Singapore K1 Beneficiaries

[cywrainide 21]

Hi there, to any fellow Singaporean K1 Beneficiaries.

 

I know that there's another thread on Singapore K1 filers, but it's mostly targeted towards 2017-2018 filers. So for 2019 beneficiaries and onward, I think opening up a new thread would be the most convenient. I hope this intended thread is a valuable resource for Singapore-specific K1 filers

 

First of all, the stats:

 

NOA1: January 22nd, 2019

NOA2: April 10th, 2019

NVC left: May 14th, 2019

Embassy received: May 21st, 2019

Packet 3 received: June 12th, 2019

 

As of now (Jul 7, 2019) I think the Singapore Embassy is either going through a really high workload or just busy in general so the intervals between my received - Packet 3 dates and Packet 3 sent - Interview date issued dates are genuinely quite long compared to previous cases I think.

 

What did I was email the Embassy to enquire about both issues, and they seem to have sped up their process after informing them of how long it has been. So perhaps if you are waiting for a long time for your Packet 3 to arrive or for the Embassy to issue you an interview date I think doing as such would be of a tremendous ease to yourself if you worry a lot like I do.

 

Singapore-specific activities!

 

• Obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate

 

I decided to register for my police clearance certificate the day I received my Packet 3 (which was a day late because the Embassy actually uses speed delivery directly to your home to deliver the Packet 3, and I was sleeping while the ol chap of a mailman arrived. I had to go to Singpost to obtain my missed package lol.) and it's pretty straightforward. Go to https://eservices.police.gov.sg/content/policehubhome/homepage/certificate-of-clearance-hub.html and the instructions are all there. I'm Singaporean so all I needed to do was enter using my Singpass and et cetera. Also, there will be a specific letter requesting for the police certificate included in your packet 3 that has both your full name and case number on it. That will be your 'scanned documentary proof indicating that a COC is needed', not the checklist.

 

My approval for the COC was issued in about three days. I submitted my request on a Friday, (the wait presumably being due a weekend) and received the SMS notice to book an appointment on Monday at around 6pm. I then scheduled an appointment using the e-appointment portal afterwards. 

 

I headed over to the Police Cantonment Complex (which is pretty easy to access), traded my identity card for a visitor's pass, went up to the level at which the COC office was, and got a waiting number ticket. Then, as my ticket number was called, I proceeded to the fingerprinting room where a friendly police officer would be there to help you record your fingerprints. He was making conversation the whole time- yes, multitasking- while also doing my fingerprints. The process is not at all intimidating. (Also do not fret if you have dry fingers like me, they seem to handle the issue quite well). Afterwards, you wait outside for a while until your ticket number is called again and the person behind the counter issues you your police certificate. Be sure to closely check that the passport number and name printed on the certificate matches the one on your passport.

 

• Scheduling a medical exam

 

Oh, the dreaded medical exam. I've heard countless bad reviews of the main clinic used to conduct US visa medicals in Singapore (a clinic under Fullerton Healthcare) so I knew that was going to be a hassle. However with my packet 3, I had a letter attached for the medical exam that stated two clinics- one at Fullerton Healthcare, and another one under the name of Pivot Medical Clinic. I was relieved that there was an extra medical clinic for me to go to, instead of just the one that is just dreaded amongst everyone.

 

I decided to take a gambit and call up Fullerton Healthcare (Drs Horne and Chin if i'm not wrong) and boy oh boy was it a hilarious phonecall. Let me transcribe what happened. 

 

Me: *calls the exact number that was printed on the Embassy letter*

someone answers

Me: Hi, is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic?

Person: Huh?

Me: Hi, is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?

Person: Ah, I dunno 

line gets transferred to someone else

Me: Hi, is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?

Person: AH? *gets surprised in Singaporean*

at this point i'm wondering if they just can't simply understand my accent, since I speak with a British one

Me: Can you hear me?

line gets transferred to someone else

Me: Is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?

Person: Uhhhh....

line gets transferred to someone else

Me: Hello? Is this Drs Horne and Chin's clinic at Fullerton Healthcare?

Person: Wrong number.

 

Me, stares into my phone realising that I did type in the correct number.

 

So that's already an encounter of how unprofessional that particular clinic is. I would recommend anyone to avoid it at all costs.

 

I decide to email Pivot Medical Clinic to schedule a medical instead and to my surprise, they replied within 10 minutes. Very fast and super efficient. However I'm not sure if this is a thing specific to this clinic, but you can't schedule a medical until your interview date is set up. So please do not worry about scheduling the medical before your interview date is issued to you. I had to wait a few weeks until the date was issued and finally schedule an appointment. They set an appointment for me on the next day at 9:30am after I mailed them my completed form, Gmail copy of the interview email, and my scanned passport biometric page.

