Marijuana in Medical Exam Question

[Theodoris92 0]

I've read lots of old posts on marijuana being found in the medical exam almost warranting ineligibility for a year.

 

My question is, did any of you have to drop off your passport to the embassy after the medical results? If so, why did they collect your passport? My wife's medical results were delayed after her interview. She met with the panel physician and psychiatrist to discuss why they found marijuana in her tests.  The psychiatrist said he would write a letter in support of her, although the typical penalty is a 1 year ineligibility and retest. She was still instructed by the embassy to drop off this passport. Should we still be expecting that 1 year ban? 

 

Thanks,

Theodoris

Edited May 6, 2019 by Theodoris92

[Crazy Cat 40,117]

There is no way to know........please let us know what happens.  Your experience will be very valuable for others.

[Theodoris92 0]

8 minutes ago, missileman said:

There is no way to know........please let us know what happens.  Your experience will be very valuable for others.

I know there are people on this forum who have had the 1 year ban, I was hoping they could shed light on whether they still had to submit their passport or if they had to wait a year and retest before doing so.

 

I know you're right that, we'll just have to wait and see as each case is unique I suppose. I'll definitely be sure to let you all know of the outcome. I won't just silently disappear, I'll share the information to help future forum users. 

[Villanelle 4,121]

Well you said her "medical results were delayed until after her interview". While that happens its not normal. You are suppose to have your medical done before the interview- if you dont for whatever reason they will conduct the interview and wait for the medical to come in. It seems she passed her interview and they took her passport anticipating her medical would be clean and not an issue. For people that have their medical done and get the ban because of it- no they do not take your passport. Again it seems her passport was taken in anticipation her medical was fine. We have no idea if the Dr put her in for a ban or not. 

[Theodoris92 0]

16 minutes ago, username_taken said:

Well you said her "medical results were delayed until after her interview". While that happens its not normal. You are suppose to have your medical done before the interview- if you dont for whatever reason they will conduct the interview and wait for the medical to come in. It seems she passed her interview and they took her passport anticipating her medical would be clean and not an issue. For people that have their medical done and get the ban because of it- no they do not take your passport. Again it seems her passport was taken in anticipation her medical was fine. We have no idea if the Dr put her in for a ban or not. 

 

 

She did her medical tests about two weeks before the interview, along with my stepson. My stepson's medical results were ready during the interview date, hers was not. We were initially thinking the delay was due to being positive for Hepatitis A about a month prior. She inquired about why her results weren't in, and they gave her an additional urine test and told her "it is for a test you missed" at the embassy hospital. Anyway, she was instructed to drop off her passport to the embassy after the interview and after her debrief with the psychiatrist (who confirmed her urine test did have marijuana traces in it, and asked her about it). 

 

He told her about the likelihood of the 1 yr ban. That's why I'm confused, because why would they ask her to drop off her passport if she were getting a 1 yr ban? For people who receive the 1 yr ban, do they label it in their passport in the visa section? 

 

I wonder if maybe because our stepson got a visa, and we have a daughter who is already an American citizen (under 1 yr old) we may be getting a break? I don't want to assume that and I know to expect the worst case scenario already but perhaps those facts along with the psychiatrist stating he would write a letter of support may help us? 

Edited May 6, 2019 by Theodoris92

[Villanelle 4,121]

Thats not how it works. When someone tests positive they get an automatic psych consult. The psych dr reports back to the Dr and its up to that Dr on whether or not to label them as a drug user (requiring the 1yr ban) or to rule it as a non issue. Some people get lucky and the Dr codes them in a way that it does not incur the ban and retesting however it is common practice to impose the ban.  

[Theodoris92 0]

13 minutes ago, username_taken said:

Thats not how it works. When someone tests positive they get an automatic psych consult. The psych dr reports back to the Dr and its up to that Dr on whether or not to label them as a drug user (requiring the 1yr ban) or to rule it as a non issue. Some people get lucky and the Dr codes them in a way that it does not incur the ban and retesting however it is common practice to impose the ban.  

Interesting.

 

For people who are positive with marijuana, and labeled as a "drug abuser" are these people instructed to drop off their passport or wait one year to retest, and then drop it off after testing clean? 

 

I have no clue what the doctor ended up putting on her form. They did test her for cannibis, and it sounds like they tested her initially for it along with one follow-up testing to solidify their results. All I know is that the doctor said he would try to write a letter in support since he didn't feel like she was an avid abuser, but he also gave her the disclaimer that a 1 yr ban followed by her coming back to retest a year later was a common outcome. 

