Vaccination Questions

[AK-Jake 0]

Hi, folks!  New member and first time post...greetings from frigid Alaska!

 

My fiancee and I are just starting the K1 route (she's in the Philippines).  I will be firing off her I-129F in the next 1-2 days, and then the long waiting period begins.  She has never received any of the required vaccinations and we are wondering if we can start getting those now while we are waiting, or do we have to wait until she goes to Manila for her physical?  I'm hoping the vaccinations aren't required to be performed by the specific doctors who do the physicals, but can be done by any doctor so long as they provide documentation on the vaccinations were given and the date they were administered.

 

Can anyone give me some insight on this?  We would sure appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

[cherryblossoms916 216]

1 hour ago, AK-Jake said:

Hi, folks!  New member and first time post...greetings from frigid Alaska!

 

My fiancee and I are just starting the K1 route (she's in the Philippines).  I will be firing off her I-129F in the next 1-2 days, and then the long waiting period begins.  She has never received any of the required vaccinations and we are wondering if we can start getting those now while we are waiting, or do we have to wait until she goes to Manila for her physical?  I'm hoping the vaccinations aren't required to be performed by the specific doctors who do the physicals, but can be done by any doctor so long as they provide documentation on the vaccinations were given and the date they were administered.

 

Can anyone give me some insight on this?  We would sure appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

After your approval, Wait for your case number to be ready in NVC after that she can schedule her medical at St.Lukes. She can finish that within 1-2 days if she has no problem but if she has findings like sputum it will take up to 6mos. Goodluck!

[NicoAndNelle 127]

Just my two cents- I am not sure if it is same for your fiancé's country but to me with the whole K1 process taking  longer than just last year you should get a head start if vaccines are otherwise available. I recently moved (Trinidad and Tobago) to US via K1 visa(November 2017) and it was coincidental that I had been getting my vaccines updated(boosters, new ones, etc) taken at my local clinic because it had been years since I had them. This was before we even knew the visa requirements. Then I looked up the list and saw the requirements and was glad i started before. Some like Chicken Pox required 2 shots and Hepatitis B require 3 shots over a period, and whatever isn't completed in home country will have to be completed in USA I was able to complete all my vaccines over the months at my local clinic FREE of charge and by the time I got to my medical i needed 0. If you don't have certain ones by then you HAVE to pay for it and it's not cheap when you add them up. 

When I got the letter for the medical it explicitly said not to get any vaccines but that I believe is for people who don't already have them months before and then wanting to rush at last minute to get them. I had my last required vaccine by beginning of August 2017 and my medical was late October 2017. Depending on when you get some of these, it will show up in bloodwork for a period of time which you don't want so again just my two cents that you should start getting that sorted out now and whatever she doesn't have by then she can get at the medical.

Edited January 26, 2018 by NicoAndNelle

[C-ma'am 684]

**Post moved from K1 to Philippines for specific assistance and advice related to Medical at St. Luke's

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

3 hours ago, AK-Jake said:

Hi, folks!  New member and first time post...greetings from frigid Alaska!

 

My fiancee and I are just starting the K1 route (she's in the Philippines).  I will be firing off her I-129F in the next 1-2 days, and then the long waiting period begins.  She has never received any of the required vaccinations and we are wondering if we can start getting those now while we are waiting, or do we have to wait until she goes to Manila for her physical?  I'm hoping the vaccinations aren't required to be performed by the specific doctors who do the physicals, but can be done by any doctor so long as they provide documentation on the vaccinations were given and the date they were administered.

 

Can anyone give me some insight on this?  We would sure appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

If she does not have any vaccinations at all you can go ahead and get them before hand, and if you live in AK then yeah I would get them. But if not then St. Lukes will give her the first dosages of the vaccinations during the medical process. As long as they provide documentations that the vaccinations were done like a official immunization card then St. Lukes is fine with that.

[Hank_ 9,174]

5 hours ago, AK-Jake said:

Hi, folks!  New member and first time post...greetings from frigid Alaska!

 

My fiancee and I are just starting the K1 route (she's in the Philippines).  I will be firing off her I-129F in the next 1-2 days, and then the long waiting period begins.  She has never received any of the required vaccinations and we are wondering if we can start getting those now while we are waiting, or do we have to wait until she goes to Manila for her physical?  I'm hoping the vaccinations aren't required to be performed by the specific doctors who do the physicals, but can be done by any doctor so long as they provide documentation on the vaccinations were given and the date they were administered.

 

Can anyone give me some insight on this?  We would sure appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

So you are the guy that has been sending all that frigid weather down our way!     .... get a rope!!     

