Vaccination records for UK

[Y&E 12]

Hello,

Can anyone who's been for their medical give some info on how they check your vaccinations? I've just read someone on the Canadian forum saying that they want your vaccinations back to when you were a baby! Well, not only did the hospital that I was born at close down (it became an Art School) but we moved to another city when I was 5. I doubt that there's any way to get medical records from pre-5 and I only have a few records of vaccinations after age 18.

Also not so helpful that I grew up in NZ and now live in the UK. My Mum's trying to find out if she can get my records from age 5 - 18 from the local GP but I want to know just how necessary that is.

Thanks for any help.

E

Edited March 11, 2010 by Y&E

[English Muffin 59]

I couldn't get hold of my vaccination records either so I just had them done again before my medical.

[Y&E 12]

I couldn't get hold of my vaccination records either so I just had them done again before my medical.

Yes, I suppose that's one way to go about it but since I remember some of the vaccinations being done I don't see what use it would be to have them redone. I saw mention of a test you can have done to test for the antibodies. I think I've had that done for Hep A before. Has anyone had that done? What I really want to know is, is it necessary to have the test done or would they just take my word (and specific memories) about the fact that I've had those vaccinations?

[SunDrop 59]

Yes, I suppose that's one way to go about it but since I remember some of the vaccinations being done I don't see what use it would be to have them redone. I saw mention of a test you can have done to test for the antibodies. I think I've had that done for Hep A before. Has anyone had that done? What I really want to know is, is it necessary to have the test done or would they just take my word (and specific memories) about the fact that I've had those vaccinations?

I'm in the same situation, with immunisation records scattered across Europe and the UK.

You can ask your GP to order a titre test, which shows all antibodies. If you can demonstrate that you have immunity (by taking the test results and a letter from your GP) then you probably won't need to have the vaccinations.

They take your word for chicken pox.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

While having the titre test is a good idea if you want to avoid having any further vaccinations, it is usually more expensive and time-consuming than just getting them done again (especially if your GP will give you them for free). I can totally understand the appeal of just taking blood out as opposed to pumping (possibly unnecessary) vaccines in! Unfortunately the choice is one or the other.

[nickm 1]

I just went to the GP i am registered with and requested a vaccination history. They printed one out for me on the spot. I then booked in to see the nurse and took along th elist of vaccination required and she gave me the ones i would need and that were available.

[visacat 1]

I am the same i guess im lucky i have been registered with the same doctor all my life. I went in and the receptionist printed off all my vaccination history for me and i have booked an appointment with the nurse for the injection i need which is a tetanus

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Yes, I suppose that's one way to go about it but since I remember some of the vaccinations being done I don't see what use it would be to have them redone. I saw mention of a test you can have done to test for the antibodies. I think I've had that done for Hep A before. Has anyone had that done? What I really want to know is, is it necessary to have the test done or would they just take my word (and specific memories) about the fact that I've had those vaccinations?

They can't take your word for it. The form requires specific dates be written in. It's not a yes/no tick box. Here's what the CDC says:

Vaccination Documentation

Acceptable vaccination documentation must come from a vaccination record, either a personal vaccination record or a copy of a medical chart with entries made by a physician or other appropriate medical personnel. Only those records of doses of vaccines that include the dates of receipt (month, day, and year) are acceptable. The document must not appear to have been altered, and dates of vaccinations should seem reasonable. Self-reported doses of vaccines without written documentation are not acceptable.

Here's a document discussing immunization for your AOS which is the ultimate reason why you're worrying about shots now...so you can get a green card. You get the visa with or without shots. http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/...nstructions.pdf

I prefer this document which goes into great detail in the footnotes about each vaccine, the intervals between, the contraindications, etc. The only thing that makes this document out of date is the reference to HPV and Zoster which were removed from the requirements in Dec 09.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5753-Immunization.pdf

No matter what your childhood record says, you're going to need a Tdap or Td as a booster most likely. (Note: that is not just a Tetnus booster. It has diptheria and anti-cellular pertussis) The other shot UK adults will need is the MMR series. If you don't have record of that, then plan ahead and get started with your NHS. Many give it free, but even if they charge, just do it. There's 3 in the series. The first two are 4 weeks apart. You'll need that by AOS, so get started while you've got nothing to do but moan about not hearing if London logged your packet. (Not talking to you specifically Y&E) Have the second dose before your medical so both can be recorded on your record. The third dose is 6-12 months later, so you'll be okay wthout that because you'll file for AOS before it's due. Or you can wait until you get to the US to do everything. But you'll be back posting in AOS forum that you don't know where to get a shot cheaply, you can't drive and somebody has to take off work to get you there, yada yada. I vote for getting it done and dusted while you're in your comfortable familiar environment with the possibility of getting it free if your NHS doctor is nice. And try to get that history of chickenpox documented by your NHS on the form you take to Knightsbridge of your shot history. It'll be easier.

