Ughhhh - AOS questions!

[dukeandduchess 141]

So I got married - yay!!! Now preparing for AOS - yay more paperwork!

Rant: I got my 2nd vaccination for Varicella done AFTER my medical so now I have to get a civil surgeon verify my immunization record. Lowest price I've been quoted is 70$. I wish I waited.... Every Dr's office I call tries to get me to pay for a physical/blood work/x-ray.

Question 1: Has anyone found a civil surgeon in the Los Angeles area that will verify my Vaccination record for UNDER $70?

Question 2: When we got married we got a "Customer Copy" paper that says "License and Certificate of Marriage" -- is this enough to use as our Marriage Certificate or do we have to wait the 6-8 weeks for them to mail our certified copy? (Yes, I am aware that we may get an RFE if it is not a certified copy)

Thank you all so much! Back to being an immigration noob

[SF2007 48]

Not sure about your civil surgeon question (someone else in the LA area might be able to answer that) but when I sent my AOS package, we provided a copy of our marriage license with the clerk office's embossed seal which proves it had been used. We received an RFE to provide the actual marriage certificate 5 months later. We sent a color photocopy of the certified copy and it was good enough.

[dukeandduchess 141]

Thanks, I've heard people get the RFE for the certified copy but I really need to get back to work so I'm hoping I can risk it with the copy I have now. I'm just not sure if I can apply with it :/

[Sandra G. 5,048]

You must submit copy of the marriage certificate.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

When i did my K-1 then AOS they still required the HPV vaccination, which is given in a series of 3 shots. I just had the one at the time of the medical, since there are specific time gaps between each dose. I just sent a copy of the vaccination worksheet from the medical in canada with a statement from my doctor saying I had the 2nd shot and was scheduled for the 3rd. I didn't get an RFE. We also had an interview and it didn't come up. So if you can't find a reasonable civil surgeon, that might be worth a shot. All the civil surgeons I called here wanted to do a full medical.

You don't need to send a certified copy of the marriage certificate. But I believe you do need to send a photocopy of a certificate that has officially been registered. If I were you, I'd probably send what you have and risk the RFE.

Congrats on the marriage!

[tru_loves_journey 117]

Check these out........

Posted 22March 2010 - 06:36 PM

City/ Town: Torrance

Date of Service: Oct 2008

CS Name: Dr. Jeffrey A Ostriker

CS Tel. no: Ph: (310) 328-3421 (2406 Torrance Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90501)

Cost: $50 (Just for transcription - all vacc. up to date)

Vaccine Transcription only available: y

Turnaround time: ~2-3 business days

I went to Dr. Ostriker's clinic in December last year. I was asked to pick upthe sealed envelope two days later. I didn't take any new shots. I had no RFEeither. I am about to have my interview in less than a week from today. I'veheard that applicants living in CA rarely or don't get transferred to CSC atall so here I am, getting ready for my interview.

Posted 05 April 2011 - 01:31 PM

California

Dr. Gary Wikholm, Valley Medical Group

247 West Harvard Boulevard,

Santa Paula, CA 93060

(805) 525-0907

Cost: $50 for transcription

Vaccine Transcription only available: y

(They insisted that Hep B was required but Irefused to take it since it is not age appropriate for me. They wrote"patient refused vaccine" on I-693)

Posted 21 October 2011 - 09:21 PM

City/ Town: Chino Hills, CA

Date of Service: October 21, 2011

CS Name: Dr. Thomas K Y Hsu

CS Tel. no: (909) 628-4741

Address: 13768 Roswell, Suite 117, Chino, CA 91710

Cost: $30

Vaccine Transcription only available: YES

Turnaround time: 15 minutes

if you are in southern California / Inland Empire area, seriously do NOT wasteyour time with the master CS list. I called about ten and was seriouslyfrustrated. Start with Dr. Hsu and his staff and everything will go verysmoothly.

Posted 20 December 2011 - 07:15 PM

CA

City/Town: San Francisco

Called 12/20/11

CS Name: Dr. John Tang

CS Tel. No: (415) 781 2598 728 Pacific Avenue Suite 300 San Francisco CA 94133

Cost: $30 (Just for transcription - all vacc. up to date)

Vaccine Transcription only available: You need to have the DS-3025 vaccinationform

Turnaround: 10mins

Note: Spoke to the doctor the day before and he was the one who gave me thequote. Even said he was the cheapest in the city.

The receptionist didnt know quite what was going on, and i told her I spoke tothe doctor the day before and he said he will do it for $30.

Another one I called that was really friendly, and the second cheapest

Dr Gary Ross

500 Sutter Street Suite 511 SF, CA 94102, Tel (415) 398 0555

Cost: $125

With a very friendly and helpful receptionist

Posted 09 February 2012 - 02:15 PM

SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA

Meridian Medical Group

http://www.meridianm...algroup.com/us/

1644 Alum Rock Ave.

San José, CA 95116

Phone: (408) 729-5800

Vaccination transcription: $15

We just walked in, asked for the transcription service. Only took 3 days topick-up paperwork in sealed envelope. Funny, when the lady said $15, we thoughshe said $50. So my husband handed her a $50 bill. Then she repeated"FIFTEEN"...even better!

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

Edited April 18, 2012 by tru_loves_journey

[dukeandduchess 141]

When i did my K-1 then AOS they still required the HPV vaccination, which is given in a series of 3 shots. I just had the one at the time of the medical, since there are specific time gaps between each dose. I just sent a copy of the vaccination worksheet from the medical in canada with a statement from my doctor saying I had the 2nd shot and was scheduled for the 3rd. I didn't get an RFE. We also had an interview and it didn't come up. So if you can't find a reasonable civil surgeon, that might be worth a shot. All the civil surgeons I called here wanted to do a full medical.

