Medical exam scam

[kmarion1968 5]

Ok so we finally got our interview date, August 15th 8:30 am that being the case my wife decided to call the doctor listed on the exam list to schedule for her and my stepson to get their exams. side note, my wife is a nurse in colombia and just finished her studies and graduated with a degree. anyways the doctor told her that all the vacinaciones she got over the last year are invalid and if he didnt give them to her he wouldnt sign the form. honestly, she has proof from the hospital in Pereria where she is doing her internship of all the vacinaciones, and to be told too bad you need to pay me 500.00 us dollars for yourself and your son, WOW im shocked and disapointed. we played by the rules,did everything we were told to and even tried to be prepared then to be told ohh well i wont sign it unless you pay me. smells of extorsion and corruption. does anyone know of a doctor we can use in bogota or have any suggestions as to what i should do? i honestly cant let this just pass i have to do something. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[dwheels76 5,468]

Ok so we finally got our interview date, August 15th 8:30 am that being the case my wife decided to call the doctor listed on the exam list to schedule for her and my stepson to get their exams. side note, my wife is a nurse in colombia and just finished her studies and graduated with a degree. anyways the doctor told her that all the vacinaciones she got over the last year are invalid and if he didnt give them to her he wouldnt sign the form. honestly, she has proof from the hospital in Pereria where she is doing her internship of all the vacinaciones, and to be told too bad you need to pay me 500.00 us dollars for yourself and your son, WOW im shocked and disapointed. we played by the rules,did everything we were told to and even tried to be prepared then to be told ohh well i wont sign it unless you pay me. smells of extorsion and corruption. does anyone know of a doctor we can use in bogota or have any suggestions as to what i should do? i honestly cant let this just pass i have to do something. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Sorry I don't have any specific country advice. But saw this and had to stop by and say I am so sorry but you are dong the right thing and not taking this sitting down Get um man.

[sms78 18]

Contact the embassy to ask 1. if the doctor is allowed to do what your wife was told and 2. if there is a different doctor or hospital you can use. This is the best way to go.

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

This is, sadly, pretty standard. They definitely are out to make money, IMO. In Mexico, the same thing happens all the time. Some applicants go in having JUST had the shots the week prior, but they are still forced to get them again, pay again, and have their immune systems hit again. There are things with immigration I've felt are willing to fight, but this one I feel is not worth the fight. The medical examiners have a massive amount of latitude and I knew of one case in El Salvador where the panel physician actually held up my friend's husband's visas for MONTHS because he kept falsely reporting illnesses that didn't exist and refused to sign the paperwork for no reason. I would say, as unethical as this is, the US consulates have not responded to applicants' complaints about treatment in the required medical facilities, and since the consulates are given a lot of freedom, there's not much more we can do. Just pay the money and get that visa. It's just another one of the ridiculous hoops to jump through. If you wish to fight this, you can do so with an I-601 waiver but I really don't recommend attempting the vaccine waiver unless you want to see many more months of delay.

And whichever medical facilities the embassy gives you in the instructions are the only ones you can choose from. You can try to call and ask for a different one, but I can pretty much 99% guarantee you they will not let you choose a different one.

Please just tread carefully. Bogota really tops my list of consulates that disgust me (El Salvador being another) and the stories I've heard coming from there, both in the medical and the visa interview, are really obnoxious. If you can try to just keep your heads low, do whatever they ask of you, and try not to create too much resistance, you may find it the easiest way through there.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Carlos and Amy

[Julie y Pat 67]

I'll bet it was Dr. Roa. My wife had to buy his shots twice. we had to wait for an I-601 waiver, so my wife's medical had expired in that time. He is a very dishonest doctor.

[kmarion1968 5]

I'll bet it was Dr. Roa. My wife had to buy his shots twice. we had to wait for an I-601 waiver, so my wife's medical had expired in that time. He is a very dishonest doctor.

yes actually it was Dr. Roa i am sending a email to the embassy to complain about unfair tactics and uneeded fees simply for the sake of making money. my opinion is he is limited by how much he can charge for the exam and blood work so he has found a way to add on vacinations to pad the bill. on top of all of this there arent any other doctors on the list who are still working with the embassy.