[nickm 1]

They can't take your word for it. The form requires specific dates be written in. It's not a yes/no tick box. Here's what the CDC says:

Vaccination Documentation

Acceptable vaccination documentation must come from a vaccination record, either a personal vaccination record or a copy of a medical chart with entries made by a physician or other appropriate medical personnel. Only those records of doses of vaccines that include the dates of receipt (month, day, and year) are acceptable. The document must not appear to have been altered, and dates of vaccinations should seem reasonable. Self-reported doses of vaccines without written documentation are not acceptable.

Here's a document discussing immunization for your AOS which is the ultimate reason why you're worrying about shots now...so you can get a green card. You get the visa with or without shots. http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/...nstructions.pdf

I prefer this document which goes into great detail in the footnotes about each vaccine, the intervals between, the contraindications, etc. The only thing that makes this document out of date is the reference to HPV and Zoster which were removed from the requirements in Dec 09.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5753-Immunization.pdf

No matter what your childhood record says, you're going to need a Tdap or Td as a booster most likely. (Note: that is not just a Tetnus booster. It has diptheria and anti-cellular pertussis) The other shot UK adults will need is the MMR series. If you don't have record of that, then plan ahead and get started with your NHS. Many give it free, but even if they charge, just do it. There's 3 in the series. The first two are 4 weeks apart. You'll need that by AOS, so get started while you've got nothing to do but moan about not hearing if London logged your packet. (Not talking to you specifically Y&E) Have the second dose before your medical so both can be recorded on your record. The third dose is 6-12 months later, so you'll be okay wthout that because you'll file for AOS before it's due. Or you can wait until you get to the US to do everything. But you'll be back posting in AOS forum that you don't know where to get a shot cheaply, you can't drive and somebody has to take off work to get you there, yada yada. I vote for getting it done and dusted while you're in your comfortable familiar environment with the possibility of getting it free if your NHS doctor is nice. And try to get that history of chickenpox documented by your NHS on the form you take to Knightsbridge of your shot history. It'll be easier.

I requested the MMR jabs from the NHS and my doctor will only administer it to "young persons", i never got a specific age. But this means i could not get it and so i am now finding out how much it will cost to get it in the states vs the 35 pound charge of getting it from knightsbridge. I am going to do which ever is cheaper.

[Y&E 12]

They can't take your word for it. The form requires specific dates be written in. It's not a yes/no tick box. Here's what the CDC says:

Vaccination Documentation

Acceptable vaccination documentation must come from a vaccination record, either a personal vaccination record or a copy of a medical chart with entries made by a physician or other appropriate medical personnel. Only those records of doses of vaccines that include the dates of receipt (month, day, and year) are acceptable. The document must not appear to have been altered, and dates of vaccinations should seem reasonable. Self-reported doses of vaccines without written documentation are not acceptable.

Here's a document discussing immunization for your AOS which is the ultimate reason why you're worrying about shots now...so you can get a green card. You get the visa with or without shots. http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/...nstructions.pdf

I prefer this document which goes into great detail in the footnotes about each vaccine, the intervals between, the contraindications, etc. The only thing that makes this document out of date is the reference to HPV and Zoster which were removed from the requirements in Dec 09.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5753-Immunization.pdf

No matter what your childhood record says, you're going to need a Tdap or Td as a booster most likely. (Note: that is not just a Tetnus booster. It has diptheria and anti-cellular pertussis) The other shot UK adults will need is the MMR series. If you don't have record of that, then plan ahead and get started with your NHS. Many give it free, but even if they charge, just do it. There's 3 in the series. The first two are 4 weeks apart. You'll need that by AOS, so get started while you've got nothing to do but moan about not hearing if London logged your packet. (Not talking to you specifically Y&E) Have the second dose before your medical so both can be recorded on your record. The third dose is 6-12 months later, so you'll be okay wthout that because you'll file for AOS before it's due. Or you can wait until you get to the US to do everything. But you'll be back posting in AOS forum that you don't know where to get a shot cheaply, you can't drive and somebody has to take off work to get you there, yada yada. I vote for getting it done and dusted while you're in your comfortable familiar environment with the possibility of getting it free if your NHS doctor is nice. And try to get that history of chickenpox documented by your NHS on the form you take to Knightsbridge of your shot history. It'll be easier.

