Vaccination Question DS 2035

[kitthekat 1,317]

my opinion is that 'not widely available' isn't an excuse for AOS for K1s because while the vaccine might not be widely available in the PI, it is available in the US. that is why i think you will need to get the I-693 from the CS. most DS-3025 will have the varicella column marked either "VH" for varicella history or ticked, if the vaccine is given. the link that sweet cakes provided has a sample DS-3025 and the varicella column is marked VH there as well.

some other threads on this: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/404195-yet-another-vaccination-question/?p=5868144 and http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/370323-aos-varicella-not-routinely-available/?p=5408912

[Al422 221]

So Candy can just tell the CS she had chickenpox and that ends it? She told the St. Luke's doctor the same thing and it fell on deaf ears.

MMR, by the way, was marked as completed even though she only had one.

And tdap was marked for insufficient time interval even though she had the one she is supposed to get at St. Luke's.

Did they get these 2 backwards?

I will upload the DS2035 tonight when I get home. I have it here but i have to photoshop it to edit out the personal identifying information, and I can only do that at home.

I appreciate everyone's advice and am just trying to make correct decisions here.

[Hank_ 9,174]

DS-3025 that you received from St. Luke's is all that is needed for AOS unless Candy had specific medical issues that were noted.... per USCIS and the I-485 instructions (specifically page 4 item 7c). I contacted USCIS specifically about the I-693/DS-3025 misunderstanding and continual bad info posted on VJ and I have their reply. Most times during AOS when an adjudicator does an RFE requesting the I-693 it is because he isn't well educated/trained at his job, so I have suggested to a number of people to staple page 4 of the I-485 instructions with item 7c highlighted to the copy of their DS-3025, so that if they were to get one of these under trained adjudicators it will "educate" them. All that have followed my suggestion have had ZERO issue submitting a copy of the DS-3025.

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-485instr.pdf

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention. In some situations a K-1 or K-2 visa holder may need to submit the Form I-693. They are not required to have another medical examination as long as the Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is filed within one year of the overseas medical examination, the medical examination did not reveal a Class A medical condition, or if there was a Class A medical condition, they received a waiver of inadmissibility and have complied with the terms and conditions on the waiver.

USCIS Ombudsman Liaison Unit"

[kitthekat 1,317]

The instructions you linked says:

"Fiance(e)s: If you are a K1 fiance(e) or K2 dependent who had a medical examination within the past year as required for the nonimmigrant fiance(e) visa, you only need to submit a vaccination supplement, not the entire medical report. You may include the vaccination supplement with your Form I-485."

A new medical exam is not required (no one disputes that) but a completed vaccination supplement is. Vaccinations are not required for the K1, so some people don't receive any or only receive some at their medical exam, which leads to their DS-3025 being incomplete. People do get RFEs for incomplete vaccination supplements.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Not sure what your point is, most get their shots, and those that don't will have to deal with that issue at AOS time.... nuff said.

[kitthekat 1,317]

Not sure what your point is, most get their shots, and those that don't will have to deal with that issue at AOS time.... nuff said.

the point is, the OP's fiance did not receive the varicella shot, which is required for AOS, bar already being immune to it. the column is not marked "VH" for varicella history. therefore, he will likely need to get it corrected by a civil surgeon once his fiance is in the US.

[Al422 221]

I am listening to all of you even though there is disagreement.

I will post the DS-3025 with the personal identifying information redacted tonight

Hopefully that will get all of us on the same page.

Thank you all for your help.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Al422

[Hank_ 9,174]

the point is, the OP's fiance did not receive the varicella shot, which is required for AOS, bar already being immune to it. the column is not marked "VH" for varicella history. therefore, he will likely need to get it corrected by a civil surgeon once his fiance is in the US.

"likely"? You are guessing. (BTW a civil surgeon does not have complete that injection, it can be done at a county health clinic if desired, or family doctor)

I have yet to know of anyone that has had the Varicella shot at St. Luke's, and I know a fair number that are way past AOS.

I just checked my wife's DS-3025 for Varicella it is marked VH, never did anything in regards to "verifying" even though we know she had chicken pox as a child (probably obvious to the doctor at St. Luke's as well), AOS was completed awhile back

Edited May 19, 2014 by Hank_

[kitthekat 1,317]

"likely"? You are guessing. (BTW a civil surgeon does not have complete that injection, it can be done at a county health clinic if desired, or family doctor)

I have yet to know of anyone that has had the Varicella shot at St. Luke's, and I know a fair number that are way past AOS.

I just checked my wife's DS-3025 for Varicella it is marked VH, never did anything in regards to "verifying" even though we know she had chicken pox as a child (probably obvious to the doctor at St. Luke's as well), AOS was completed awhile back

i said likely, because a lazy adjudicator might not pick up on it. a more alert one might, and might issue an RFE for it. it IS however, required for AOS. it is up to the OP whether or not to take the gamble. i never said a civil surgeon had to complete the injection, i said he had to correct the vaccination supplement...

if you search VJ, there are loads of people who have had the varicella shot at st luke's. OP's fiance was told she could receive it if she goes back in 30 days or so. here is an off-site link also: http://gorgeousbiatch.tumblr.com/post/68835810724/st-lukes-medical-exam-experience#.UvlyDfldWrg

and yes, your wife's DS-3025 is marked correctly with VH being there, which is why you didn't receive an RFE for AOS. OP's form is not marked VH. it is marked "not routinely available", hence incomplete.

