Notice of Potential Interview Waiver Case [Part II]

[Tina and Johan 206]

This totally sucks but I'm glad you got some movement on your case finally!

agreed. woot!

just find a civil surgeon from uscis website and have an appointment at your closest location. I paid around $700 to renew my medical and just sent it today to immigration. ombudsman is not much of a help

Good lord!! Our current estimate is about $250 X 2. $700 each would have to wait a bit!

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Yes, you can do the e-request with a Tier 1 representative just like you would do online yourself. Again, Tier 1 people can do everything that you can do yourself on the USCIS website.

Now the RFE 5 days later can be just a fluke or it might have been triggered by the e-request. In neither case the Tier 1 had any influence on their request.

Another thing to take into consideration is that your husband is a military member. I know in some cases such as N-400 naturalization, being a member of the military expedites the process significantly.

I am not sure if your husbands military status will expedite this process for you.

I don't think would called it an expedite since I was already out of the normal processing times. In fact when I tried to call them within 6 months from NPIW date, the agent told me I am still in normal processing times and asked me to wait.

Oh well, I couldn't complain too much anyway because they finally looked up to my case,

[Girl from Celebes 588]

agreed. woot!

Good lord!! Our current estimate is about $250 X 2. $700 each would have to wait a bit!

If your blood test and TB test are negative, you shouldn't have to pay a lot. When I did my medical at first visit my husband paid $210. But after my TB test are positive and blood test show varicella then my husband had to pay $125 for varicella and $60 for X-ray. Total cost is $395.

Thankfully I never have had TB - I was argued with the doctor because I was declared healthy in my country -and the result of my X-ray doesn't show any indication of TB. I called to all doctors in the list and asked the estimate price. Overall they are all about the same depend on how much test and vaccinations you are needed.

[Tina and Johan 206]

Man, does it pay to call around!!! I just booked medical appts for my husband and stepson. The cost for each is $89!!! The TB test is an extra $35, but we can bring in test results less than a year old. So, we can do those at our dr ($25) and bring those into their medicals. I'm so so so relieved!!! The only drawback is that their appts aren't until July 8 and 9. But that's okay! As long as we have the sealed envelopes before July 16th, I am good with this plan. What a relief! Every other dr. was charging $250 for the exams and upwards of $90 for the TB! W T F?!

[Tina and Johan 206]

Also, I found this on the USCIS website, with a document date of 03/30/2015 (it's the civil surgeons' instructions for the I693):

What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical examination overseas?

If you were admitted as a: K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e); or K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen; and 3. A. B. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then:

You are not required to have another medical examination as long as you file your Form I-485 within one year of an overseas medical examination, and: C. (1) (a) The panel physician did find a class A medical condition, you received a waiver of inadmissibility, and you have complied with the terms and conditions of the waiver. (b) The panel physician did not find a class A medical condition during your overseas examination.

We filed ours within 2.5 months of that overseas medical. I call bullshit.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Man, does it pay to call around!!! I just booked medical appts for my husband and stepson. The cost for each is $89!!! The TB test is an extra $35, but we can bring in test results less than a year old. So, we can do those at our dr ($25) and bring those into their medicals. I'm so so so relieved!!! The only drawback is that their appts aren't until July 8 and 9. But that's okay! As long as we have the sealed envelopes before July 16th, I am good with this plan. What a relief! Every other dr. was charging $250 for the exams and upwards of $90 for the TB! W T F?!

Wow, you are lucky. That's very good price.

[DanieLMelara 7]

Do you have a name and address of the doctor doing the exams? I think it might be useful for those in the L.A. area.

I couldn't find an accurate date for the document you mentioned, but I think there's a revision to that particular section of the law. (see below)

Some people were arguing if USCIS had any medical grounds for the request. I think yes.

A whole year has passed after your last examination. You have to remember that not everybody stays in the US while waiting to be adjudicated. Some applicants go back to their home countries, some go on their honey moons. Maybe they have traveled to high risk areas of the world.

However, what I don't really like is that USCIS is taking more than 1 year to adjudicate you. That's the real problem, not the RFE medical.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/Updates/20140530-I-693Validity.pdf

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter4.html

​

•The benefit application​ ^[23] For example, an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485). is adjudicated no more than one year after the date the medical examination report was submitted to USCIS​;​ ^[24] USCIS will use the date that USCIS received the Form I-693 to determine whether the medical examination report is more than one year old at time of adjudication of the benefit application. Although the medical examination report is generally valid for adjudicatory purposes up to one year after filing, the officer may order an additional immigration medical examination at any time if he or she has concerns as to an applicant’s inadmissibility on health-related grounds. For more information, see Chapter 11, Inadmissibility Determination, Section C, Other Information [8 USCIS-PM B.11©]. an
​

Also, I found this on the USCIS website, with a document date of 03/30/2015 (it's the civil surgeons' instructions for the I693):

What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical examination overseas?

