Medical Examination Experience at Apollo Hospital in Chennai

[agripa 100]

Hey All,

 

I haven't really seen any description of the medical examination here in Chennai, so I thought I'd describe what it was like for my wife (the applicant) and me.

 

Our interview date (Sep. 1, 2017) got fixed on August 1, 2017. We immediately called the Apollo clinic and made an appointment for August 14 and August 16. Note you are required to be there for at least two days; one day for the examination and one day to pick up the results. Because August 15 was a holiday (Independence day), we had to stay for 3 days. In general, it seemed like they had a lot of open/free dates and getting an appointment wasn't really an issue.

1. We were told to show up at 8 am. The Apollo hospital has an entire floor dedicated to visa medical examinations (US, UK, Canada, and Australia); we filed out some forms and were immediately ushered into a room where my wife gave a blood sample, followed by a urine sample, followed by x-rays.
2. At this point, the receptionist informed us that the panel physician would not be in until 11:30 AM!! Why they asked us to show up at 8 am wasn't very clear. I'd recommend if you're making an appointment to ask when the doctor is going to be in and schedule your appointment roughly 1.5 hours prior to this time. Anyways, we went and got some breakfast.
3. We came back at 10:45 AM and paid the medical examination fees (12,500 INR) and then spent another two hours waiting for the doctor.
4. The doctor's examination was really brief and most of it was spent filling out paperwork required by the US consulate. The doctor did a very brief physical examination and then reviewed my wife's vaccination history.

 

Quick side-note about vaccines --

The list of "required" vaccines is provided on the following website (link here). My wife had zero records of past vaccinations. When we saw the list on the NVC website, she was a bit worried about getting SOO many vaccines all at once. So starting ~2-3 months prior we got some blood tests done to prove immunity to a bunch of disease and started getting the remainder of the vaccines slowly. However, we were kind of surprised to learn during the medical examination that the follow vaccines for someone her age were not required (31 year old female) - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningicoccal, Pneumonococcal. So my advice to people who have little or no vaccination records, and don't mind getting 4-6 injections all at once : wait until the official medical examination. The number of required vaccines may be far less than you think!

 

The doctors finally recommended one additional vaccine, which a nurse gave. At the end the nurse at the desk told us that we'd receive a phone call by noon two days later if there was anything wrong. If there was no phone call, she said we could come by 4 PM to pick up our results. We came back two days later and picked up our sealed envelope as well as a certified copy of her vaccination history (we asked for a separate copy of this as I think it's useful to have when my wife searches for jobs or if she chooses to go back to school in the US). 

 

In summary, the medical exam is actually really short. The problem is there's like constant waiting between every step - 1.5 hour wait for the doctor, 30 minute line to pay the fees, 30 minute wait for the nurse to go get the vaccine, 30 minutes to wait for an x-ray, etc. Bring a book!

[amul 229]

On 8/21/2017 at 7:54 AM, agripa said:

Hey All,

 

I haven't really seen any description of the medical examination here in Chennai, so I thought I'd describe what it was like for my wife (the applicant) and me.

 

Our interview date (Sep. 1, 2017) got fixed on August 1, 2017. We immediately called the Apollo clinic and made an appointment for August 14 and August 16. Note you are required to be there for at least two days; one day for the examination and one day to pick up the results. Because August 15 was a holiday (Independence day), we had to stay for 3 days. In general, it seemed like they had a lot of open/free dates and getting an appointment wasn't really an issue.

1. We were told to show up at 8 am. The Apollo hospital has an entire floor dedicated to visa medical examinations (US, UK, Canada, and Australia); we filed out some forms and were immediately ushered into a room where my wife gave a blood sample, followed by a urine sample, followed by x-rays.
2. At this point, the receptionist informed us that the panel physician would not be in until 11:30 AM!! Why they asked us to show up at 8 am wasn't very clear. I'd recommend if you're making an appointment to ask when the doctor is going to be in and schedule your appointment roughly 1.5 hours prior to this time. Anyways, we went and got some breakfast.
3. We came back at 10:45 AM and paid the medical examination fees (12,500 INR) and then spent another two hours waiting for the doctor.
4. The doctor's examination was really brief and most of it was spent filling out paperwork required by the US consulate. The doctor did a very brief physical examination and then reviewed my wife's vaccination history.

