RFE looking for I-693, but I sent the DS3025

[LoneRanger 0]

Hi

Can you help please?

I have applied for a I-485 after obtaining a K1 successfully, as I had completed a medical (March 2010 in Ireland) before moving I supplied just a copy of the DS3025 with my submission, no I-693. I also handed the originals in at the POE (inc. x-ray).

My understanding is as follows..

If the beneficiary's vaccinations were COMPLETED as part of the visa process, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO INCLUDE FORM I-693 IN THE AOS SUBMISSION. All your medical information is enclosed in the brown envelope which was handed in at the POE. The envelope is then forwarded on to USCIS where it will be consolidated with the I-485 submission, once received. If you received a copy of the Vaccination Documentation Worksheet (Form DS-3025) from your Panel Physician, you may include a copy of that form in your AOS submission in place of Form I-693.

I received an RFE saying they don't have any medical records on me (including a DS3025) and want me to submit an I-693.

Is this just a case of a lost document and I send them another copy of the DS3025 or am I missing something?

Thanks

Ciaran

[Nik+Heather 121]

This RFE is quite common for us K-1 filers. There appear to be a number of ways to successfully navigate the problem.

The first is the easiest (but most expensive): Get a whole new medical and have a civil surgeon complete an entire I-693 for you. This will run a few hundred dollars, and may require more than one office visit. However, it will also completely eliminate the problem.

The second is the route is to go with a congressional inquiry. Sometimes this results in your medical records (POE packet) being suddenly "FOUND!" and you are told to disregard the RFE, Or, it may result in them telling you that it is indeed missing (go to first option), OR they may bump you on to the interview where they will issue you another RFE. The good part about that third one is that a person can explain face to face what they need, and it might not be a whole new medical.

The third option is to try to send in (again) information which you have already sent them. This has been recommended to people by USCIS workers before, but I consider it to be quite risky. If they don't like your response, or feel as though it is inadequate, they MAY deny your AOS, which is a huge mess. HOWEVER, it wouldn't be the first time an RFE is issued for something already sent in and re-sending is the actual answer. So...

I recommend option 2. If you want more details on any of those (how to do, what to write in the letter), just say...I didn't feel like writing it all out for the options you wouldn't want to do.

[pepper 34]

If you're vaccinations are already completed like what you've said then you might want to go to a USCIS designated civil surgeon and have your DS-3025 transcribed to an I-693.

Goodluck!

[LoneRanger 0]

Thanks 'Nik and Heather' and 'Earp', appreciate your great responses. Food for thought.

Anyone out there know a cheap civil surgeon in Boston in case I try the transcription route?

All the best

Ciaran

[nickbits 43]

If they have no medical records for you I think you'll need get another complete exam, or try the other poster's suggestion. Sending in ds3025 again won't help.

[bimik 4]

You need to obtain a copy of your vaccination sheet and take it to a certified civil surgeoun in your area. He needs to complete Part 1 and submit the vaccination section of Part 2 with your form. Go to http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-693instr.pdf instructions and read page 4, section 3, point 2. We paid $50 to have him complete the vaccinations page and seal it. You are not required to have a full medical examination as long as your AOS was filed within a year of your overseas medical exam. However, some civil surgeons will want you go through the whole process all over, chose the one who knows the rules and will not make you do that.

Good luck,

Bimik

[hxxrmonkey 0]

We ended up doing the entire exam again in the states because the doc never gave my husband the DS3025. There are a lot of cases on VJ where people have sent in the 3025 only to receive an RFE. There are a lot of cases where there was no RFE too. Since you've already gotten the RFE the best route is to try to find someone who will transcribe it for you, as you said you're going to do. I know there was a doctor in Austin TX doing this via mail very cheap at one point. If you search VJ you can find his/her info. If you can't find someone to transcribe or don't want to spend the time just do the new exam. I think my husband's cost maybe $180, but yours would probably be less since they probably would skip the bloodwork due to the info on the 3025.

Also I remember reading (maybe in the I-693 instructions) at some point that the x-ray TB test common overseas isn't acceptable, and you need to have the skin test instead for the I-693. So it's possible they've actually started enforcing that.

[pepper 34]

Check this link for Civil Surgeons who wont rip you off...There's one in Boston who charges cheap..

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/page__st__75

[h1a1 5]

If they have no medical records for you I think you'll need get another complete exam, or try the other poster's suggestion. Sending in ds3025 again won't help.

You're right. If they have no record of the medical then even sending in the transcription of the DS-3025 will not be sufficient. If they have no record of the original medical then a full medical will unfortunately have to be done. Unless a congressional inquiry can find it...

Edited October 13, 2010 by h1a1

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Due to this happening all over the place when i applied for AOS, I arranged for my panel physician to send me another copy of the medical he did.

I received the medical but USCIS never lost the original. I would personally recommend that you try obtaining the original medical from your home country before paying for another one.

**Edit - when I arrived with my envelope as a K1, even the guy at POE was like "where's you medical?" and he had just looked at it!! I just pointed and said "there"... I just think they don't look properly sometimes so try contacting your senator/congressman about it.

Edited October 13, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Post asking a different question split off into its own thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/278269-what-name-to-use/ Please start a separate topic if you are asking a different question or about a different case, thanks.

[Barbara J 115]

Thanks 'Nik and Heather' and 'Earp', appreciate your great responses. Food for thought.

Anyone out there know a cheap civil surgeon in Boston in case I try the transcription route?

All the best

Ciaran

You need to go to USCIS site and look up CS put in your zip code and will bring up ones close to you. I am having my vacc transcribed this week $50 and the doc is down the road yay!! lol I hope they have not lost my medical dammmmmmmm

[LoneRanger 0]

Thanks everyone for your help, much appreciated. I'll try a cheap transcription and submit the I-693, hate the thought of paying for their inefficiency but may have to go with the flow on this one.

Thanks again

Ciaran

[katie & sifa 25]

We got the same RFE & wound up just re-doing the entire medical here. We found a place that would have only charged $75 for the complete medical, but we had to have some additional things done (positive skin test for TB, so had to go to a specialist to get the chest x-ray read...ended up in the $250 range for everything.) I tried contacting our congressman and nothing came out of it. Since the RFE had to be turned in by the end of October, we just bit the bullet and did a new medical. Sucks though! I hated having to pay for their mistake!

[Adelaide 0]

Hi - the exact same thing happened to me. I made an infopass appointment, showed them photocopies of my completed DS3025 and they corrected the mistake. No cost involved.