[Hank_ 9,174]

.. that is an oops on my part... I wasn't paying close enough attention that its not being marked VH, if there is evidence (scars) of Candy having chicken pox already. If she has had chicken pox it should be noted and updated. To do that in the states will require the Civil Surgeon, and I believe they will transcribe the DS-3025 to the I-693 and update there.

[Al422 221]

She definitely did not get the VH designation.

I don't mind CS and the rest of the shots if necessary, but I do mind if not necessary. I can go to the county health clinic and get the shots for a reasonable amount of money, and I already found a CS in New York on the "CS who don't rip you off:" list. I can afford to pay for these things If I need them. It is no big issue.

I just want to figure out first if I need the CS or not.

I am still at work. I will post the DS3025 tonight when I am home.

[Al422 221]

OK here it is.

See the boxes at the bottom? It is incomplete, but the worst box, applicant does not meet vaccination requirements, is not checked.

I don't want issues with USCIS resulting in an RFE. Even if the adjudicator is wrong, he/she suffers no loss. The only losers will be Candy and me.

I can afford the CS who will not rip me off and the vaccinations at the clinic, but if we can bypass all that noise, all the better.

For security I whited out the personal information with Photoshop, which is why those fields are blank. They are properly filled in on the real copy.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Al422

[kitthekat 1,317]

OK here it is.

See the boxes at the bottom? It is incomplete, but the worst box, applicant does not meet vaccination requirements, is not checked.

I don't want issues with USCIS resulting in an RFE. Even if the adjudicator is wrong, he/she suffers no loss. The only losers will be Candy and me.

I can afford the CS who will not rip me off and the vaccinations at the clinic, but if we can bypass all that noise, all the better.

For security I whited out the personal information with Photoshop, which is why those fields are blank. They are properly filled in on the real copy.

Vaccinations-edited-small.jpg

so, yes, you will need to see the CS to get it recorded on the I-693 that she has varicella history, i.e. "VH".

ETA: If you look at the CDC's immunization schedule for adults, a Td booster is only recommended 10 years after the initial Tdap shot. I don't think the CS is going to require that she gets that one since her last one was very recently administered. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html (don't freak looking at that list, as not all are required for AOS, e.g. HPV and zoster).

Edited May 19, 2014 by kitthekat

[Al422 221]

so, yes, you will need to see the CS to get it recorded on the I-693 that she has varicella history, i.e. "VH".

ETA: If you look at the CDC's immunization schedule for adults, a Td booster is only recommended 10 years after the initial Tdap shot. I don't think the CS is going to require that she gets that one since her last one was very recently administered. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html (don't freak looking at that list, as not all are required for AOS, e.g. HPV and zoster).

So the CS can conclude that she does not need another tdap because the time interval is 10 years. Is that correct? Did St Luke's goof and put that in the tdap column and not the MMR column? I read that MMR requires a booster in 30 days. Even if that is so, can I call it a day on the MMR because the panel doctor signed off that MMR is complete? This was the first MMR she ever had in her life.

Now what about the VH? Does she need some sign on her body that she has it? Or blood test? Or just a representation that she had chicken pox? Where I am going with this is to cut all vaccinations out of the loop.

Sorry for all the questions, but I am stumbling through this, and honestly, the contradictory advice from you and Hank, both of whose knowlege I respect, is not helping.

[kitthekat 1,317]

So the CS can conclude that she does not need another tdap because the time interval is 10 years. Is that correct? Did St Luke's goof and put that in the tdap column and not the MMR column? I read that MMR requires a booster in 30 days. Even if that is so, can I call it a day on the MMR because the panel doctor signed off that MMR is complete? This was the first MMR she ever had in her life.

Now what about the VH? Does she need some sign on her body that she has it? Or blood test? Or just a representation that she had chicken pox? Where I am going with this is to cut all vaccinations out of the loop.

Sorry for all the questions, but I am stumbling through this, and honestly, the contradictory advice from you and Hank, both of whose knowlege I respect, is not helping.

Hank already said he misread and that she will need to get it transcribed to the I-693.

The technical instructions for civil surgeons say that a "reliable written or oral history" is sufficient for the varicella vaccine to be waived. http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/vaccination-civil-technical-instructions.html#assessment This means the civil surgeon will assess if her oral admission is sufficient or if they want to run more tests, e.g. immunity titre, to determine if she needs the vaccine. They have the latitude to do either.

I'm not sure why they ticked series complete for MMR if she has only had one - most people require two shots for lifetime coverage. But, yes, that means you don't have to get the MMR vaccine for AOS.