Vaccination issues

[milneshine 0]

So, I'm almost finished with the immigration paperwork. The one to make me a permanent resident, the one that says my wife will support me financially, the one that says that I can work, the one that says that I can leave America to travel to my Sisters wedding, and the one that you have to fill out four times with the same information! All that's left is the one that says I need a tetanus shot and a rubella (I thought they only gave that to girls?) jab.

I head to the mall that has the Immigration Medical Center, next to the Asian supermarket, the curry house, Western Union, Patel Brothers dresses and the Bollywood Video store. Hmmm. I'm the only one in there that isn't wearing a saree and has a relative filling out forms on my behalf.

As far as I'm concerned, all I need are two shots and he signs Part 5 and away I go.

BUT NO. They have changed the rules again. Because my last blood test was over a month ago I have to have another blood test for HIV and Syphillis. Then I have to have a jab for Tuberculosis (isn't that what my BCG was for?), oh and a boost for tetanus.

Thing is, I hate needles. Seriously hate them. So as you can imagine, being told that I had small veins slightly concerned me. After 4 attempts in four different veins I was feeling a bit feint. So the doctor lets me recover and then tries 3 more veins before getting the blood that he needed. Oh, well if he hadn't spilled the blood all over the floor perhaps he wouldn't have needed 7 attempts, plus the tetanus boost, and the TB jab. We decided against the rubella injection and will test the blood for the antibodies as my Mum reckons I had it as a kid.

And of couse I was fleeced for another $350. But still, who else has a doctor that would use them as a human pincushion and then invite them to join their Mid West Cricket Team??

Gotta love this process!

[mariapoe 0]

Your timeline says that you've filed today. Good luck !!!

When it happened that you've described? Did you have to re-take your whole medical? Didn't you have one for the K-1 Visa interview? At least you can be sure that you're not going to get a RFE for your vaccination like I probably will - I didn't submit any vaccination information because I couldn't figure out what shots were missing, so couldn't go ahead and complete it. Sorry to hear and to know that they keep making lots of money on us... but it is what it is.

Once again, good luck! This journey is much more fast-speed and less stressful than K-1 process.

Edited June 20, 2008 by mariapoe

[milneshine 0]

K1'ers don't need to take the whole medical but do need the vaccination sheet filled out.

I was missing a tetanus booster and rubella. If you are missing anything then best to get it done in your home country I guess - especially if in the UK with the FREE National Health Service. Doh!

HOWEVER, the fact that I had to have the blood tests done again was news to me. Especially as I had them done in April to get into the USA anyway. But apparently they were 6 weeks old and you have to have them re-done if the last test was over a month ago. Well, nice to know that I STILL don't have HIV I guess.

Good luck with your vaccination stuff. Remember they can test your blood for antibodies, so if you have had measle, mumps, chicken pox (varicella) etc then the antibodoes will show up in your blood and you won't need shots for those.