Medical Exam

[Mike n Huong 1]

Happy Labor Day!

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday. My step-sons interview will be coming up. I need some input on the Medical Exam.

My step-son has to travel from Hanoi and would like everyones input on preferences of which place is best to go for the Medical Exam. How should the exam be booked? Should an appointment be made before traveling to HCMC? Or is it possible for a walk in?

Also how long before the interview should he have the medical done? He will be traveling with his grandmother and they can't stay in HCMC as our family has a lot going on. So they will need to fly to HCMC and have the medical done and return to Hanoi. Then they will have to return to HCMC to get the results and go to the interview. I would assume they would hold onto the results until they can be picked up? Any advice would be helpful on how we should handle this.

Thanks,

Mike

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I've heard horror stories and good stories about both Cho Ray and IOM. Phuong had heard more horror stories about IOM so she and the kids went to Cho Ray. She made the appointments before she left Hue city. I think the appointments were for three or four days before the interview. They went in one day, and picked up the results the next day. I think they use 3/4 inch gas pipe and a garden hose to take blood because all three of them had wicked bruises on the their arms.

They plan to go to the hospital and pick up the results the same day as the interview? That might be possible if they don't get hung up at the hospital very long. Most people like to get in line for the interview really early in the morning. People who don't come until 9 or 10 am often don't leave the consulate until late in the afternoon. At that time of day, it could take over an hour to get back to the airport. How late are their still flights from HCMC to Hanoi?

[Dan_P 5]

last flight on Vietnam airlines is like 5:30 or 6:30 PM. Jetstar has a flight at around 8:30 PM. Jetstar should be cheaper, if you do carry on only.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Dan_P

[Mike n Huong 1]

I am sorry for the confusion. My step-son and mother-in-law would fly into HCMC a couple days before the interview and get the results a day or so before the interview. For some reason I thought it took a week or two for the results.

What is needed to get the medical? Just the interview letter?

My wife used IOM. She had no problems with the medical there, but had proplems with interview prep.

Thanks for your help.

[ScottThuy 140]

Waiting until a few days before the interview can be a problem if the med results are delayed like Hangs were... Does he have his vaccinations already? Dont forget those... The medical can be done one morning and the results often are ready the next day... a little coffee money and a plea that they traveled from the north can get the thing done without an appt. just show up first thing in the AM...

All they really need is ID(passport) showing who he is and the letter from the consulate... they wont do it without those..

[Ronnie&Hang 12]

Try to plan for this early before the interview if you can to get the medical done..just in case any delays or additional tests. Book your flight tix one-way to SGN, when you finished then you can book the flight back to HAN. Let say if they have to collect sputum samples for TB (hope it will not be in your case), that will take three additional consecutive days...so plan for it and plan to get the medical much earlier than just days before the interview.

Besides the interview letter, the yellow immunization paper, and original passport, you will also need $100usd and a couple passport photos. If you go to ChoRay, be there early in the morning and they will let you do walk-in.