TST against TB required?

[FaustInAK 1]

I just want to CRY!

I just read that USCIS changed a couple months ago requirements for tuberculosis... Has everybody taken the TST, skin test???

Apparently it is required for the I-693 that has to be filled by a surgeon even if medical examination was taken in your home country. I read that Xrays weren't enough anymore. And even if you got the BCG vaccin, the commun one against TB, you have to get the TST??

Has anyone had a RFE or troubles for not having this test??

I am just tired of learning bad news every single day...

So if anyone can help me on that, that'd be great!

Faustine

[raphandarrin 0]

I don't know anything about the new ruled but thought I should add I had so much trouble with my TB test, just like many of you, I had the BCG shot when I was a kid, I had to take the skin test and obviously it was reactive, I needed an X-Ray and the doctor said she couldn't read it, I had to go to another doctor that wanted me to get 2 more X-Rays and a blood work, I think I or the doctor would be able to tell if I did have TB, but anyway, I got all done for hear to say I was clear, duh, I always knew...It took me over a month to have everything done and I spent more money with doctors and exams than I spent with the forms

[FaustInAK 1]

Yes they really suck with their stupid requirements!

I think I am going however to have the TST done... I am still in France afterall, where medical is free so I will do as many things as I can here before I leave. But still, it is unbelievable all the changes they are doing without warning really and without telling all the authorized doctors...

[raphandarrin 0]

make sure you can use whatever you get from back home here, because my HIV/sifilis exam from back home wasn't accepted here, I had to get a blood work done by the civil surgeon indicated by USCIS

[swellington 0]

Yes my wife and I just had and RFE cause of this, and when i called my civil surgeon they said its wide spread they are getting more and more call for this, seems the goverment didnt grandfather anyone in who had already applied for AOS before the rule change happened, so we have to go down and get the TST test, this is the 3rd RFE we have recieved for various reasons so im not worried bout these things anymore i just do what they tell me.

[FaustInAK 1]

Viva USCIS!!! No kidding. All this is simply unfair...

I just went to see my doctor here in France, not a USCIS authorized doctor, but he just TB tested me with the TST and I am going to have the results in 3 days. I already know I am fine, because first I had BGC as a baby, second every year in junior high we were tested and I was always ok... But at least, I will have the TST results and hopefully they won't bother me with that!!

He also gave me a prescription to have my blood tests for HIV/Syphilis redone...

If with all that they still want to make me pass exams, I will be very unhappy to stay polite!

Good luck to everybody...

Faustine

Edited July 22, 2008 by FaustineJason

[FaustInAK 1]

By the way, maybe that could help people...

About TB and the TST test, I sent an email to CDC and they told me that K1 don't need to take the TST test unless they have been in the US for more than one year. Has anyone heard about that??

I read what they say on I-693 form: "If you are applying for adjustment of status at least one year after your first admission to the United States as a refugee or as a "K" or "V" nonimmigrant visa holder, see Questions 1-3 in Section III, Frequently Asked Questions, before proceeding any further." And when you go see the questions in section 3, it is said:

"What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical exam overseas?

If you were admitted as:

A. K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e), or as a

B. K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen, and

C. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then-

You are not required to have another medical examination as long as your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination.

a. You are not required to have another medical examination as long as your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination.

b. You will, however, be required to complete Part 1, Information about you, and submit the vaccination section of Part 2 with your adjustment of status application. A designated civil surgeon must complete the vaccination section and Part 5, the Civil Surgeon's Certification."

So, does that apply to any K1 or only the ones that are "applying for adjustment of status at least one year after your first admission to the United States"??

If it means that only the second have to have the parts 1, 2 and 5 filled out by a doctor, then the other K1, who arrived less than one year ago and who had a med examination before entering the US, don't have to even bother filling the form and just have to show a proof of vaccination like DS3025??

What do you think?

As always, we have to read in between the lines to try to understand something that can be understanden a lot of different ways!!

Faustine

Edited July 24, 2008 by FaustineJason

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

My wife (k-1) had the medical exam, bloodwork, x-ray, and ALL vaccinations done as part of the k-1 visa process in Costa Rica in April. She did not do a TB test, just the X-ray. I sent our AOS forms in yesterday and I did not include the I-693, just a copy of the DS-3025 she got from her doctor during the medical.

I don't know what the new rules are, I think anybody does. So we'll just wait and see what happens. If we get an RFE, we'll respond to it accordingly. An RFE is not the worst thing in the world. We didn't think it was smart to be doing things that nobody is sure needed to be done in the first place (and spending lots of $$$ to do them).

[MrsD 0]

I had my medical on 06/24 and yes, I had to do skin test though I knew it would be positive because the same happened 15 years ago while I was 6th grade. I was told that BCG I received twice when I was a kid does not count in US, but IF I HAD anything to confirm that (results and X-ray) they would skip that. It is the law. Of course, two days later my test was 13 mm and I did x-ray right away (negative). Make sure you do all at once, don't let them make you come again and again.

I also got two shots I needed (well, already had them, but couldn't prove) at the tame of my first exam. They were FREE. I had a great nurse that pointed that to me, which not everyone will tell you. By law, ppl who file for green card and don't have US medical insurance do NOT have to pay for the shots.

My exam was 242$ and 62$ for X-ray. That was it. And it was all done in 2 days.

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

I also got two shots I needed (well, already had them, but couldn't prove) at the tame of my first exam. They were FREE. I had a great nurse that pointed that to me, which not everyone will tell you. By law, ppl who file for green card and don't have US medical insurance do NOT have to pay for the shots.

My exam was 242$ and 62$ for X-ray. That was it. And it was all done in 2 days.

I think the shots were included in your exam cost.

[MrsD 0]

No. I got the price list with ammount for every shot on top the exam. They were about to charge that when the nurse came and said no. She told me many clinics would charge though when people don't know what they are paying for.