Civil Surgeons

[wwax 0]

There is only one civil surgeon near where I am living in the US at the moment. I am in the process of filing an I-485 and need to get my medical done. I have spoken to the clinic and they won't make an appointment for me to have my physical until I have all the other tests and vaccinations I need done.

They have given me a list of clinic that I could get them done at, but they are all very busy and I can't get in for the vaccinations for almost 2 months at any of the places listed by the civil surgeon. Would I be able to go to my regular family doctors and get them administer the vaccines and get the paperwork I need? If so what paperwork would I have to be sure to get?

I also have a catch 22 in that the civil surgeon won't make an appointment to see me without all my test results and vaccination paperwork in hand, and the testing centre they sent me to won't test me without a letter from the doctor.

Could I just ask my regular family doctor to put in a request for the test for me or does that have to come from the civil surgeon?

Any help appreciated.

[Dakine 26]

There is only one civil surgeon near where I am living in the US at the moment. I am in the process of filing an I-485 and need to get my medical done. I have spoken to the clinic and they won't make an appointment for me to have my physical until I have all the other tests and vaccinations I need done.

They have given me a list of clinic that I could get them done at, but they are all very busy and I can't get in for the vaccinations for almost 2 months at any of the places listed by the civil surgeon. Would I be able to go to my regular family doctors and get them administer the vaccines and get the paperwork I need? If so what paperwork would I have to be sure to get?

I also have a catch 22 in that the civil surgeon won't make an appointment to see me without all my test results and vaccination paperwork in hand, and the testing centre they sent me to won't test me without a letter from the doctor.

Could I just ask my regular family doctor to put in a request for the test for me or does that have to come from the civil surgeon?

Any help appreciated.

If you came on a K1 or K3 and you're adjusting status and you had a immigration medical in your home country less than a year ago you can have a doctor in texas do vaccination tranfer records to a I-693 for 30 bucks.

[YuAndDan 153]

I am confused, you posted this to the IR-1/CR-1 forum, this has to do with IMMIGRANT visas, if this the case you are required to have physical exam and vaccinations done BEFORE you get this visa. A US Civil surgeon is not involved.

If you are adjusting status from a visa other than a K-Visa this post needs to be in the AOS from Work/Student/Visitor's visa forum. Moving it there.

[wwax 0]

I am confused, you posted this to the IR-1/CR-1 forum, this has to do with IMMIGRANT visas, if this the case you are required to have physical exam and vaccinations done BEFORE you get this visa. A US Civil surgeon is not involved.

If you are adjusting status from a visa other than a K-Visa this post needs to be in the AOS from Work/Student/Visitor's visa forum. Moving it there.

You are not the only one confused. Last time I posted a question on the forum about my situation it was moved to an IR-1/CR-1 forum so I thought that was were I had to post to for my situation. Sorry for spreading my confusion around. I think all these forms have caused my brain to melt .

[Dakine 26]

I am confused, you posted this to the IR-1/CR-1 forum, this has to do with IMMIGRANT visas, if this the case you are required to have physical exam and vaccinations done BEFORE you get this visa. A US Civil surgeon is not involved.

If you are adjusting status from a visa other than a K-Visa this post needs to be in the AOS from Work/Student/Visitor's visa forum. Moving it there.

You are not the only one confused. Last time I posted a question on the forum about my situation it was moved to an IR-1/CR-1 forum so I thought that was were I had to post to for my situation. Sorry for spreading my confusion around. I think all these forms have caused my brain to melt .

Dr. L. E. Arnold

4534 Westgate Boulevard, Suite 106

Austin, TX 78745

Tel: (512) 444-3131

Fax: (512) 447-4699

Call him. They do it all by mail and faxif you only need the vacination records transfered to a i-693.

[panpan 0]

I just came back my medical exam, it costs me $290 and 4 hours of time ( 3.5 was waiting).

I am confused, you posted this to the IR-1/CR-1 forum, this has to do with IMMIGRANT visas, if this the case you are required to have physical exam and vaccinations done BEFORE you get this visa. A US Civil surgeon is not involved.

