Visa approved, but...

[Rinara 5]

Hello!

I had my interview today in Dublin and it went swimmingly. The officer (who happened to be from the town I'm moving to!) told me I'd have my visa in a week or so, and said "congratulations".

However, when I got home I opened up the medical envelope (the copy made for me - the Embassy kept what they were supposed to) and on it I'm marked as "Syphilis Positive".

This is going to sound ridiculous and I'm as embarrassed and upset about talking about it as you can imagine, but I don't know where I got it from.

My (same-sex female) partner and I haven't had any contact that could have transmitted anything between us. I am her first.

I however, have had a bunch of boyfriends. I've been tested for STDs along the way and was always 'clean'. Since my last test years ago I was with one guy, who told me he had also been tested, and so we were a little more relaxed with STD protection.

I DO have arthritis, and I also had my vaccinations just a couple of month ago. I read briefly that these can show up on a syphilis test resulting as a positive. This might be the cause of it.

My questions are (now that I've probably grossed people out enough), would I have been approved my visa if it was a real syphilis outcome? Would they have known the difference at the embassy when they looked through my medical file, or could they have seen that my vaccinations were recent and approved me on that?

Or can I expect to get delayed once they process the application in the next couple of days and see the positive result??

Also, more importantly, what does this mean for my AOS once I go to the States? What do I do?

Should I go to my local doctor, tell him I tested positive and ask him for treatment, and get him to give me a letter saying such?

Please help. I can't find anything about it on the forum. Everyone else has their syphilis detected before they interview and are delayed or denied, but I was told today that I was [going to be] approved...

[JDWright 30]

So the CO approved the visa if it is issued and not caught during AP, then your AOS may be delayed until you're treated. At least that's what I've read.

*medical professional hat on*
If you are indeed syphilis + (getting a 2nd opinion blood work done can't hurt) you NEED to be staged and begin treatment ASAP. Depending on the stage it will either be oral doxycycline or ceftriaxone or several months of intramuscular shots in the bum of penicillin G. But I urge you to seek that 2nd opinion before you leave Eire.

[Rinara 5]

So the CO approved the visa if it is issued and not caught during AP, then your AOS may be delayed until you're treated. At least that's what I've read.

*medical professional hat on*

If you are indeed syphilis + (getting a 2nd opinion blood work done can't hurt) you NEED to be staged and begin treatment ASAP. Depending on the stage it will either be oral doxycycline or ceftriaxone or several months of intramuscular shots in the bum of penicillin G. But I urge you to seek that 2nd opinion before you leave Eire.

Thank you. I'm just praying that the visa isn't delayed because of it.

Of course I want to get treated for it. It delaying my AOS (if we get that far without delays) sucks, but if I have it I have it. I will go to my doctor as soon as possible and ask for treatment.

[TBoneTX 45,324]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the K-1 Case Progress subforum. ***

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Hello!

I had my interview today in Dublin and it went swimmingly. The officer (who happened to be from the town I'm moving to!) told me I'd have my visa in a week or so, and said "congratulations".

However, when I got home I opened up the medical envelope (the copy made for me - the Embassy kept what they were supposed to) and on it I'm marked as "Syphilis Positive".

This is going to sound ridiculous and I'm as embarrassed and upset about talking about it as you can imagine, but I don't know where I got it from.

My (same-sex female) partner and I haven't had any contact that could have transmitted anything between us. I am her first.

I however, have had a bunch of boyfriends. I've been tested for STDs along the way and was always 'clean'. Since my last test years ago I was with one guy, who told me he had also been tested, and so we were a little more relaxed with STD protection.

I DO have arthritis, and I also had my vaccinations just a couple of month ago. I read briefly that these can show up on a syphilis test resulting as a positive. This might be the cause of it.

My questions are (now that I've probably grossed people out enough), would I have been approved my visa if it was a real syphilis outcome? Would they have known the difference at the embassy when they looked through my medical file, or could they have seen that my vaccinations were recent and approved me on that?

Or can I expect to get delayed once they process the application in the next couple of days and see the positive result??

Also, more importantly, what does this mean for my AOS once I go to the States? What do I do?

Should I go to my local doctor, tell him I tested positive and ask him for treatment, and get him to give me a letter saying such?

Please help. I can't find anything about it on the forum. Everyone else has their syphilis detected before they interview and are delayed or denied, but I was told today that I was [going to be] approved...

I DO have arthritis, and I also had my vaccinations just a couple of month ago. I read briefly that these can show up on a syphilis test resulting as a positive. This might be the cause of it. There are cases everyday in the medical field that a test can, by the slimmest of margins, cause a false positive. Since I am not a Dr. I can't offer much more.

My questions are (now that I've probably grossed people out enough), would I have been approved my visa if it was a real syphilis outcome? If the information was not seen or missed by the interview CO then yes you could have been approved since everything else fell in line.

Would they have known the difference at the embassy when they looked through my medical file, or could they have seen that my vaccinations were recent and approved me on that? Again, they saw that your were approved but may have missed the "Syphilis Positive" indication and based on that found you to be eligible for a visa.

Or can I expect to get delayed once they process the application in the next couple of days and see the positive result?? If you are going to be denied it would be at this stage, the last review prior to visa issuance. They will review your case one more time before "final" approval and visa issuance.

Also, more importantly, what does this mean for my AOS once I go to the States? What do I do? First thing you should do is go to your family doctor and be tested specifically for syphilis or any other STD's. If found, get yourself cured as soon as possible. You then need a letter from your Dr. explaining that your Syphilis is no longer in the infectious stage . You want that incase you need it in the event you have to disprove that you have an STD or if you do/did have syphilis, that you are no longer infectious.

