London medical information and advise for people with diabetes

[hello 0]

Hi there,

I am looking for some advice for out friends who are going through the process of applying for a family based visa (a USC applying for her british husband).

He had his medical today in london and didn't really go as expected. He is diabetic (has been for 30 yrs and uses insulin) so he got a letter from his doctor that stated how long he has had diabetes and how it is currently stable.

This didnt seem enough for the medical examiner, she found his blood pressure to be high, he had been treated for this in the past but now under control. From his doctor the examiner now wants the following...

- details of any treatments for blood pressure.

- all details about any diabetes complications from the past (there had been eye surgery linked to his diabetes years ago but nothing recently).

- prognosis for all known medical conditions.

- cholesterol levels for the past 7 years.

Has any one else been in such a situation? why is all this information needed? i thought the medical was just to prove the person wouldn't be harmful to others or a risk to the public. how is diabetes a risk, its not even classed as a disease any more!

once they supply the information to the examiner whats the next step? does the examiner write to the embassy with a yes or no answer? does he still get the interview for the embassy to asses the situation? what about an appeal?

please any help would be so helpful! this is a very worrying time for the both of them. they have been married for 40 years and lived together in the UK most of those.

thank you so much!!!

[Marty J 0]

I have Asperger's Syndrome, and was asked for a letter from my GP outlining diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, etc.

My GP faxed it over and the doctor signed off on my medical and sent it to the embassy the same day.

I think they just want further information that they can't obtain at the medical.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Marty J

[*julez* 124]

My husband is a Type 1 diabetic and has been since he was age 7, so over 50 years now. Although it wasn't asked for up front, he was very concerned that his diabetes could be a deal breaker for his K1 visa, so he made sure he brought all of his medical records with him.

He brought with him a list and dosage of all medications he takes, as well as copies of his A1C test results for the past few years. A1Cs are very important in that they show how well controlled a diabetic the person is or is not. He also addressed, up front, the fact that he'd been treated for retinopathy about 20 years prior and showed eveidence of his semi-annual eye checks that proved the retinopathy has not advanced at all.

He even told the doctor how nervous he was about being rejected because of his diabetes. the doctor said he appreciated how much dcumentary evidence he had of being a well-controlled diabetic. He also said that if the diabetes is not controlled, he will not pass the individual for the visa.

I would suggest that your friend's husband comply with the request by supplying all documentation requested. Provided thsat the doc is satified that the patient is in control of the diabetes and related health issues, he should be OK. Or, it may be that they'll feel better about it if they put him on blood pressure tablets. Who know? Get the stuff in and see what happens.

I also mentioned this to my husband, and asked him to post about his experience as he will hopefully have a better recollection of what the doctor told him the concerns were regarding diabetics and immigrant visas.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Something to add. I recently heard from UK VJ friend from the K1 days who is waiting on AOS currently. She is diabetic. She got notice that she had failed to comply with a follow up medical check within 6 months of entering the US. So nine months after entering was the first time she had been informed of this. Apparently she had been classified as having a Type B condition or disease at Knightsbridge, but nobody told her...not the doctor, not the Embassy, nothing by CBP who opened the packet at POE and is supposed to remind you to marry in 90 days and all that. So I just wanted to give your friends a head's up to find out from somebody if there are any medical restrictions on the visa (when they get it) for a follow up in the US so they can comply for the AOS part.

[*julez* 124]

My husband didn't have any issues with AOS due to his diabetes. It took him just over 2 months to get his green card.

It sounds like its definitely case by case with this stuff.

It also might make a difference if the person is Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

My husband didn't have any issues with AOS due to his diabetes. It took him just over 2 months to get his green card.

It sounds like its definitely case by case with this stuff.

It also might make a difference if the person is Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic.

She's young and has had it since childhood, but I don't know much else about it. She had no issues at the medical with the doctor letter she brought or at the interview. I just thought it weird that nobody informed her until 3 months after her deadline to comply, and it's threatening her AOS approval because she didn't follow through.

[*julez* 124]

Hi. This is Griff, Julie's husband.

I am a long term type 1 diabetic who is very well controlled and who has suffered little from diabetes related complication although high blood pressure has been one.

I took the view that for the medical being totally "up front" was the best option and thereby did the following:

• Completed the US Immigration medical form showing full details of all on-going medical treatment and all operations whether diabetes related or not.
• Discussed my US move with my doctor and asked him what we could provide in terms of my medical history. To my amazement I was given my test records for the previous SEVEN years showing A1C levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure history.....
• A letter summarizing my approach to to the diabetes control and his confidence in my ability to continue in the same manner.

At the medical I specifically asked the doctor about the effect being a diabetic had. His position was that the key thing that needed to be shown was control of the condition(s) and an understanding of what made good diabetic/blood pressure control.

Following the medical no further mention of the condition has been made. Went through the AOS without questions and was issued with my Green Card.

I would be more than happy to discuss the matter further with your friend. If this would help just drop Julie a private message giving his contact details.