[Julie y Pat 67]

yeah, and the blood work is done at the lab, so he doesn't get a fee from that. also told her she needed flu shot, which I don't think is required, another hundred thousand pesos or so. the embassy will say they aren't doctors, so they can't go against the doctors decision. I don't think he is one of the panel physicians because they think he is a nice guy. he said the shots my wife bought from him a little over a year ago were no longer valid, and that the embassy requires them. how do you know when Dr. Roa is lying? when his lips are moving

[kmarion1968 5]

yeah, and the blood work is done at the lab, so he doesn't get a fee from that. also told her she needed flu shot, which I don't think is required, another hundred thousand pesos or so. the embassy will say they aren't doctors, so they can't go against the doctors decision. I don't think he is one of the panel physicians because they think he is a nice guy. he said the shots my wife bought from him a little over a year ago were no longer valid, and that the embassy requires them. how do you know when Dr. Roa is lying? when his lips are moving

Mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, pertussis,

influenzae type B (HIB), Hepatitis B, Varicella, pneumococcal, and influenza.

actually influenza is the flu. so it is required. i understand your feeling though because i am feeling the same way.

[kmarion1968 5]

This is, sadly, pretty standard. They definitely are out to make money, IMO. In Mexico, the same thing happens all the time. Some applicants go in having JUST had the shots the week prior, but they are still forced to get them again, pay again, and have their immune systems hit again. There are things with immigration I've felt are willing to fight, but this one I feel is not worth the fight. The medical examiners have a massive amount of latitude and I knew of one case in El Salvador where the panel physician actually held up my friend's husband's visas for MONTHS because he kept falsely reporting illnesses that didn't exist and refused to sign the paperwork for no reason. I would say, as unethical as this is, the US consulates have not responded to applicants' complaints about treatment in the required medical facilities, and since the consulates are given a lot of freedom, there's not much more we can do. Just pay the money and get that visa. It's just another one of the ridiculous hoops to jump through. If you wish to fight this, you can do so with an I-601 waiver but I really don't recommend attempting the vaccine waiver unless you want to see many more months of delay.

And whichever medical facilities the embassy gives you in the instructions are the only ones you can choose from. You can try to call and ask for a different one, but I can pretty much 99% guarantee you they will not let you choose a different one.

Please just tread carefully. Bogota really tops my list of consulates that disgust me (El Salvador being another) and the stories I've heard coming from there, both in the medical and the visa interview, are really obnoxious. If you can try to just keep your heads low, do whatever they ask of you, and try not to create too much resistance, you may find it the easiest way through there.

thanks for your advice, sometimes you gotta know when to fight and when to give in. me getting upset is natural, however i dont think it will change anything and may only make my situation worse or more complicated. even though it goes against my values i am going to give in and pay the jerk. i have to keep my eye on the end prize which is the visa for my wife and stepson. thanks again for you input

[D N Medellin COL 75]

Ok so we finally got our interview date, August 15th 8:30 am that being the case my wife decided to call the doctor listed on the exam list to schedule for her and my stepson to get their exams. side note, my wife is a nurse in colombia and just finished her studies and graduated with a degree. anyways the doctor told her that all the vacinaciones she got over the last year are invalid and if he didnt give them to her he wouldnt sign the form. honestly, she has proof from the hospital in Pereria where she is doing her internship of all the vacinaciones, and to be told too bad you need to pay me 500.00 us dollars for yourself and your son, WOW im shocked and disapointed. we played by the rules,did everything we were told to and even tried to be prepared then to be told ohh well i wont sign it unless you pay me. smells of extorsion and corruption. does anyone know of a doctor we can use in bogota or have any suggestions as to what i should do? i honestly cant let this just pass i have to do something. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

I feel your pain bro! I just went through this whole process 4 weeks ago. Pretty much the same experience. Yep simply a way to make dinero, a word of advice is just to suck it up, pay the fee, get the vacs and after you get your visa never look back!

