Health Exam for AOS From F-1 Student Visa

[ducky06 0]

Hi all,

My husband (currently on F-1 visa as a PhD student) and I (USC) will be filing for adjustment of status this month. Just wanted to verify, his medical exam (form I-693) must be submitted with the I-485, and not afterward, correct? I was reading some posts on here that made it seem like maybe the medical exam came after getting notification from USCIS (like the biometrics). From the instructions I wasn't totally sure, but mostly understood it was to be sent concurrently with the rest of the I-485 packet.

We just wanted to verify because we'd to file the I-130/I-485 ASAP but we live two hours away from the closest USCIS "civil surgeon". Just wanted to make sure it's urgent since we'll have to take a couple long and inconvenient trips with the TB test and everything!

Thanks,

Steph

[Inky 1,110]

You must send it with the application, it is required.

If you do not send it with the application you will have an RFE and case stopped until medical is provided.

[Obc333 24]

Send I693 with packet to avoid RFE. RFE will delay the process

[ducky06 0]

Thanks!

It's funny, he's been here for 7 years as a graduate student and just NOW he needs to get the vaccines Oh the joys of the immigration process!

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

Thanks!

It's funny, he's been here for 7 years as a graduate student and just NOW he needs to get the vaccines Oh the joys of the immigration process!

There is nothing funny, it is super straight-forward. You are required to have a completed medical check. If he could provide vaccination transcript (as a child record) in English then he doesn't have to take shots.

[jdh 103]

I can agree it is funny.

My civil surgeoun even said it was funny and that it was nothing but beurocratic nonsense. His words.

As he said, "I am not even giving you a real physical, this is just beurocratic nonsense that you have to do this."

He actually whent on about it more than that - I gave you the abbreviated version.

One of the funny things with it is that most countries have required vaccinnes, the same as the US, so most of us already had the shots at one point or other. And besides that, you dont actually need the shots. You can, because of religious or personal beliefs, opt out of them. Many people believe that the vaccines to more harm than good - including by the way he talked, my civil surgeon.

They don't require immunizations to visit the country, and some of us have visited many, many times in our lifetimes.

It indeed IS funny, and probably the most uneccessary portion of the entire process. Especially given the cost some of them charge.

Edited May 4, 2012 by jdh

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Jdh - not getting vaccines makes one inadmissible to the US, and requires a waiver of inadmissibility. This waiver is extremely difficult to get, even more so for refusing vaccines based on "religious reasons." This all costs time and money. It is extremely difficult to "opt out." Theoretically possible, but extremely difficult and very costly.

I agree for most people, especially those from developed countries, the medical exam is merely bureaucratic. But the CS exam is to save the public from diseases that foreigners can bring in. Some of these diseases mostly don't even exist in the US, like tuberculosis, but in some countries, like Philippines, nearly every person has been exposed. I personally am shocked by all of the people who ask on these boards for ways to avoid taking TB medicine or complain that they have to go through extra steps because they believe that having TB is normal and they don't care about their health or anyone else's. I personally have some fear of a world where TB is normal again, especially when it has been eradicated. To save the US from TB, I believe that the CS exam is a very important thing.

I do agree that is it odd that people can live here for years without having a medical exam, and I would support every long-term immigrant getting an exam. However, that idea is problematic because some people come on tourist visas and never leave. When would they get their exams?

To require medical exams only from countries with communal health problems would be feasible, but it goes against the idea of equality. In the current system, every potential immigrant gets an exam to save the existing US populace from any disease they may have. I find it very fair and even, even if it is only bureaucratic for some.

[jdh 103]

Jdh - not getting vaccines makes one inadmissible to the US, and requires a waiver of inadmissibility. This waiver is extremely difficult to get, even more so for refusing vaccines based on "religious reasons." This all costs time and money. It is extremely difficult to "opt out." Theoretically possible, but extremely difficult and very costly.

I agree for most people, especially those from developed countries, the medical exam is merely bureaucratic. But the CS exam is to save the public from diseases that foreigners can bring in. Some of these diseases mostly don't even exist in the US, like tuberculosis, but in some countries, like Philippines, nearly every person has been exposed. I personally am shocked by all of the people who ask on these boards for ways to avoid taking TB medicine or complain that they have to go through extra steps because they believe that having TB is normal and they don't care about their health or anyone else's. I personally have some fear of a world where TB is normal again, especially when it has been eradicated. To save the US from TB, I believe that the CS exam is a very important thing.

I do agree that is it odd that people can live here for years without having a medical exam, and I would support every long-term immigrant getting an exam. However, that idea is problematic because some people come on tourist visas and never leave. When would they get their exams?

To require medical exams only from countries with communal health problems would be feasible, but it goes against the idea of equality. In the current system, every potential immigrant gets an exam to save the existing US populace from any disease they may have. I find it very fair and even, even if it is only bureaucratic for some.

Yeah, I know it is difficult to opt out, my point was just that they can, which kind of defeats the purpose in the first place. My civil surgeon was quite adament about me being sure I knew we could fill out a form to get a waiver on religious basis etc...and that he has had lots of people do it. Which seemed funny to me. To me, either you need the vaccines or you don't.

And if you do, that should mean no waivers. It should also mean that any tourist or visitor prior to entering the country, should have to produce paperwork showing they have the shots. This could even be a part of getting the passport in countries that support it.

When it comes to entering a country that is not your home, I don't have a problem with them not treating everyone equal. If you come from a country with communal health problems, "I'm sorry, but if you want to come here you have to comply with our health standards."

If all that seems to strict and harsh, than the question becomes, "Why have require it at all."

I understand the reasoning behind it, but certainly you can see the humor and beurocracy in the way it is setup currently.

Edited May 4, 2012 by jdh

[jdh 103]

At least it's not as bad as in Canada. When my wife was doing the process on that side she had to have a medical and up there it is a full body exam, pee in a cup, x-rays - the whole shebang.

I will take the US and their shots anyday over that!