP about when I had depression 10 years ago. That was it, nothing to worry about.

Hi there,

I was quite concerned about SSAH's last comment, that his GP would be contacted about his medical history. Does anyone know if this is standard procedure, is your medical history not private? I don't see how being treated for depression is relevant to a K-1 visa application. Worried! Anyone's experience with this would be really appreciated.

[Lansbury 19]

I went with my fiancé to Bentinck Street for the medical and we parked on a meter just around the corner on Queen Anne Street .

...

Right at the end he did a blood test. He also talked about my medical history and wanted some more info from my GP about when I had depression 10 years ago. That was it, nothing to worry about.

Hi there,

I was quite concerned about SSAH's last comment, that his GP would be contacted about his medical history. Does anyone know if this is standard procedure, is your medical history not private? I don't see how being treated for depression is relevant to a K-1 visa application. Worried! Anyone's experience with this would be really appreciated.

They do not contact your GP. If for some reason they want information from your GP, very rare, it is for you to contact your GP and ask them to supply that information.

With depression they are concerned that the person might require expensive medical treatment in the US which they cannot afford and/or that they might be a danger to themselves or others. Those people on VJ who have suffered depression in the past, once they have obtained the extra medical information the Embassy doctors have asked for have had no problems getting a visa.

Edited February 22, 2008 by Lansbury

[Toshtishtash 1]

Quick question(s)

When I called up to book the appointment the lady on the phone said that the medical is £170 and not £200... Is that correct?

My nurse at the surgery I go to has written me out my vaccination report and everything is up to date apart from the HPV vaccination. Do I need this for the K1 bit of the process or can I wait until AOS? She told me that because this isn't available on the NHS yet (And won't be until the autumn) there will be a charge of £80 per injection!!!! And I need 3!!! I can't afford that right now!

Chicken Pox. I don't actually have a record of having had it as my Mum didn't take me to the doctors! I have definitely had it and I do have a couple of scars, but no actual proof! Is that going to cause problems?

And finally... Because my medical is the day before my interview, I know that the results won't be there in time and that if i'm approved it will be dependant on the medical results... But how long does that usually take? Do they call you when the results are in? Or do you just have to wait and hope for the best?

Thank you

Edited February 23, 2008 by toshtishtash

[Lansbury 19]

I would assume if they said £170 that is what it is, from memory so don't trust me it went up recently £10 from £160 to £170.

The chicken pox vaccine is not available in the UK so if you do at some point in the process need it, you get in it the US. I did IR-1 so didn't need any extra processing Stateside so have never had that vaccine. They just asked me if I had ever had chicken pox at the Embassy doctors and left it at that.

The results normally take 2 - 3 working days to get from the doctor to the Embassy, from what they told me it is more often 2 days than 3. Depends how quick the blood results come back from the lab.

The doctors only call you about the results if they find something which need following up. If you pass they don't call.

Edited February 23, 2008 by Lansbury

[zalala 0]

Thanks so much for the information. My fiance is actually in Portland, hope you're enjoying Oregon. Best wishes.

[Lansbury 19]

Thanks so much for the information. My fiance is actually in Portland, hope you're enjoying Oregon. Best wishes.

Great place, the sun is shining this morning and we have had a week of quite good weather. That means it hasn't rained