GP refusing to give tetanus vaccine

[LCSTOTT 5]

So I had my medical yesterday and it all went well, but they said all I needed was another tetanus vaccine because it has been 10 years since my last one. 

 

They gave me the the option to get it there for £40, or they said I can get it at my local GP for free, so I chose the free option naturally. 

 

I called my GP today and they’ve told me that they’re unable to give me a tetanus vaccine unless it’s health related, even though it says on the NHS website that they provide them free for travel purposes as well as if you want a booster after 10 years. 

 

What do I do? 

[Loren Y 2,755]

Looks like you are going to have to cut your arm or leg on a rusty nail and go into the office and see them. Bring the nail and say it's been 10 years since I had a tetanus shot, then it's health related. 😁 And should be covered.

[payxibka 10,045]

K1 has no vaccination requirements

[HP+IC 292]

Even if you are missing it, you are not under obligation to get it while still at home. Not having all shots shall not prevent a K1 applicant from having their interview/being approved/entering the US. You will have to sort it out before filing for AOS though. If in the US, it's going to cost you something. No vaccinations are obligatory for K1. Both me and my son are missing one shot on age-appropriate terms, which are not available in my country. At the medical they warned me that a K1 may refuse administering any and all missing vaccinations by checking a respective box on the paper they gave us. Just make some research whether it will be more costly in the US

Edited April 17, 2019 by HP+IC

[yuna628 9,677]

29 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

So I had my medical yesterday and it all went well, but they said all I needed was another tetanus vaccine because it has been 10 years since my last one. 

 

They gave me the the option to get it there for £40, or they said I can get it at my local GP for free, so I chose the free option naturally. 

 

I called my GP today and they’ve told me that they’re unable to give me a tetanus vaccine unless it’s health related, even though it says on the NHS website that they provide them free for travel purposes as well as if you want a booster after 10 years. 

 

What do I do? 

Well unfortunately, you fell into the Knightsbridge trap.

 

Since you did not receive your vax before Knightsbridge or during Knightsbridge, your vaccinations will not be complete. You can obtain your K1 visa with no problem. The problem will be when you marry and file for AOS - which requires your vaccinations be certified as complete. We advise all London specific cases to please obtain shots either before or during their appointment to Knightsbridge, as they routinely mislead patients.

 

So here's your options.

 

1) Demand the shot from your GP. Keep any and all record of it and bring that with you to the US.

2) Obtain the shot from any pharmacy type location in your area that offers a vaccine, like Boots. Again keep a copy of a record or receipt of it.

3)Obtain the vaccination while in the US. You can get it from a doctor, a walk-in clinic, or even a basic pharmacy like a Walgreens. You can even get it from a Walmart. Keep record of receiving it.

4) Go to a US Civil Surgeon.

 

In any of these options, once you file for AOS - typically a person that has completed all required vaccinations will have a copy of a DS3025 which they send in with their application. Unfortunately yours will not be marked complete. This means whatever way you finally obtain this vaccination, you must go to a US Civil Surgeon, and have them transcribe and recertify all vaccinations onto a I-693. NOTE: this will be for the vaccination portion of the form ONLY. Read the instructions carefully and only fill out the required section that applies to K1-AOSing. The doctor fills out the rest, and gives you a sealed envelope.

 

Finding a US Civil Surgeon that will do the vaccination portion ONLY can be tricky, but VJ does have a thread of surgeons who will do this for you and for hopefully limited cost (keep in mind it can get pricey).

Edited April 17, 2019 by yuna628

[CEE53147 559]

$40 is a minor cost in the process. Make it easy on yourself and pay it.  If you cannot afford the $40, you cannot afford to live in the US.

[yuna628 9,677]

Just now, CEE53147 said:

$40 is a minor cost in the process. Make it easy on yourself and pay it.  If you cannot afford the $40, you cannot afford to live in the US.

It doesn't matter at this point, because Knightsbridge did not advise the poster of the proper procedure, as they unfortunately do (misleading many), it will end up costing the poster far much more money, time, and hassle.

[LCSTOTT 5]

8 minutes ago, CEE53147 said:

$40 is a minor cost in the process. Make it easy on yourself and pay it.  If you cannot afford the $40, you cannot afford to live in the US.

It’s not about not being able to afford it, trust me I can afford $40 and I can easily provide for myself in the US so don’t go throwing round assumptions like that. 

I was given a choice of A. Pay £40 and get it now. Or B. Get it for free another time. So obviously I chose to save money and get it for free 

[Sweetdreaming 397]

yes, having had the same medical last week, i was told the same as the OP, and felt like i was being led to do it basically anywhere BUT there. Fortunately for me I had read others posts regarding this prior to my medical so knew to insist on getting it done. I think we need some kind of sticky on here or UK forum to warn about this.