As far as the AOS stage, it depends on the paperwork you have to submit. If your DS-3025 medical examination did not reveal a Class A medical condition and, you have had all your required vaccinations, then you will sail through the AOS process. But, if it did not then you will need to see a CS (Civil Surgeon) for processing the I-693.

Should I go to my local doctor, tell him I tested positive and ask him for treatment, and get him to give me a letter saying such? Yes and for both the reason I stated in the question from above and also it's your life we are talking about here. Syphilis, left untreated, can kill you.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter6.html

http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDMQFjADahUKEwi20s71vbvHAhXCNT4KHdskBHY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fas.org%2Fsgp%2Fcrs%2Fhomesec%2FR40570.pdf&ei=_sjXVbbbN8Lr-AHbyZCwBw&usg=AFQjCNF2uxAw3yTnzWCmKNWeqKv1EfsQHw

Edited August 22, 2015 by Greenbaum

[Rinara 5]

I DO have arthritis, and I also had my vaccinations just a couple of month ago. I read briefly that these can show up on a syphilis test resulting as a positive. This might be the cause of it. There are cases everyday in the medical field that a test can, by the slimmest of margins, cause a false positive. Since I am not a Dr. I can't offer much more.

My questions are (now that I've probably grossed people out enough), would I have been approved my visa if it was a real syphilis outcome? If the information was not seen or missed by the interview CO then yes you could have been approved since everything else fell in line.

Would they have known the difference at the embassy when they looked through my medical file, or could they have seen that my vaccinations were recent and approved me on that? Again, they saw that your were approved but may have missed the "Syphilis Positive" indication and based on that found you to be eligible for a visa.

Or can I expect to get delayed once they process the application in the next couple of days and see the positive result?? If you are going to be denied it would be at this stage, the last review prior to visa issuance. They will review your case one more time before "final" approval and visa issuance.

Also, more importantly, what does this mean for my AOS once I go to the States? What do I do? First thing you should do is go to your family doctor and be tested specifically for syphilis or any other STD's. If found, get yourself cured as soon as possible. You then need a letter from your Dr. explaining that your Syphilis is no longer in the infectious stage . You want that incase you need it in the event you have to disprove that you have an STD or if you do/did have syphilis, that you are no longer infectious.

As far as the AOS stage, it depends on the paperwork you have to submit. If your DS-3025 medical examination did not reveal a Class A medical condition and, you have had all your required vaccinations, then you will sail through the AOS process. But, if it did not then you will need to see a CS (Civil Surgeon) for processing the I-693.

Should I go to my local doctor, tell him I tested positive and ask him for treatment, and get him to give me a letter saying such? Yes and for both the reason I stated in the question from above and also it's your life we are talking about here. Syphilis, left untreated, can kill you.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter6.html

http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDMQFjADahUKEwi20s71vbvHAhXCNT4KHdskBHY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fas.org%2Fsgp%2Fcrs%2Fhomesec%2FR40570.pdf&ei=_sjXVbbbN8Lr-AHbyZCwBw&usg=AFQjCNF2uxAw3yTnzWCmKNWeqKv1EfsQHw

Thank you, so much. I realise some of my questions seem silly, like "Should I go to my doctor?" but I was in the middle of a mild panic attack over all of it. I'm still losing my mind with worry.

Thank you for your help.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Thank you, so much. I realise some of my questions seem silly, like "Should I go to my doctor?" but I was in the middle of a mild panic attack over all of it. I'm still losing my mind with worry.

Thank you for your help.

YW. Keep up posted on your progress please.

[Rinara 5]

YW. Keep up posted on your progress please.

I will. Thank you!

[Soulmate1971 9]

I will have it redrawn and re tested. Just to be sure. Like a second opinion. Thats what i would do.

[Rinara 5]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I plan on making an appointment when I can.

After talking to a couple of friends about it they pointed something out. I donated blood regularly for years, up until October last year. Since then I had been ill and had vaccinations so couldn't donate.

When you donate blood they test for diseases including syphilis. If I had it then they would have contacted me about it. My ex boyfriend also donated blood with no issues, and my fiancee also donates blood (as recently as February) and was never confirmed positive for it.

So I'm fairly certain that it's a false positive at this point, caused by my vaccinations two months ago.​

[JDWright 30]

Like I said it maybe a false positive, but to be safe get a second blood draw done.

[Rinara 5]

Just an update, for anyone who was concerned, or just nosy.

I was having trouble contacting the medical doctor to get answers, so I emailed the Embassy, asking them if I should be worried. I was emailed back almost immediately, and was told that the medical report they were given said NEGATIVE. According to them I was super healthy.

Naturally, they were a bit ticked because if I was actually POSITIVE and they were told I had a negative result, that's baaaaaaaaaad for them giving out visas. I scanned the pages I was given and sent them over to the Embassy. I was told, again immediately, that they would contact the clinic first thing in the morning (this morning).

SIX MINUTES after the clinic opened this morning, I got a phone call, telling me that my results were definitely NEGATIVE, and that the "Positive" on my report was a"typo". Not even a false positive...

A TYPO.

I was too relieved to be annoyed, but now that I'm calm again I'm starting to feel it. Can you imagine making a TYPING MISTAKE on someone's MEDICAL REPORT? Not only that but the mistake was saying POSITIVE when it was NEGATIVE!

Anyway, I have nothing to worry about. No need to pay out for more expensive tests or anything.

Thank you for talking to me about it, guys. I really appreciate it. And I appreciate the non-judgement.

[JDWright 30]

Wow, well I'm glad that everything is fine then