 

Quick side-note about vaccines --

The list of "required" vaccines is provided on the following website (link here). My wife had zero records of past vaccinations. When we saw the list on the NVC website, she was a bit worried about getting SOO many vaccines all at once. So starting ~2-3 months prior we got some blood tests done to prove immunity to a bunch of disease and started getting the remainder of the vaccines slowly. However, we were kind of surprised to learn during the medical examination that the follow vaccines for someone her age were not required (31 year old female) - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningicoccal, Pneumonococcal. So my advice to people who have little or no vaccination records, and don't mind getting 4-6 injections all at once : wait until the official medical examination. The number of required vaccines may be far less than you think!

 

The doctors finally recommended one additional vaccine, which a nurse gave. At the end the nurse at the desk told us that we'd receive a phone call by noon two days later if there was anything wrong. If there was no phone call, she said we could come by 4 PM to pick up our results. We came back two days later and picked up our sealed envelope as well as a certified copy of her vaccination history (we asked for a separate copy of this as I think it's useful to have when my wife searches for jobs or if she chooses to go back to school in the US). 

 

In summary, the medical exam is actually really short. The problem is there's like constant waiting between every step - 1.5 hour wait for the doctor, 30 minute line to pay the fees, 30 minute wait for the nurse to go get the vaccine, 30 minutes to wait for an x-ray, etc. Bring a book!

Hi thank you so much for adding this wonderful info @agripa -- I am going to post this over at the NVC India thread as it might help someone there as well. Hope that is ok with you  

 

Wishing you all the best on your upcoming interview -- now go bring home the approval! 

 

 

[chamma 382]

On 21/08/2017 at 7:54 AM, agripa said:

Hey All,

 

I haven't really seen any description of the medical examination here in Chennai, so I thought I'd describe what it was like for my wife (the applicant) and me.

 

Our interview date (Sep. 1, 2017) got fixed on August 1, 2017. We immediately called the Apollo clinic and made an appointment for August 14 and August 16. Note you are required to be there for at least two days; one day for the examination and one day to pick up the results. Because August 15 was a holiday (Independence day), we had to stay for 3 days. In general, it seemed like they had a lot of open/free dates and getting an appointment wasn't really an issue.

1. We were told to show up at 8 am. The Apollo hospital has an entire floor dedicated to visa medical examinations (US, UK, Canada, and Australia); we filed out some forms and were immediately ushered into a room where my wife gave a blood sample, followed by a urine sample, followed by x-rays.
2. At this point, the receptionist informed us that the panel physician would not be in until 11:30 AM!! Why they asked us to show up at 8 am wasn't very clear. I'd recommend if you're making an appointment to ask when the doctor is going to be in and schedule your appointment roughly 1.5 hours prior to this time. Anyways, we went and got some breakfast.
3. We came back at 10:45 AM and paid the medical examination fees (12,500 INR) and then spent another two hours waiting for the doctor.
4. The doctor's examination was really brief and most of it was spent filling out paperwork required by the US consulate. The doctor did a very brief physical examination and then reviewed my wife's vaccination history.

 

Quick side-note about vaccines --

The list of "required" vaccines is provided on the following website (link here). My wife had zero records of past vaccinations. When we saw the list on the NVC website, she was a bit worried about getting SOO many vaccines all at once. So starting ~2-3 months prior we got some blood tests done to prove immunity to a bunch of disease and started getting the remainder of the vaccines slowly. However, we were kind of surprised to learn during the medical examination that the follow vaccines for someone her age were not required (31 year old female) - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningicoccal, Pneumonococcal. So my advice to people who have little or no vaccination records, and don't mind getting 4-6 injections all at once : wait until the official medical examination. The number of required vaccines may be far less than you think!

