Get a copy!

[Jennifer + James 0]

We got an RFE on our AOS because the USCIS lost my husband's medical documents!

The medical was completed in Ghana before he was even granted the visa to come to the US. To be safe, we did file the I-693A Vaccination Supplement. We got his work permit, and his parole authorization, no problem. We thought all we had left to do was wait for that Green Card to show up, but then we got a letter saying the documents have been "misplaced." They asked us to send another "copy" or complete the entire medical again with a US civil surgeon!

We of course dont have a copy because the medical (physical exam done at Holy Trinity, vaccinations at Akai House, and blood test at MedLabs) was sent to the Embasy in an ominous "sealed envelope." And the embassy gave us another "sealed envelope" to submit to the immigration officer at his POE. We never got a copy!!!

We called all three clinics, but of course they don't keep records. And who knows how long it will take for the Embassy to respond to our email. I have contacted my senator, but they arent really sure they can do anything about it. Someone else in the AOS forum said their senator was successful in relocating the documents somehow, but we only have until the end of June, and with no confidence on my senator's part, we don't really know what to do next. We might have to do the medical again...and that is expensive.

For those of you getting ready for the interview, I suggest trying as hard as possible to get a copy of the medical documents before they get sealed up in those envelopes. Professionally, it should be a requirement...

And if anyone else had a similar experience and somehow found the documents, please let us know any tips!

[payxibka 10,045]

Many have reported the same..

Some K-2's medical forms have been found in the K-1's file.

One person said that there is a "temporary" immigration file and a "permanent" one... The USCIS typically looks in one file and not typically in both... in this situation the medical was found in the "other" file. You may want to do a forum search for the story...

[Zee Bee 61]

My fiance tried and tried and tried and tried to get a copy of the medical after he was done to no avail. At least in Ghana, it is against their policy to give you copies of anything except for the vaccination card.

I read on here where someone said to ask at POE for a copy of the medical from the IO. I don't know how feasible that is.

[payxibka 10,045]

I read on here where someone said to ask at POE for a copy of the medical from the IO. I don't know how feasible that is.

That request would have had to have been made at the time of entry. The contents of the MBE are forwarded to the USCIS and not maintained at the POE.

[Zee Bee 61]

I read on here where someone said to ask at POE for a copy of the medical from the IO. I don't know how feasible that is.

That request would have had to have been made at the time of entry. The contents of the MBE are forwarded to the USCIS and not maintained at the POE.

Right, on entry.

[Jennifer + James 0]

My fiance tried and tried and tried and tried to get a copy of the medical after he was done to no avail. At least in Ghana, it is against their policy to give you copies of anything except for the vaccination card.

I read on here where someone said to ask at POE for a copy of the medical from the IO. I don't know how feasible that is.

It's worth a shot definitely. Probably safer than trying to open and re-seal that silly envelope!

I did read that post about finding the documents in the "temporary file." Some other people suggested on other forums that it seems people get RFEs if their case is transferred to the California Service Center, which is where our case was also sent to. I just wish my senator's staffer was more confident in possibly finding it somewhere! I'll let everyone know if we meet any success...

[payxibka 10,045]

This is no consolation for you, but we just ended up re-doing my son's medical instead of enduring an endless search.

Edited June 11, 2008 by fwaguy

[Jennifer + James 0]

This is no consolation for you, but we just ended up re-doing my son's medical instead of enduring an endless search.

An option we are considering also. The civil surgeon who completed the vaccination supplement for us is quite reasonable... It just seems such a shame, another costly frustration to deal with...

[reeses16 8]

It will probably be simpler to just redo the medical.

[knl 0]

When my husband went to the civil surgeon to get the vaccination worksheet complete, the Doctor would not do it without completing the whole medical again. We were pissed off!!!!, to put it nicely. Oh, yes we were pissed. This doctor would not listen to anything I had to say and we brought him proof that my husband did not have to complete the medical again. He said, are you trying to tell me I don't know what I am doing? My husband told him yes. The doctor was just a jerk, but I am glad we paid to do it again, so we didn't run into any problems. Now that this medical is almost a year old, my husband is starting school for LPN and was in need of a full physical. He showed them the copy from this civil surgeon and they accepted it. So it became useful after all. Best wishes Jenn, I don't know what to advise you to do. I know it cost us a lot, not to mention they had him get second vaccinations, and argued about the chicken pox vaccination. I told them he had chicken pox before, they said get the titer. I don't understand because chicken pox vaccination is optional to americans (well at the time my kids got it, it was). This whole process is frustrating. It will get better.

[ose_n_me 0]

I feel your pain! I just posted in the AOS forum about our recent experience with the medicals. Here's the link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;#entry1900215

Good Luck! We just keep the prayers going, and figure at least we are together going thru this!!!