Would you advise doing this?

[Melrose Plant 1]

I can see you know all the new rules about the I-693, transcribing the vaccinations, and the TST. No matter what anybody tells you, you have read those rules and that's the current proper way. However, people who applied in September are still getting by with no TST. Others are reporting it was noticed at the interview and they were told to get one before they could be approved. It is not being applied consistently yet. Those people applied 5-6 months ago. By the time they pick up your application 5-6 months from now (July-August?) the rules would have been in effect a whole year. Perhaps all the adjudicators will be more informed by then and they will expect the TST. It's still speculation at this point in time whether they will hold you to the rules or not, so you have to decided what you feel most comfortable doing. We chose not to do the TST or I-693 and wait on an RFE. So far none, but we're probably at least a month short of getting looked at by an adjudicator. EAD and AP were received already, so that part worked. Will the same hold true for you coming several months later? As more and more people comply with the new rules, it's likely that they will come to look for those documents and fewer will slip by.

Do you mind getting an RFE? Will it change your day to day life to have a short delay? Will the postman who delivers your RFE snatch your husband away until the RFE is resolved? NO. He's here, you're married, you live together. An RFE will be a delay you can live with.

That was exactly my thinking. The CS I called wanted $250. Forget that. We're together, I don't really care how long it takes. I just sent in the yellow sheet (is that the DS-3025?) we got from the medical in Vietnam, and hoped for the best. I figured if we've got to go get a different form, then so be it.

Evidently, we got by with it, because card production has been ordered.

[TRELAWNY PARISH 10]

Can anyone confirm whether or not the TB test must be done by a civil surgeon?

We didn't have ours done by a civil surgeon, all the civil surgeon did was transfer the information we provided to him unto the I-693 form. My hubby had his TB test done at a clinic for free, some places charge $15 and upwards.

[SterlingGirl 1]

I think I've decided to just send in the DS-3025 and his TB test/follow up X-ray (because his skin test was positive; he had BCG as a child). The follow-up X-ray, plus another medical bill of his completely unrelated to immigration, is starting to put a small dent in our budget, and at least at this point, I don't feel like giving USCIS (and associated parties) another thin dime over and above the $1010 I'm having to dole out upon AOS. I know there will be more expenses in the future; but if it's possible that it's not necessary, I'll take a chance. I complied to the letter to get him here; now that he's here, I'm going to see what we can get away with.

As others have said - worst case scenario, we get an RFE and have to to see a CS anyway. The extra time really isn't a big deal to us.

Edited February 6, 2009 by SterlingGirl