 

The doctors finally recommended one additional vaccine, which a nurse gave. At the end the nurse at the desk told us that we'd receive a phone call by noon two days later if there was anything wrong. If there was no phone call, she said we could come by 4 PM to pick up our results. We came back two days later and picked up our sealed envelope as well as a certified copy of her vaccination history (we asked for a separate copy of this as I think it's useful to have when my wife searches for jobs or if she chooses to go back to school in the US). 

 

In summary, the medical exam is actually really short. The problem is there's like constant waiting between every step - 1.5 hour wait for the doctor, 30 minute line to pay the fees, 30 minute wait for the nurse to go get the vaccine, 30 minutes to wait for an x-ray, etc. Bring a book!

Well that's very true. I had mine in chennai too.. I had this shared in the other ones.. but this really needed to be here. 😊

[agripa 100]

On 8/26/2017 at 9:10 PM, amul said:

Hi thank you so much for adding this wonderful info @agripa -- I am going to post this over at the NVC India thread as it might help someone there as well. Hope that is ok with you  

Thanks @amul. I'm so glad to see that you visa was issued! 

 

On 8/26/2017 at 10:51 PM, chamma said:

Well that's very true. I had mine in chennai too.. I had this shared in the other ones.. but this really needed to be here. 😊

Thanks @chamma! Really happy to see that your visa was approved with no problems!

 

 

[amul 229]

14 hours ago, agripa said:

Thanks @amul. I'm so glad to see that you visa was issued! 

Thank you so much @agripa -- we are so thankful and excited! Can't wait to see his lovely face in a few weeks 

 

You are up next, approval heading your way! 

[chamma 382]

Congratulations @agripa!

[Mackptl 0]

Do any one know how get biometric appointments in Mumbai do we need to call them or any website link ?

 

[chamma 382]

2 minutes ago, Mackptl said:

Do any one know how get biometric appointments in Mumbai do we need to call them or any website link ?

 

get on to ustraveldocs and register yourself and book an biometrics appointment.

[Mackptl 0]

Thanks Chamma

[darth vader 133]

I was just given an IR1 visa interview date of December 14, 2018 at Mumbai. I am planning to get my medical done at Apollo hospital APHC at Chennai. Their website lists the following "required" documents to be brought to the medical appointment:

 

• The original valid passport
• 1 Passport biodata page photo copy
• The original valid interview letter with case number in it
• 1 Photocopy of the interview letter.
• 6 US size photographs

 

I submitted all my documents online to NVC and received an interview date via email. I am not sure what an "original valid interview letter" means. Is it just the print out of the email I received with the interview date in it? Am I supposed to receive an interview letter in the mail?

I changed my interview country from Canada to India, so I am not sure what address will they send me a physical interview letter at. I am concerned that I a may not even get a physical interview letter because of the embassy switch. Will I be able to get the medical done with just the email letter?

[JRT 1]

On 11/11/2018 at 9:21 AM, darth vader said:

I was just given an IR1 visa interview date of December 14, 2018 at Mumbai. I am planning to get my medical done at Apollo hospital APHC at Chennai. Their website lists the following "required" documents to be brought to the medical appointment:

 

• The original valid passport
• 1 Passport biodata page photo copy
• The original valid interview letter with case number in it
• 1 Photocopy of the interview letter.
• 6 US size photographs

 

I submitted all my documents online to NVC and received an interview date via email. I am not sure what an "original valid interview letter" means. Is it just the print out of the email I received with the interview date in it? Am I supposed to receive an interview letter in the mail?

I changed my interview country from Canada to India, so I am not sure what address will they send me a physical interview letter at. I am concerned that I a may not even get a physical interview letter because of the embassy switch. Will I be able to get the medical done with just the email letter?

Hi, I have my medical appointment on 12th Jan at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Do they ask for a original interview letter with barcode or is the email copy sufficient? My case is under electronic processing at Mumbai and I have just recieved interview date in email.