If you are adjusting status from a visa other than a K-Visa this post needs to be in the AOS from Work/Student/Visitor's visa forum. Moving it there.

You are not the only one confused. Last time I posted a question on the forum about my situation it was moved to an IR-1/CR-1 forum so I thought that was were I had to post to for my situation. Sorry for spreading my confusion around. I think all these forms have caused my brain to melt .

Dr. L. E. Arnold

4534 Westgate Boulevard, Suite 106

Austin, TX 78745

Tel: (512) 444-3131

Fax: (512) 447-4699

Call him. They do it all by mail and faxif you only need the vacination records transfered to a i-693.

[YuAndDan 153]

I am confused, you posted this to the IR-1/CR-1 forum, this has to do with IMMIGRANT visas, if this the case you are required to have physical exam and vaccinations done BEFORE you get this visa. A US Civil surgeon is not involved.

If you are adjusting status from a visa other than a K-Visa this post needs to be in the AOS from Work/Student/Visitor's visa forum. Moving it there.

You are not the only one confused. Last time I posted a question on the forum about my situation it was moved to an IR-1/CR-1 forum so I thought that was were I had to post to for my situation. Sorry for spreading my confusion around. I think all these forms have caused my brain to melt .

Dr. L. E. Arnold

4534 Westgate Boulevard, Suite 106

Austin, TX 78745

Tel: (512) 444-3131

Fax: (512) 447-4699

Call him. They do it all by mail and faxif you only need the vacination records transfered to a i-693.

The OP is adjusting status from a visa OTHER than K-Visa, more than likely they need a FULL I-693 medical and vaccinations record done, not the vaccinations record, so the doctor in TX wont be of much use.

[wwax 0]

I am confused, you posted this to the IR-1/CR-1 forum, this has to do with IMMIGRANT visas, if this the case you are required to have physical exam and vaccinations done BEFORE you get this visa. A US Civil surgeon is not involved.

If you are adjusting status from a visa other than a K-Visa this post needs to be in the AOS from Work/Student/Visitor's visa forum. Moving it there.

You are not the only one confused. Last time I posted a question on the forum about my situation it was moved to an IR-1/CR-1 forum so I thought that was were I had to post to for my situation. Sorry for spreading my confusion around. I think all these forms have caused my brain to melt .

Dr. L. E. Arnold

4534 Westgate Boulevard, Suite 106

Austin, TX 78745

Tel: (512) 444-3131

Fax: (512) 447-4699

Call him. They do it all by mail and faxif you only need the vacination records transfered to a i-693.

The OP is adjusting status from a visa OTHER than K-Visa, more than likely they need a FULL I-693 medical and vaccinations record done, not the vaccinations record, so the doctor in TX wont be of much use.

Thanks for the link to Dr Arnold. Unfortunately I do have to have a full medical as I am adjusting the status of a visa other than a K-Visa.

I have decided to take the bull by the horns so to speak as the civil surgeons around here (Northen Indiana) all seem to be actively trying to avoid doing any testing and innoculating and keep refering me to the local free clinic. The clinic I was referred to for my vaccinations has a 2 to 3 month waiting list for immigrant vaccinations, and the testing centre won't see me without a letter from the civil surgeon which I can't get because the surgeon won't give me an appointment without the test results.

In the end I have decided to have all the test and vaccinations I need done through our family doctor here in the US (it will cost a lot more which is a pain but I am hoping our insurance will cover some of it) and then take all the paperwork with me to the civil surgeon and hopefully they will give me an appointment then. I am working on the theory that if I am able to get them from any of the clinics on the list they gave me then as long as the paperwork is in order it doesn't matter where I get them done. Is there any sort of certificate I need to prove I was vaccinated? All I got was a copy of the vaccination worksheet from the Nurse Practioner that did the shots. I'm going to try and get a letter from my doctor explaining all I've had done as well just to be on the safe side.

*fingers crossed* that will be enough to get me in for the physical. Its that or I start driving down to Indianapolis.

I just hope it works out OK as the idea of having all those needles again is not a good one.

I seem to have the opposite problem of a civil surgeon that doesn't want to do any tests, everyone seems to have civil surgeons trying to get them to take extra tests.

