Concerns about medical exam

[Qilin 2]

Hi, Everyone.

I have joined up today to ask some preliminary questions that will determine whether I will move to the UK to live with my husband, or if he will move to the States.

One major concern that we need answers for straight away pertains to the medical exam/my husband's health status.

My husband is 61 years old. He had polio as a child, and though he is not considered officially disabled and does hold a full-time job in the UK, he suffers from post-polio syndrome and COPD. He takes medications for symptoms of both.

Would these health problems jeopardize his petition for immigration? As I said, he does work full-time, but his lung function in particular isn't spectacular.

What does the medical exam for immigration include? Do people fail it very often?

What illnesses/health problems are known to prevent immigration to the U.S.?

Thanks in advance for your replies. I realize that some of these questions have probably been answered elsewhere, so links to other threads are appreciated, as long as they are up-to-date with current requirements.

Cheers,

Lauren

[TBoneTX 45,968]

*** Thread moved from CR-1 Process forum to the Embassy/Consulate forum -- topic chiefly involves the medical examination. ***

[mallafri76 1,012]

Your husband have two serious medical conditions and I don't think anyone on here can really tell you how the medical exam is gonna go. I think in your case, it's gonna be a case of trying and see how it goes.

The medical exam is mainly about checking for infectious and contagious diseases, such as TB, syphilis, the measles etc. Since polio is a highly contagious disease, they might run some extra tests on your husband during the medical exam. But the PPS he has now and the COPD are not contagious and his disability shouldn't come into play at all.

But yes, there are people who fail their medical exam for a variety of reasons.

[Qilin 2]

Thanks for your response, Mallafri76. It's a shame the medical has to come so late in the process, though of course it makes sense. I feel sorry for anyone who fails it after investing so much time and money. Hoping we wouldn't be one of those cases. Your input makes us a bit more hopeful.

[Elf 146]

Hi Lauren, welcome to VJ!

Would these health problems jeopardize his petition for immigration? As I said, he does work full-time, but his lung function in particular isn't spectacular.

The immigration medical exam is concerned with identifying applicants who have "communicable diseases of public health significance", physical or mental disorders that could pose a threat to others, or issues with substance abuse. Chronic health issues that pose no threat to other people and are controlled by medication where appropriate, are not grounds for inadmissibility.

There is a secondary "public charge" concern; these are the CDC's guidelines for panel physicians on "Other Physical Disability, Disease or Abnormality" beyond the communicable diseases specifically listed on the report

After completing the required evaluations for communicable diseases of public health significance, for physical and mental disorders that may result in harmful behavior, and for psychoactive substance abuse, the physician must consider any other findings in the history or physical examination that constitute a substantial departure from normal health or well-being, and must complete any diagnostic procedures necessary to determine

a. the likely diagnosis

b. whether the disorder will affect the alien's ability to care for himself or herself, attend school, hold a job, or engage in other age-appropriate activities

c. whether rehabilitation or special training will be required

d. whether the applicant is likely to require extensive medical care or institutionalization after arrival in the United States.

Obviously no-one can be certain of how a medical exam will go, and he has health issues that they will undoubtedly want to discuss with him, but your husband is still able to hold down a full-time job and isn't considered disabled. If he has been seeing any specialists for either the COPD or the post-polio syndrome, it might be a good idea to get letters from them explaining his condition, how it has progressed and how it is controlled, that he can show to the panel physician at his medical.

What does the medical exam for immigration include? Do people fail it very often?

Here's the Department Of State's official information on the immigration medical for individuals applying through the London Embassy. You might also want to read this thread in the UK subforum and the blog post it links to for details of one member's recent experience, and (if you have a week to spare, ) you could read through ten years of posts about members' immigration medical exams at Knightsbridge Doctors here.

As mallafri76 said, people sometimes do fail the medical. I haven't seen any figures for how often it happens.

What illnesses/health problems are known to prevent immigration to the U.S.?

From the CDC again:

What are the communicable diseases of public health significance that would cause an applicant to fail a medical examination or be inadmissible?

Communicable diseases of public health significance include—

• Tuberculosis

• Syphilis

• Chancroid

• Gonorrhea

• Granuloma Inguinale

• Lymphogranuloma Venereum

• Hansen's Disease (Leprosy)

And the following two disease categories--

• Quarantinable diseases designated by any Presidential Executive Order. Current diseases include: cholera, diphtheria, infectious tuberculosis, plague, smallpox, yellow fever, viral hemorrhagic fevers, severe acute respiratory syndromes, and influenza caused by novel or re-emergent influenza (pandemic flu).

• Events that are reportable as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) to the World Health Organization (WHO) under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005 (currently polio, smallpox, SARS, influenza, and other public health emergencies of international concern.)

And if you're up for even more official details, here's more than you ever realized you might want to know about medical grounds for inadmissibility, from the Dept of State Foreign Affairs Manual

Hope some of that is helpful

[Qilin 2]

Hi Lauren, welcome to VJ!

Hope some of that is helpful

Oh my goodness, Elf -- thanks so much for the welcome, and for taking the time to give me such a thoughtful and detailed response! Yes, a lot of this was very helpful, and all of it was interesting.

The horrible attacks on Paris have convinced us that my husband should indeed come here (he lives in an English city that is very likely to be a future target). So it looks like I'm officially joining the VJ family.

I've bookmarked the links you kindly provided and taken a look at the associated material. I know you said there's no telling how an individual medical will go, but I definitely feel like we'll be much more prepared when the time comes, thanks in no small part to your wonderful post.

[Elf 146]

Hey Qilin

I just stumbled across some statistics and thought you might find them reassuring.

Official statistics for 2014 for US immigrant visas issued, and immigrant visa ineligibilities by grounds for refusal (Sorry about the slightly scrappy formatting, there's no good way to post tabular data on an internet forum!)

Total immigrant visas issued: 			467,370

Ineligibilities Found and Overcome/Waived

212(a)(1)(A)(i) Communicable Disease 
Found:                                              652
Overcome/Waived:                                    358

212(a)(1)(A)(ii) Lacking required vaccinations
Found:                                            3,090
Overcome/Waived:                                  2,550

212(a)(1)(A)(iii) Physical or mental disorder
Found:                                              217
Overcome/Waived                                      99

So, while it does happen, it's extremely rare and even if an ineligibility is found it can often be overcome or a waiver obtained.