IMHO the "extra" fees and vac costs by Colombian professionals is not limited to them, when you get in line on your interview day look around at the 250+ that have paid fees to the US Embassy (this line forms EACH day)and know that each one has anywhere from $200. to $3,000. USD invested in a visa of some sort and the vast majority will get their visa denied. Do the math. This is repeated the following day. Where is that dinero going?

Good luck

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

I don't think he is one of the panel physicians because they think he is a nice guy. he said the shots my wife bought from him a little over a year ago were no longer valid, and that the embassy requires them. how do you know when Dr. Roa is lying? when his lips are moving

Yeah, I don't know how these people get lined up as the official embassy/consulate-approved physicians, but it doesn't seem that they're actually exceptional in the practice of medicine or anything, so I'm guessing it's just a matter of knowing the right people or something?

Re-doing the shots after waiting out a waiver. Ugh, yeah I've heard of that. It's bad enough having to re-do the medical after a year, that's required by law or whatever, but having to re-do the shots? Yeah, some physicians are just abusing the freedom they get in having patients who are required to get their signature again. So sad. I feel like until our spouses are in the US, our rights and theirs really just don't exist.

Edited July 1, 2012 by Carlos and Amy

[Mononoke28 135]

Ok so we finally got our interview date, August 15th 8:30 am that being the case my wife decided to call the doctor listed on the exam list to schedule for her and my stepson to get their exams. side note, my wife is a nurse in colombia and just finished her studies and graduated with a degree. anyways the doctor told her that all the vacinaciones she got over the last year are invalid and if he didnt give them to her he wouldnt sign the form. honestly, she has proof from the hospital in Pereria where she is doing her internship of all the vacinaciones, and to be told too bad you need to pay me 500.00 us dollars for yourself and your son, WOW im shocked and disapointed. we played by the rules,did everything we were told to and even tried to be prepared then to be told ohh well i wont sign it unless you pay me. smells of extorsion and corruption. does anyone know of a doctor we can use in bogota or have any suggestions as to what i should do? i honestly cant let this just pass i have to do something. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Unfortunately this is standard practice not only with Dr. Roa but with the other doctors as well. Many people have complained about it even with the US Embassy in Bogotá and nothing has changed. So, if they say the vaccines you got are old or invalid even if you got them a month prior to the exam, then you have to pay for new ones at their office (you're not allowed to get them anywhere else) in order for you to get your visa. With that said some people have said that they haven't had any problems regarding their vaccinations at the time of their exam, so my feeling is that they do it randomly.

In summary, either you pay up for new ones or you don't get a visa. It's up to you. Sad but true.

By the way, the only vaccines you need to get an immigrant visa in Bogotá are MMR, TD and varicella. Nothing more.

Diana

[kmarion1968 5]

Unfortunately this is standard practice not only with Dr. Roa but with the other doctors as well. Many people have complained about it even with the US Embassy in Bogotá and nothing has changed. So, if they say the vaccines you got are old or invalid even if you got them a month prior to the exam, then you have to pay for new ones at their office (you're not allowed to get them anywhere else) in order for you to get your visa. With that said some people have said that they haven't had any problems regarding their vaccinations at the time of their exam, so my feeling is that they do it randomly.

In summary, either you pay up for new ones or you don't get a visa. It's up to you. Sad but true.

By the way, the only vaccines you need to get an immigrant visa in Bogotá are MMR, TD and varicella. Nothing more.

Diana

thanks for the info. what is your source for the only needed vaccines?

[Mononoke28 135]

thanks for the info. what is your source for the only needed vaccines?

This is based on previous members of VJ, my husband's experience and everyone else after that. So in over five years it hasn't changed and the only vaccines that the US embassy requests for approval are those three. By the way, the varicella vaccine is not needed if the person already had the disease.

Diana

[Karen85 2]

So what should I do, my sister and her 2 year old have an appointments with Dr. Roa the week of 7/30/12. We thought we would just pay to get them current on shots in Cali before they go. Gosh money is so tight, I guess that the doctor told my sister to bring an extra 600.000 pesos just in case she needs extra vaccines, so is he going to honor the ones we get in Cali or what?

Please help.