I completely understand why someone would choose the option to get it done for free as you feel the nurse is giving you "good" information, and hey who wouldnt rather save £40 or £90 if you need both vaccines ?

[fip & jim 452]

Whatever you decide, from this point you will need to find a Civil Surgeon in the US to sign off your vaccines for the AOS. We (me and son) had to get some shots done in the States as there wasn't sufficient time before we emigrated, then pay for a Civil Surgeon to sign the forms. It's a big hassle. I agree with skjourney completely. 

[LCSTOTT 5]

5 minutes ago, fip & jim said:

Whatever you decide, from this point you will need to find a Civil Surgeon in the US to sign off your vaccines for the AOS. We (me and son) had to get some shots done in the States as there wasn't sufficient time before we emigrated, then pay for a Civil Surgeon to sign the forms. It's a big hassle. I agree with skjourney completely. 

Can I ask how much it cost you to get a Civil Surgeon to sign the forms? And how long this took? 

Thanks 

[yuna628 9,677]

6 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

Can I ask how much it cost you to get a Civil Surgeon to sign the forms? And how long this took? 

Thanks 

It all depends on the civil surgeon. The problem is finding one that wants to do it for you without redoing the entire medical... and in those cases we're talking hundreds of dollars.

 

We used the VJ list

It required 2hrs of travel time, but she was helpful and willing to do it for $30. Literally only takes ten minutes of their time. In my husband's case, Knightsbridge did mark his vaccinations as complete - but unfortunately either the USCIS lost the DS3025 or there was another issue with Knightsbridge not making the form properly.

Edited April 17, 2019 by yuna628

[fip & jim 452]

 

11 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

Can I ask how much it cost you to get a Civil Surgeon to sign the forms? And how long this took? 

Thanks 

I don't mind at all. It was hundreds of dollars, but that was for two of us. I can dig the paperwork out if you want a rough guide. There's no way round it now you're past the medical in Knightsbridge. 

 

I emailed about 20 Civil Surgeons (USCIS provide a list of them in the State you'll be moving to, just Google "Civil Surgeon in ....."). Some Civil Surgeons have their fees displayed on their websites, others don't. It took about a month to wait for replies, wait for sufficient time between doses, make the appointment etc. 

 

Most of them wanted to charge for the whole medical again so I ignored those. What they charge can vary widely, there's no regulation really. For example, the one nearest to us was going to charge double the fee of the Civil Surgeon we eventually used. We decided to travel over 40 miles for a surgeon that was willing to sign the forms and give my son some shots he needed to enroll in school. Then I had trouble at our AOS interview because the Interviewing Officer thought we had incomplete medicals because you're only required to submit the vaccination sheet for AOS if that portion is incomplete at the Knightsbridge end. It was her mistake but the whole medical/vaccination part has caused us so much hassle and expense. If I'd known before I would have got the shots done before the medical in London and had it all signed off with the evidence there. 

[Boiler 45,584]

21 minutes ago, LCSTOTT said:

Can I ask how much it cost you to get a Civil Surgeon to sign the forms? And how long this took? 

Thanks 

There are no set fees, so varies significantly, most places will not do just the form and insist on doing the whole medical which is $$$$$

 

You will need to call around and keep your fingers crossed.

[LCSTOTT 5]

32 minutes ago, fip & jim said:

 

I don't mind at all. It was hundreds of dollars, but that was for two of us. I can dig the paperwork out if you want a rough guide. There's no way round it now you're past the medical in Knightsbridge. 

 

I emailed about 20 Civil Surgeons (USCIS provide a list of them in the State you'll be moving to, just Google "Civil Surgeon in ....."). Some Civil Surgeons have their fees displayed on their websites, others don't. It took about a month to wait for replies, wait for sufficient time between doses, make the appointment etc. 

 

Most of them wanted to charge for the whole medical again so I ignored those. What they charge can vary widely, there's no regulation really. For example, the one nearest to us was going to charge double the fee of the Civil Surgeon we eventually used. We decided to travel over 40 miles for a surgeon that was willing to sign the forms and give my son some shots he needed to enroll in school. Then I had trouble at our AOS interview because the Interviewing Officer thought we had incomplete medicals because you're only required to submit the vaccination sheet for AOS if that portion is incomplete at the Knightsbridge end. It was her mistake but the whole medical/vaccination part has caused us so much hassle and expense. If I'd known before I would have got the shots done before the medical in London and had it all signed off with the evidence there. 

Do you think I could potentially go back to Knoghtsbridge, get the vaccine and then get the updated vaccine sheet? Or is that out of the question now that the medical has already been competed?