Moving to Embassy interview with pending SLEC medical exam

[jrj_ph 3]

Good day!! I’m posting this query for a friend. Her concern is she plans to have the medical exam at SLEC a week before her scheduled embassy interview. Let’s put it like this. What if her medical exam results will be pending coz she needs to undergo sputum smear and culture testing which could take her approximately 2 months before results will come out. Will she be able to go to her embassy interview even if she has pending medical result? she would like to take the risk of getting the form 221g than rescheduling her embassy interview. Will that be possible? She’s from mindanao and under IR1.

[geowrian 22,338]

She can reschedule the interview if her medical does not come back clean. They may not permit her to the interview at USEM without a completed medical.

 

I'm not sure why she wants to have the interview without a clean medical instead of just holding it off until she is clean. What if, for instance, she does sputum and then is positive for TB and needs to undergo treatment for 6+ months? Then she would need a second interview anyway. It's better to just postpone the interview IMHO.

[jrj_ph 3]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

She can reschedule the interview if her medical does not come back clean. They may not permit her to the interview at USEM without a completed medical.

 

I'm not sure why she wants to have the interview without a clean medical instead of just holding it off until she is clean. What if, for instance, she does sputum and then is positive for TB and needs to undergo treatment for 6+ months? Then she would need a second interview anyway. It's better to just postpone the interview IMHO.

To whom she will call to reschedule her interview? NVC was the one who scheduled her interview. Upon calling, can she just say that she needs to postponed the interview and the date of interview will be to be arranged depending on the results of the medical exam?

[geowrian 22,338]

13 minutes ago, jrj_ph said:

To whom she will call to reschedule her interview? NVC was the one who scheduled her interview. Upon calling, can she just say that she needs to postponed the interview and the date of interview will be to be arranged depending on the results of the medical exam?

The interview can be rescheduled via the Visa Information and Appointment Service Center. I'm not sure if you can do immigrant visa scheduling online yet, sorry (I know you can for a K-1, but that's technically non-immigrant). Maybe somebody else can chime in here for doing it online.

 

Pages 1 and 2 of the immigrant visa interview instructions from USEM has information on scheduling / rescheduling, as well as the contact information for the service center: https://ph.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/82/2016/08/IV-Applicant-Interview-Preparation-Instructions-08112016-English-365KB.pdf

 

[jrj_ph 3]

5 hours ago, geowrian said:

She can reschedule the interview if her medical does not come back clean. They may not permit her to the interview at USEM without a completed medical.

 

I'm not sure why she wants to have the interview without a clean medical instead of just holding it off until she is clean. What if, for instance, she does sputum and then is positive for TB and needs to undergo treatment for 6+ months? Then she would need a second interview anyway. It's better to just postpone the interview IMHO.

I've heard from one of my neighbors who was petitioned by his us citizen wife and then he had a pending medical exam results but still he went to the embassy interview... Unfortunately, there was unusualities found on his chest xray but I think the results were in after the interview. (This info might be wrong...) He took medicine while in the Philippines and then continue his medication days after arrival in the US... Are there any instances regarding this matter? I browsed the forums and seems no information available regarding continuation of medication treatment in the US.

[nelmagriffin 152]

Greetings!

I read this from a site and it is related to your question.I hope it helps. This might be true as I also read from other readings something related to this case and has a timeline of approximately 9 months to have her visa ready. Here is a sample timeline.

 

06/25/2013 - Medical at SLEC; TB Positive
07/18/2013 - Start DOT Treatment at SLEC
01/17/2014 - End of DOT
02/27/2014 - Re-medical Done
03/07/2014 - Vaccine Given
03/18/2014 - USEM Interview | Visa Approved!

Goodluck,

 

NELMA ( VJ member since 2004)

(I welcome any corrections or updates)

 

reference:lovevisalife.com

 

What if My Fiance or Spouse is TB Positive

In fact, it is very hard and deflating news to accept at the beginning.

However, it is not the end of the word.

This is due to the fact that subsequent sputum testing may rule out TB.

Those testing positive with the new IGRA test receive a chest x-ray. If there is a normal finding, then they are clear of further testing. If there is an abnormal finding, then they go into sputum testing.

Also, if the sputum test confirms TB, you can still get your embassy interview after 6 months of TB treatment.

Sputum Testing

SLEC does not cancel an interview appointment, but they are supposed to notify the USEM that your case will be delayed pending the culture/passing the medical exam. Hence, make sure you cancel your interview appointment if you are undergoing sputum testing.

Initially, SLEC collects 3 sputum test samples over 3 days. This occurs sometime around a week or so after a positive IGRA blood test or initial x-ray showing signs of past or present TB.

SLEC evaluates these cultures over an 8 week (2 months) period.

Those samples are used to determine if the suspect case is in fact TB. It only takes one of those samples to go positive for the case to be classified as TB positive.

SLEC may contact you earlier than 8 weeks. However, this usually means that there is a TB positive result.  It sucks, but it is also a good thing as TB kills.  Moreover, it now can be cured and still attend your interview appointment after treatment.

If the sputum culture is negative, then the person doesn’t need to be treated. However, if its positive, then that’s when the 6 month DOT treatment comes in.

If you had to complete the sputum culture test, keep close track of your visa validity date. This is because of the fact that it is tied to the initial medical date.  Hence, you will be short of the 6 months to enter the U.S. As a result of this, you may only have 90 to 120 days before the visa expires.

6 Months DOT Treatment for TB

After positive determination, SLEC requires the person to receive medication daily (5 days per week) at their facility for 6 months.

If your spouse, fiance or child is from outside the Manila area they will require suitable accommodations in Manila. A bed-spacer close to SLEC costs approximately 5,000 php a month. An apartment is about 15,000 php plus utilities. Most chose the apartment route and budget about 30,000 php a month for everything.

Therefore, it’s a 9 month process from the point of X-ray or blood detection if the sputum is positive. That’s if all goes well.

If you have to complete the 6 months of DOT treatment, you pay for a second medical fee upon completion.  However, this allows you a fresh 90 days to enter the USA.

After you are officially clear of TB, then make your embassy interview appointment.

Edited January 29, 2018 by nelmagriffin

[geowrian 22,338]

On 1/26/2018 at 5:22 PM, jrj_ph said:

I've heard from one of my neighbors who was petitioned by his us citizen wife and then he had a pending medical exam results but still he went to the embassy interview... Unfortunately, there was unusualities found on his chest xray but I think the results were in after the interview. (This info might be wrong...) He took medicine while in the Philippines and then continue his medication days after arrival in the US... Are there any instances regarding this matter? I browsed the forums and seems no information available regarding continuation of medication treatment in the US.

Sorry for the delay...I’m on vacation in Hawaii.

 

I can’t speak to anybody else’s case, but that is possible. At the same time, I have seen other people going through USEM in 2017 been turned away as well.

 

Typicaly, if there is a positive TB result, the applicant goes through 6 months of treatment at SLEC then continued checkups in the US. The treatment needs to be at SLEC or else there’s a 1 year wait after treatment.