Thanks for the info. I had the Tdap done (and was told that they don't bother with boosters over here anymore) and I had MMR when I was 11 and luckily my parents were back in NZ this month and managed to visit the surgery who admininstered it and have got a record. So, I guess that they're not interested in records of vaccinations that people are out-of-age-group for? Because if that's the case I'm covered. BTW - the 'p' in Tdap is for polio not pertussis (whooping cough) but I read that it's accepted because the Tdap is only available in the US and the initials are the same. Well, that's what someone said in another post.

Edit to add: Surely they have to take your word for it that you've had chicken pox? Most people don't see the doctor if they've had chicken pox as children so they're not going to know or have a record of it. Unless they're one of the unlucky ones who gets adult chicken pox, which I've heard is awful. I had it when I was 2 so luckily I don't remember it being awful.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Y&E

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Concerning the pertussis/polio. The list is made up by the Center for Disease control in the US. That's the list you have to follow. It doesn't matter what the UK calls it or whether they booster it, you're going to have to go by the US list because you're meeting US immigration requirements. That's a reason why the shots can be put off until you are actually in the US since not every country has every US listed vaccine. For the purpose of the USCIS and immigration P is for pertussis. But I posted that the UK doc ticked off Tdap with a date and that got him by the eyes of the USCIS.

What I meant about the chickenpox is it might be easier to convince your doc who knows you to write down a history over telling a stranger at the medical. My husband told his nurse who was getting his other records listed, "my mum said I had chickenpox in December of 19xx." So when she prepared the immunization list, she wrote on it Chickenpox Dec 19xx. It's just something to try if you're seeing the doc to get a list anyway. I wouldn't make a special effort just for that.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Nich-Nick

[n1dom 0]

What I meant about the chickenpox is it might be easier to convince your doc who knows you to write down a history over telling a stranger at the medical. My husband told his nurse who was getting his other records listed, "my mum said I had chickenpox in December of 19xx." So when she prepared the immunization list, she wrote on it Chickenpox Dec 19xx. It's just something to try if you're seeing the doc to get a list anyway. I wouldn't make a special effort just for that.

I didn't have any vaccination records but IIRC when I went for the medical at Knightsbridge Doctors, the nurse asked me if I'd ever had chicken pox, to which I responded yes. And that was that, it was marked down on the form as VH with the waiver request box ticked.

[ktb 15]

Just to clarify, so you don't have to have any of the immunizations before you enter the states? i.e. you don't have to have them for the interview?

My husband is British but we are living in Cyprus and I'm not sure how we would get ahold of his vaccination records? I've heard that you can access them online but have not been able to confirm this yet. Also might it be a possible that they would send them to the doctor over here or would we have to pay to have them sent to us? Also, if we can't get ahold of the records and have to have the vaccinations done before the interview, how long will it take? It's very costly for us to travel to the capitol to get this done so the less trips we have to make the better!

[LeftCoastLady 441]

This thread is over two years old. You should start a new one on your own to get response.

Just to clarify, so you don't have to have any of the immunizations before you enter the states? i.e. you don't have to have them for the interview?

My husband is British but we are living in Cyprus and I'm not sure how we would get ahold of his vaccination records? I've heard that you can access them online but have not been able to confirm this yet. Also might it be a possible that they would send them to the doctor over here or would we have to pay to have them sent to us? Also, if we can't get ahold of the records and have to have the vaccinations done before the interview, how long will it take? It's very costly for us to travel to the capitol to get this done so the less trips we have to make the better!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Just to clarify, so you don't have to have any of the immunizations before you enter the states? i.e. you don't have to have them for the interview?

My husband is British but we are living in Cyprus and I'm not sure how we would get ahold of his vaccination records? I've heard that you can access them online but have not been able to confirm this yet. Also might it be a possible that they would send them to the doctor over here or would we have to pay to have them sent to us? Also, if we can't get ahold of the records and have to have the vaccinations done before the interview, how long will it take? It's very costly for us to travel to the capitol to get this done so the less trips we have to make the better!

K1s can gat a visa without immunizations because they can get them in the US and go through the hassle and expense of paying a civil surgeon to sign off on them before they apply for a greencard. Since you are getting a spouse visa, your greencard is part of the deal. Your are essentially applying for a greencard now. Thus you MUST meet the immunization requirements before the interviewer will approve your visa.

I would just get the shots again and not worry about childhood records. There's not that many for adults and if it's been 10 years since Diptheria/Tetanus/Pertussis, another is required anyway. There is a list of shots in this first post of a K1 thread. Keep in mind that you are not K1, so the part about not required does not apply to you, but the shot information does. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/350185-london-2012-k1s-from-noa2-to-interview-thread/