If you were admitted as a: K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e); or K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen; and 3. A. B. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then:

You are not required to have another medical examination as long as you file your Form I-485 within one year of an overseas medical examination, and: C. (1) (a) The panel physician did find a class A medical condition, you received a waiver of inadmissibility, and you have complied with the terms and conditions of the waiver. (b) The panel physician did not find a class A medical condition during your overseas examination.

We filed ours within 2.5 months of that overseas medical. I call bullshit.

[sweetswinks 400]

http://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-issues-new-policy-form-i-693-report-medical-examination-and-vaccination-record

Starting June 1, 2014, USCIS will limit the validity period for ALL Forms I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS. Applicants must also submit Form I-693 to USCIS within one year of the immigration medical examination. USCIS will also provide additional ways to submit Form I-693. As outlined in policy alert PA-2014-005, this updated policy applies to any Form I-693 supporting a benefit application that USCIS adjudicates on or after June 1, 2014.

USCIS will hold an engagement on June 12, 2014 to address questions about the new policy and provide guidance on filing Form I-693. We have also updated the Form I-693 Web page on our website.

For more information, please visit our website at www.uscis.gov.

So after reading that it says there are special exceptions for certain applicants and I found this from http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter3.html :

4. K or V Nonimmigrants Applying for Adjustment​ [26]

​

K and V nonimmigrants applying for adjustment of status are not required to repeat the medical examination if the application was filed within one year of the date of the original medical examination, and:​

​

•The medical examination did not reveal a Class A medical condition; or ​

​

•The applicant received a conditional waiver in conjunction with the K or V nonimmigrant visa or the change of status to V and the applicant submits evidence of compliance with the waiver terms and conditions.​ [27]

​

If a new medical examination is required and reveals a Class ​A​ medical condition, a new waiver application will also be required. In such cases, the officer should determine whether the applicant complied with the terms and conditions of the first waiver, if applicable. Such determination should be given considerable weight in the adjudication of a subsequent waiver application.​ [28] ​

​

Even if a new medical examination is not required, applicants must still comply with the vaccination requirements if the vaccination record was not included as part of the original medical examination report. If the vaccination report was properly completed at the time of the overseas examination, the officer may accept the vaccination assessment completed by the panel physician. ​

​

An applicant’s overseas medical examination report completed by a panel physician should already be in the applicant’s A-file. If it is not in the A-file, the officer should request the medical examination report through a Request for Evidence (RFE).​

​

If the applicant was granted a change of status to V in the United States,​ [29] the medical examination report completed by the civil surgeon should be in the A-file created at the time that the change of status was initially granted. ​

Do you have a name and address of the doctor doing the exams? I think it might be useful for those in the L.A. area.

I couldn't find an accurate date for the document you mentioned, but I think there's a revision to that particular section of the law. (see below)

Some people were arguing if USCIS had any medical grounds for the request. I think yes.

A whole year has passed after your last examination. You have to remember that not everybody stays in the US while waiting to be adjudicated. Some applicants go back to their home countries, some go on their honey moons. Maybe they have traveled to high risk areas of the world.

However, what I don't really like is that USCIS is taking more than 1 year to adjudicate you. That's the real problem, not the RFE medical.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/Updates/20140530-I-693Validity.pdf

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter4.html

​

•The benefit application​ ^[23] For example, an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485). is adjudicated no more than one year after the date the medical examination report was submitted to USCIS​;​ ^[24] USCIS will use the date that USCIS received the Form I-693 to determine whether the medical examination report is more than one year old at time of adjudication of the benefit application. Although the medical examination report is generally valid for adjudicatory purposes up to one year after filing, the officer may order an additional immigration medical examination at any time if he or she has concerns as to an applicant’s inadmissibility on health-related grounds. For more information, see Chapter 11, Inadmissibility Determination, Section C, Other Information [8 USCIS-PM B.11©]. an

​

interesting!

Also, I found this on the USCIS website, with a document date of 03/30/2015 (it's the civil surgeons' instructions for the I693):

What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical examination overseas?

If you were admitted as a: K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e); or K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen; and 3. A. B. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then:

You are not required to have another medical examination as long as you file your Form I-485 within one year of an overseas medical examination, and: C. (1) (a) The panel physician did find a class A medical condition, you received a waiver of inadmissibility, and you have complied with the terms and conditions of the waiver. (b) The panel physician did not find a class A medical condition during your overseas examination.

We filed ours within 2.5 months of that overseas medical. I call bullshit.

I agree!