You don't need to send a certified copy of the marriage certificate. But I believe you do need to send a photocopy of a certificate that has officially been registered. If I were you, I'd probably send what you have and risk the RFE.

Congrats on the marriage!

Hmm.. I have my Vaccination record from the medical that indicates I've had 1 shot of Varicella but it is marked as series incomplete. I also have the record of my vaccination (2nd shot) from the Health unit in BC. Is that the same kind of situation? I'm pretty sure I could get my mom to ask my Dr. to write a letter saying it's done as well. Please let me know!

Thanks so much for the list of Dr's, very helpful!

Edited April 18, 2012 by dukeandduchess

[tru_loves_journey 117]

Hmm.. I have my Vaccination record from the medical that indicates I've had 1 shot of Varicella but it is marked as series incomplete. I also have the record of my vaccination (2nd shot) from the Health unit in BC. Is that the same kind of situation? I'm pretty sure I could get my mom to ask my Dr. to write a letter saying it's done as well. Please let me know!

Thanks so much for the list of Dr's, very helpful!

I found them here http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hmm.. I have my Vaccination record from the medical that indicates I've had 1 shot of Varicella but it is marked as series incomplete. I also have the record of my vaccination (2nd shot) from the Health unit in BC. Is that the same kind of situation? I'm pretty sure I could get my mom to ask my Dr. to write a letter saying it's done as well. Please let me know!

Thanks so much for the list of Dr's, very helpful!

As long as your shots were complete at the time of the K1 medical then you don't need to see a CS. So you had one shot at the medical, that's all you could get at the time making you up to date at that time. I personally would just send a copy of the DS-3025 and if you get an RFE deal with it then but as long as you had at least the first shot of every shot you needed then you'll be fine. For example in the UK you can't GET the varicella shot so if they don't have a history of varicella (chicken pox) then they need the shot but they can't get it there so they MUST get it in the US and they MUST see a CS. I would not confuse matters by sending the letter from the doc saying you've had the second one (makes you DS-3025 look incomplete). If you get an RFE you would need to see a CS and THEN take that letter/proof of shot to the CS.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Hmm.. I have my Vaccination record from the medical that indicates I've had 1 shot of Varicella but it is marked as series incomplete. I also have the record of my vaccination (2nd shot) from the Health unit in BC. Is that the same kind of situation? I'm pretty sure I could get my mom to ask my Dr. to write a letter saying it's done as well. Please let me know!

Thanks so much for the list of Dr's, very helpful!

Yep, that's what mine said to "series incomplete" Is varicella like the HPV where you need to wait for a certain time before the next dose? If so, its not like you just elected not to have it done prior to the filling date. I just had my doctor write a quick hand written note on a note pad. Of course, there is a risk you will get an RFE for it, but it worked for me and a few others who were filling at the same time.

On a side note, in Canada the HPV was almost $200 a shot, and in the US I was surprised to find my insurance covers 100% of the cost. I wish I would have waited to get the second shot after the move!

[dukeandduchess 141]

With the Varicella shot I had to wait 1 month from the first shot to get the second shot. So yes, I have it recorded that I got my first shot BEFORE the medical (which is noted on the DS3025 but marked as incomplete). I have a print out from the health unit showing I got the 2nd shot of the series 1 month after the first shot, which was after I had my medical.

Sounds like sending in the DS3025 + record of my 2nd shot is the best way to go. Except now I realized I have to wait for my Marriage certificate which is 6-8 weeks.... Ugh!

[SapphireDreams 71]

I had the same situation as Huggle with HPV, I hadn't finished my HPV yet, and just sent in the document I had with a record showing I had the final shot. I also included a very nice letter noting that what I provided should be sufficient due to their guidelines. It was a couple years now, but I don't think it would hurt to send what you have and risk an RFE.

You definitely need a copy of the marriage certificate though. Exactly why we got married at city hall in NYC because my husband researched that we would get it on the spot!

For anyone reading this that is filing for a K1 that wants to do AOS immediately, make sure you research how long it will take to get the marriage certificate! If we had asked a priest or someone to else to officiate not at city hall, we would've waited too. Hopefully you'll get it sooner than the 6 weeks!

[dukeandduchess 141]

Yeah we got married at the courthouse and it says 6-8 weeks if applying by mail, not sure about if we got married there (hopefully less). But another VJ member who got married at the same place/on the same day (!!!) said something about 6-8 weeks, hence my freaking out. I'm going to call them tomorrow to double check. I thought the paperwork we had would be sufficient but it definitely isn't!

[awkwardsoul 20]

Yeah we got married at the courthouse and it says 6-8 weeks if applying by mail, not sure about if we got married there (hopefully less). But another VJ member who got married at the same place/on the same day (!!!) said something about 6-8 weeks, hence my freaking out. I'm going to call them tomorrow to double check. I thought the paperwork we had would be sufficient but it definitely isn't!

I'm hoping they just say that 6-8 weeks to cover their butt if it takes long >__<

[dukeandduchess 141]

me too. I think we're going to try with the copy we have now, it does say License and Certificate of Marriage after-all and hope for the best. My (husband!!) is stressed about money so hopefully we can just deal with RFE's later. I just hope we aren't making a bad decision.