Edited May 7, 2019 by Theodoris92

[Villanelle 4,121]

It really depends on the timeline of stuff. Normally they would go to the interview and be told the medical came back incurring a ban- so no they dont take your passport. Other times the medical isnt ready yet- so they will either take your passport in anticipation of it being ok or not take it and make you submit it later. If they took your passport they can always give it back - so them taking it is not any indication. When you are denied and given a ban you get your passport back if they have it and then you follow up with the Dr. Once the Dr gives you the Ok all clear medical the embassy is notified and you get another interview to come in with your passport and finish the process. What country is this? Some are known for being very strict and even the admission of drug use- even with a clean urine- will cause the ban. Other places have been known to be more lenient. There was one user who got a 3 month ban/retesting because of how her Dr entered it. Other people have had the Drs report it as a non issue. It really depends on the Dr and how they do things. Technically the law states that anyone who ever used gets the 1yr ban and retesting to show they are now clean- however the Dr can bypass that by certifying you are clean. 

[Theodoris92 0]

4 minutes ago, username_taken said:

It really depends on the timeline of stuff. Normally they would go to the interview and be told the medical came back incurring a ban- so no they dont take your passport. Other times the medical isnt ready yet- so they will either take your passport in anticipation of it being ok or not take it and make you submit it later. If they took your passport they can always give it back - so them taking it is not any indication. When you are denied and given a ban you get your passport back if they have it and then you follow up with the Dr. Once the Dr gives you the Ok all clear medical the embassy is notified and you get another interview to come in with your passport and finish the process. What country is this? Some are known for being very strict and even the admission of drug use- even with a clean urine- will cause the ban. Other places have been known to be more lenient. There was one user who got a 3 month ban/retesting because of how her Dr entered it. Other people have had the Drs report it as a non issue. It really depends on the Dr and how they do things. Technically the law states that anyone who ever used gets the 1yr ban and retesting to show they are now clean- however the Dr can bypass that by certifying you are clean. 

 

She never physically received the medical results, the medical center has sent it to the embassy directly and then it was the embassy that told her to drop off her passport. I'm thinking, surely if the medical result was bad the embassy wouldn't have asked her to drop it off?

 

This is the Dominican Republic. 

[Theodoris92 0]

On 5/7/2019 at 1:58 PM, username_taken said:

It really depends on the timeline of stuff. Normally they would go to the interview and be told the medical came back incurring a ban- so no they dont take your passport. Other times the medical isnt ready yet- so they will either take your passport in anticipation of it being ok or not take it and make you submit it later. If they took your passport they can always give it back - so them taking it is not any indication. When you are denied and given a ban you get your passport back if they have it and then you follow up with the Dr. Once the Dr gives you the Ok all clear medical the embassy is notified and you get another interview to come in with your passport and finish the process. What country is this? Some are known for being very strict and even the admission of drug use- even with a clean urine- will cause the ban. Other places have been known to be more lenient. There was one user who got a 3 month ban/retesting because of how her Dr entered it. Other people have had the Drs report it as a non issue. It really depends on the Dr and how they do things. Technically the law states that anyone who ever used gets the 1yr ban and retesting to show they are now clean- however the Dr can bypass that by certifying you are clean. 

I just wanted to provide an update for any speculators out there...

 

Her visa ended up being listed as "Refused", and I suppose now she'll pick it up and hear the details (likely the 1 yr ban). If that isn't the case and it is a different length, I'll come back here and update everyone so that others in a similar situation know.

[Crazy Cat 40,117]

1 minute ago, Theodoris92 said:

I just wanted to provide an update for any speculators out there...

 

Her visa ended up being listed as "Refused", and I suppose now she'll pick it up and hear the details (likely the 1 yr ban). If that isn't the case and it is a different length, I'll come back here and update everyone so that others in a similar situation know.

Oh...Sorry to hear this.......Please let us know why the refusal......thanks for the information.

[Eddyrhn 28]

I have an interview next Tuesday, I went to the medical exam last Tuesday and  when I was talking to the doctor he asked me If I have ever tried drugs so I told him that I did marijuana twice  but it was like more than two years ago, so at the end he told me that I will need more tests for then to make sure I’m clean, he didn’t tell me about the drugs test but I’m sure it’s negative since I don’t do drugs, but I’m worried because they didn’t give me the package to bring to the embassy

[Theodoris92 0]

So, my wife ended up getting the 1 yr ban with the letter that she can overcome this with new medical tests a year from now...

[Crazy Cat 40,117]

Just now, Theodoris92 said:

So, my wife ended up getting the 1 yr ban with the letter that she can overcome this with new medical tests a year from now...

I'm sorry to hear that....Thank you so much for updating us.....good luck in the future.

[Theodoris92 0]

16 hours ago, Eddyrhn said:

I have an interview next Tuesday, I went to the medical exam last Tuesday and  when I was talking to the doctor he asked me If I have ever tried drugs so I told him that I did marijuana twice  but it was like more than two years ago, so at the end he told me that I will need more tests for then to make sure I’m clean, he didn’t tell me about the drugs test but I’m sure it’s negative since I don’t do drugs, but I’m worried because they didn’t give me the package to bring to the embassy

From what I've read, it depends on how they write the report. If they've done a urine test showing you're not using marijuana currently, I don't foresee you having any problem. Best of luck!