[Derwood 203]

So after reading that it says there are special exceptions for certain applicants and I found this from http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter3.html :

4. K or V Nonimmigrants Applying for Adjustment​ [26]

​

K and V nonimmigrants applying for adjustment of status are not required to repeat the medical examination if the application was filed within one year of the date of the original medical examination, and:​

​

The medical examination did not reveal a Class A medical condition; or ​

​

The applicant received a conditional waiver in conjunction with the K or V nonimmigrant visa or the change of status to V and the applicant submits evidence of compliance with the waiver terms and conditions.​ [27]

​

If a new medical examination is required and reveals a Class ​A​ medical condition, a new waiver application will also be required. In such cases, the officer should determine whether the applicant complied with the terms and conditions of the first waiver, if applicable. Such determination should be given considerable weight in the adjudication of a subsequent waiver application.​ [28] ​

​

Even if a new medical examination is not required, applicants must still comply with the vaccination requirements if the vaccination record was not included as part of the original medical examination report. If the vaccination report was properly completed at the time of the overseas examination, the officer may accept the vaccination assessment completed by the panel physician. ​

​

An applicants overseas medical examination report completed by a panel physician should already be in the applicants A-file. If it is not in the A-file, the officer should request the medical examination report through a Request for Evidence (RFE).​

​

If the applicant was granted a change of status to V in the United States,​ [29] the medical examination report completed by the civil surgeon should be in the A-file created at the time that the change of status was initially granted. ​

interesting!

I agree!

The guidance that you've quoted re the medicals has been around for many years and that's the guidance USCIS follow. However the guidance I posted (that started in June 2014) seems to supersede it in terms of how long ANY I-693 is valid for.

It sucks.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Derwood

[janet&adonis 57]

omg I think I messed up! I just read the instructions and it said to submit the I-693 with a copy of the I-485 that we filed last year. I only sent the sealed envelope, and the original RFE, and a copy of the ds-3025 from the overseas medical.

Did anyone else just send the RFE letter, and the I693 in a sealed envelope? Or did you send a copy of the I485 too?

[Girl from Celebes 588]

omg I think I messed up! I just read the instructions and it said to submit the I-693 with a copy of the I-485 that we filed last year. I only sent the sealed envelope, and the original RFE, and a copy of the ds-3025 from the overseas medical.

Did anyone else just send the RFE letter, and the I693 in a sealed envelope? Or did you send a copy of the I485 too?

I only sent the sealed envelope and original RFE because that it stated on the letter. On the letter says that typed ATT: I-485 cont case on the mailing address.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Girl from Celebes

[Tina and Johan 206]

Do you have a name and address of the doctor doing the exams? I think it might be useful for those in the L.A. area.

I couldn't find an accurate date for the document you mentioned, but I think there's a revision to that particular section of the law. (see below)

Some people were arguing if USCIS had any medical grounds for the request. I think yes.

A whole year has passed after your last examination. You have to remember that not everybody stays in the US while waiting to be adjudicated. Some applicants go back to their home countries, some go on their honey moons. Maybe they have traveled to high risk areas of the world.

However, what I don't really like is that USCIS is taking more than 1 year to adjudicate you. That's the real problem, not the RFE medical.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/Updates/20140530-I-693Validity.pdf

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter4.html

​

•The benefit application​ ^[23] For example, an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485). is adjudicated no more than one year after the date the medical examination report was submitted to USCIS​;​ ^[24] USCIS will use the date that USCIS received the Form I-693 to determine whether the medical examination report is more than one year old at time of adjudication of the benefit application. Although the medical examination report is generally valid for adjudicatory purposes up to one year after filing, the officer may order an additional immigration medical examination at any time if he or she has concerns as to an applicant’s inadmissibility on health-related grounds. For more information, see Chapter 11, Inadmissibility Determination, Section C, Other Information [8 USCIS-PM B.11©]. an

​

I would agree that a new medical is warranted IF we hadn't filed IMMEDIATELY upon his arrival. I mean, he was in the country 8 days when we sent his AOS app in. Obviously, we have no choice but to do this. What's our alternative, for them to leave? lol No. It's a waste of our money that's caused by their inefficiency. And from here on out, more and more people will need to have this repeat medical. Ours was 13 months old.

omg I think I messed up! I just read the instructions and it said to submit the I-693 with a copy of the I-485 that we filed last year. I only sent the sealed envelope, and the original RFE, and a copy of the ds-3025 from the overseas medical.

Did anyone else just send the RFE letter, and the I693 in a sealed envelope? Or did you send a copy of the I485 too?

Ours asks that we send in the sealed envelope with just the RFE letter.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

I would agree that a new medical is warranted IF we hadn't filed IMMEDIATELY upon his arrival. I mean, he was in the country 8 days when we sent his AOS app in. Obviously, we have no choice but to do this. What's our alternative, for them to leave? lol No. It's a waste of our money that's caused by their inefficiency. And from here on out, more and more people will need to have this repeat medical. Ours was 13 months old.

Ours asks that we send in the sealed envelope with just the RFE letter.

Yes, mine says like that too.

[sweetswinks 400]

The guidance that you've quoted re the medicals has been around for many years and that's the guidance USCIS follow. However the guidance I posted (that started in June 2014) seems to supersede it in terms of how long ANY I-693 is valid for.

It sucks.

This page was updated October 2014. which is after the updated one in june 2014

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter3.html#footnote-26

[Tina and Johan 206]

This page was updated October 2014. which is after the updated one in june 2014

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter3.html#footnote-26

Makes me want to send a letter to our person who's adjudicating our file!! explain to them their job, then ask that they approve without the updated medical. what are the chances they would, do you think?