Vaccinations

[englishamericanvisa 0]

Can someone tell me where to find the new list of vaccination requirements? I know some have been added to the list recently but can't find them. Also, only the old list is on the USCIS website.

Also, my doctor refuses to do some of them and also refuses to believe that I actually need them to get immigrant status!! Can you believe that? I have been in twice to the doc's and took a printout of the stuff from the USCIS website, and today I get a letter saying 'Maybe it's best you have the medical first and then we'll see if you really do need these vaccinations'!!

I have TOLD them that I do but they won't believe me!

ie they won't give me pertussis because "we only give that to children".

Anyone else had this problem in fulfilling the vaccination requirements?

[girl 37 7]

I think your doctor may be right. My packet 3 states:

"Panel physicians who conduct examinations on behalf of immigrant visa applications are required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the vaccination requirement or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations:"

"Only the panel physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, history and current medical condition."

[englishamericanvisa 0]

I think your doctor may be right. My packet 3 states:

"Panel physicians who conduct examinations on behalf of immigrant visa applications are required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the vaccination requirement or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations:"

"Only the panel physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, history and current medical condition."

But I think that's a racket because it effectively ties you to paying £60 per jab to the private doctor's surgery that's contracted by the Embassy! A nice little earner for them. The fact is, to get immigrant status the US government says you need those injections, and your own GP who has all your notes of course is surely medically qualified enough to say if it's medically inappropriate.

There's a list of jabs you need which is clear enough - surely it shouldn't be this much hassle to get them??

[kitkat1 5]

It's the same everywhere I think in terms of the racket. But if you have your vaccination record from your doctor, that proves what you don't need i.e. if you had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years, you are not required to get another one. You are only required prove that you had it. Maybe that's what your doctor is saying - that you already had all of those?

[Marilyn. 340]

I know in Canada, all you need is teatnus, chicken pox and MMR (mumps, measles and ruebella), if you are between 18 and 64.....

a lot of the vaccanations on the list depend on age...

[girl 37 7]

a lot of the vaccanations on the list depend on age...

Exactly. It's pretty unlikely that you'll need them all.

[englishamericanvisa 0]

a lot of the vaccanations on the list depend on age...

Exactly. It's pretty unlikely that you'll need them all.

Thanks everyone.

On the London chart a vaccine is listed as TD. Anyone know what that is??

[chicklet 0]

Adult formulation Tetanus and Diptheria Toxoids..If you were born after 1956, you gonna need MMR but if you are 65 years and above you don't need an MMR but you gonna need Pneumococcal vaccine and flu vaccine if it is flu season.

a lot of the vaccanations on the list depend on age...

Exactly. It's pretty unlikely that you'll need them all.

Thanks everyone.

On the London chart a vaccine is listed as TD. Anyone know what that is??

[homesick_american 1]

The vaccines are required due to public health issues in the United States. The US doesn't have universal healthcare and has a huge third world illegal immigration problem and as such rates of some contagious diseases are higher.

Also, in some countries (such as the UK) which also have public health problems with unvaccinated children/adults and ill immigrants (the UK doesn't check the health of its immigrants), rates of infectious diseases are high enough to cause concern. Diseases like pertussis (whooping cough), tuberculosis, etc. are massive public health concerns and the US has every right to insist that immigrants are properly vaccinated so they do not contribute to the existing, very expensive, public health problems.

Don't worry about your vaccines; even if your GP says you don't need them or doubts you require them, the panel physicians can administer vaccines that your GP might refuse to administer. My husband needed his diptet and MMR, since he had not been vaccinated against rubella, and it cost £60 for the two of them. It's better to pay a few hundred quid now than be denied a visa later.

[englishamericanvisa 0]

Re. that the US has a right to vaccinate its immigrants: No-one ever said otherwise!

Edited September 28, 2006 by englishamericanvisa

[homesick_american 1]

Re. that the US has a right to vaccinate its immigrants: No-one ever said otherwise!

Well, a lot of people ask why the US requires these vaccines or they complain that it's unfair. Just trying to head that off at the pass.

[Ladylethal 12]

Some of the vaccines listed may not be needed if you're not age apropriate, if you had them as a child or if you had the disease already. the embassy doctor will indeed know which you really need. Just take the ones your doctor is saying you need and he might even be right, you'll see.