 

Don't bother with getting the vaccinations required for the visa process from a private doctor, any that are required will be provided during the medical at St. Luke's .... included in the fee      

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/i-129f-petition-process.html

 

For later:

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/nvc-k-1.html

 

For a late yet:

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/k-1-visa-application.html

 

1 hour ago, cyberfx1024 said:

If she does not have any vaccinations at all you can go ahead and get them before hand, and if you live in AK then yeah I would get them. But if not then  St. Lukes will give her the first dosages of the vaccinations during the medical process. As long as they  (don't bother) provide documentations that the vaccinations were done like a official immunization card then St. Lukes is fine with that. 

No reason to get vaccinations from a private doctor, as you know they are provided by St. Luke's with the medical at no additional cost

Edited January 26, 2018 by Hank_

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

1 minute ago, Hank_ said:

Don't bother with getting the vaccinations required for the visa process from a private doctor, any that are required will be provided during the medical at St. Luke's .... included in the fee      

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/i-129f-petition-process.html

 

For later:

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/nvc-k-1.html

 

For a late yet:

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/k-1-visa-application.html

 

No reason to get vaccinations from a private doctor, as you know they are provided by St. Luke's with the medical at no additional cost

They only provide the starter not whole series of shots. Which it sounds like he wants her to have the whole series but I may be wrong.

[Hank_ 9,174]

5 minutes ago, cyberfx1024 said:

They only provide the starter not whole series of shots. Which it sounds like he wants her to have the whole series but I may be wrong.

Starters?   The vaccinations as required by CDC are administered by St. Luke's so the applicant can receive a visa.     I know of hundreds, nay I say thousands that were serious lacking in vaccinations before starting this visa process .. still not sure on "starters"

 

There are occasions where St. Luke's has a shortage of a certain vaccination,  makes note to get that vaccination at county health services (or such) once in the USA .. but that is an exception not the rule.

 

 

There truly is no reason for the Flipina to go to a private doctor for vaccination for the visa process

Edited January 26, 2018 by Hank_

[Hank_ 9,174]

Do take note of the requirements for the vaccinations (a lot of hassle for something that is included with the medical) :  

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2018 by Hank_

[AL-MJD 144]

Hi there, I am from Singapore and Singaporeans are required to take almost every vaccination required by U.S. as well.

 

I'm not sure about other countries, but U.S. Embassy in Singapore requires us to provide our immunization history. (Please refer to attachment for a screenshot of Singapore's medical check-up to-bring list)

 

That being said, Singapore does not require Varicella(Chicken Pox) and Influenza shots. I have taken the Influenza shot from a private clinic and asked for an immunization certificate(/doctor's note).

 

I have had Chicken Pox before in my childhood and my doctor(NOT a Visa clinic) has advised me that Chicken Pox immunization can be proven via a blood test.

 

I completed my immunization in this way because in Singapore, it is a cheaper option. My understanding is that as long as I can prove I have taken the appropriate shots and have the appropriate immunization, no doctor will ask me to take the same shots twice.

 

I have not gotten my NOA2, and thus have not gone for my medical. We expect NOA2 next month(we filed 28/7/2017) and will update how my medical goes.

 

My recommendation is your NOA2 is still a long way, looking at current trends. Hold on the Influenza shot until nearer your expected NOA2 date so that you can make sure she gets the lastest strain. Otherwise, some of everything else requires some months to complete. Some combination of vaccinations cannot be done at the same time, so do them first and by the time she applies for her green card, that's one less worry.

 

Cost-wise, you should consider that she does not need ALL the shots U.S. requires done to have her K-1 Visa approved but needs to complete her vaccinations in U.S. for her green card to be approved -- this is the information I received from the US Embassy-approved clinic in Singapore and read this from an USCIS immigrations FAQ page . If your health insurance covers vaccinations, then it could be more cost-effective to do the must-haves in Philippines consulate-approved clinic, and do the rest in U.S..

 

I'll also attach a screenshot of the FAQ I mentioned above.

 

Cheers. xx

 

P/S: Self-recorded vaccination is, in fact, not allowed. Do remember to ask private healthcare providers for certificate of vaccination or proof of immunization.

 

There is two ways to go about it; you can take a blood test to prove that you have these antibodies in your blood or you can try and recall which clinic you had these vaccinations from to receive a certification.

 

Do make sure the healthcare provider include name of organisation or doctor from which you take the vaccine from, the name of the vaccine(e.g. not just "Influenza shot", but its medical name.), and the date that you took the shot on.

Edited January 28, 2018 by AL-MJD