[lechatnoir 0]

I would keep calling the civil surgeons! I'm out in Virginia and not Texas...but I had at least 20 or more surgeons in our area that I called. Some were annoying, some wouldn't give me a full price, and some were like you said... but I did find one that did all the vaccines and tests right in their office and we paid.... let me see... it was 305 for everything except the chicken pox then we had to pay an additional 160 when they figured out we needed that too!

That is really frustrating that you are having to go through all that... I read where a few people drove like 1-2 hours just to find a civil surgeon that did what they wanted for the right price.

And then if after all that you're still at a dead end do the other thing you were going to do?

[TBoneTX 45,273]

Dr. Arnold has been in suite #114 for some time now, and the fee may have been up. Confirm this via a search here, but I seem to recall reading that he will not transcribe tuberculosis-test results, or some other hangup.

Civil sturgeon, n. - a polite, caviar-producing Russian fish.

[teagirl 0]

I totally feel your pain. We are in central eastern Indiana and the civil surgeon thing was BY FAR the worst part of the whole process. A complete disaster. We ended up going to the one nearest one (in Ohio) and she was not at all cooperative. We then thought we'd be better off starting from scratch with a dr in Indy, but the appointments were so far in the future that it was not going to work. My husband ended up not having to get that huge list of vaccinations that you probably pulled off the USCIS website (thank goodness, because it's a ridiculous list!), so the downside to just going out and getting them in advance would be that you could very likely be getting a whole bunch that are neither needed nor advisable.

I think you have a good plan. As far as I know, you do need to stick with one doctor for the entire process (except for vaccinations), so if you go to one, and then they tell you that you need further shots or testing, you'll have to return to the original doctor for follow up and to get the signed certificate. So, that argues for going to a civil surgeon closer to home.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

In the end I have decided to have all the test and vaccinations I need done through our family doctor here in the US (it will cost a lot more which is a pain but I am hoping our insurance will cover some of it) and then take all the paperwork with me to the civil surgeon and hopefully they will give me an appointment then. I am working on the theory that if I am able to get them from any of the clinics on the list they gave me then as long as the paperwork is in order it doesn't matter where I get them done. Is there any sort of certificate I need to prove I was vaccinated? All I got was a copy of the vaccination worksheet from the Nurse Practioner that did the shots. I'm going to try and get a letter from my doctor explaining all I've had done as well just to be on the safe side.

*fingers crossed* that will be enough to get me in for the physical. Its that or I start driving down to Indianapolis.

I just hope it works out OK as the idea of having all those needles again is not a good one.

I seem to have the opposite problem of a civil surgeon that doesn't want to do any tests, everyone seems to have civil surgeons trying to get them to take extra tests.

The vaccination worksheet from the nurse practitioner should be sufficient to verify that you have had the necessary vaccinations. Make sure the name and address of the Dr's office is also included, or have it available in case they want to verify further.

[breter 0]

Have you tried the county health department? Those places generally don't make appointments, but are first come first serve.

[SONG41 15]

I would keep calling the civil surgeons! I'm out in Virginia and not Texas...but I had at least 20 or more surgeons in our area that I called. Some were annoying, some wouldn't give me a full price, and some were like you said... but I did find one that did all the vaccines and tests right in their office and we paid.... let me see... it was 305 for everything except the chicken pox then we had to pay an additional 160 when they figured out we needed that too!

That is really frustrating that you are having to go through all that... I read where a few people drove like 1-2 hours just to find a civil surgeon that did what they wanted for the right price.

And then if after all that you're still at a dead end do the other thing you were going to do?

Can you help me I am in VA looking for a civil surgeon!!

I was just about to start calling around.

If you can not post can you PM me.

Thanks

[Jennifer&Jake 0]

My husband went to a very good Civil Surgeon in Houston Texas. They were the 2nd place I called(the first place was clueless), they were so infomative, seemed like they did this 100 x's a day. It cost $150.00 for the full I-693 and trasfered his previous shots to the I-693. He did need the MMR shot though which cost $90.00. He also tested positive for TB so we had to get an x-ray but that only cost like $39.00. So was very please with price and knowledge.