 

Pivot Medical Clinic is at the Shaw Centre, on the 17th floor. It is quite lush and actually quite a beautiful clinic with a nicely decorated waiting area. I gave them my passport and 4 Singapore-sized passport pictures, where the lady at the counter would require you to sign on the white space at the right-hand corner of the image. I was then told to sit and wait, and within 1-2 minutes they were ready to proceed with me.I was instructed to pee into a small container and then return, where a friendly nurse then asked me for my vaccination records, where she reviewed it and instructed another staff member to photocopy it, and then needed to draw blood from me.

 

If your veins are not easily seen like mine, you'll be required to squeeze a little rock toy in order for her to see your veins lol. It was a pretty quick process. After drawing blood, you will be sent to the next-door room for a quick eye test (colour-blindness and visual acuity) as well as a quick height and weight recording. It was genuinely fast. I was then escorted to another room, where the main doctor was to conduct the other segment of the test. He was quite astute and well-mannered as well. Blood pressure was taken, and a physical examination of the joints/cardiac system through stethoscope on two segments of your front chest and back as well/as well as visual inspection for hernia was done. Lastly it was the general health history questions I presume for the actual USCIS medical form, such as whether you have any underlying ailments or issues with your health. I then proceeded to the counter for payment.

 

Pivot Medical Clinic does not have its own X-ray room, so they give you a referral form to go an aesthetician clinic (?) on the 8th floor to do your x-ray. Once obtaining the referral form, I paid for all services (blood test, urine sample test and also the x ray) at Pivot itself then proceeded to the clinic (which is on the 8th floor of the same building.) So without the x-ray, the time taken for this took less than an hour actually. I then went to the second clinic where you'd have to register and generally wait for a while until your name is called, and then do standard procedures for an x-ray- remove your clothing and any other necklaces and bun up your hair. If you have textured hair like me and have your hair in a protective style, (on that day I had twists) be sure to bring along some hairties and extra barettes/hairpins. The doctor facilitating had to use a giant clip to really keep my hair out of my neck because my bun wasn't tight enough. You would then be instructed to take some deep breaths in and out, and you're done. All you have to do is to wait for your cd of the x ray to be generated and leave. Also please don't tamper with the cd, at this moment I believe it's for immigration officers? 

 

All in all, it took about 1hr 30 minutes or about 2 hours. It's not that long at all.

 

And finally, the interview! My interview is in 2 weeks and 3 days. I will be sure to keep you guys updated and provide a review of the Embassy afterwards. If you have any further questions, don't forget to ask!

[ediali09 69]

All the best for your interview!

 

P.S. The embassy must have had enough of Fullerton's BS. Thank goodness. 😆

[ariesyah 1]

It's good that you went for the other clinic because Fullerton Health screwed up my medical reports twice.

 

I cannot believe that we are paying so much money to support such unprofessionalism and poor quality of work.

[cywrainide 21]

Hi there! Just a small update:

 

If you need an extra review of the Embassy, you can find it in my timeline. Hopefully it is helpful.

 

Post-Interview information

 

1. I tracked my case through the CEAC tracker all throughout the days after my interview. On the date of the interview itself (the 24th), the status did not change. One day later on the 25th it was put into Administrative Processing, and on the 26th the status had changed to Issued

2. On the 27th (a Saturday) I did not receive any updates about it

3. On the 28th (a Sunday), I received a very strange alien looking text from 'ustraveldocs' on my phone. I'm guessing the system isn't truly configured to relay the message through text, so I thought about checking my email. Luckily enough I had an update email on my passport and visa issuance, with a tracking number from Aramex in the email

4. I then went on the Aramex website and through tracking information, it reached the Singapore delivery facility at 8:29pm on the 26th. Which is extremely efficient. Had the next days not been a weekend I think I would've been able to obtain the visa on the next day itself

5. On the morning of the 29th (Monday) I received an email that my passport was ready to be picked up at People's Park Center (I decided to choose pick-up as I've noticed that it generally takes faster to do so than to do home delivery? Moreover you don't have to worry about not being home/sleeping while the mailman arrives, which is more convenient for me). 

6. On the exact day at around 5pm I decided to collect my passport! The pick-up point is quite easy to access, take exit D of Chinatown MRT station towards People's Park Center and take the escalator down and turn left. I scared myself shitless looking at the Google Reviews of this place as many people have claimed that the customer service there is awful, but I found it fairly neutral. You just need to surrender your IC, have the attendant find your package, and then sign a piece of paper and write your IC number down. That's all.

 

And that's all for now! This visa process has been exhilarating and I can't wait to do my PoE with my fiance soon. Good luck to all of you having your interview soon

[ShayrineC 43]

hi @cywrainide! first of all, congrats on getting the visa!

 

Was really anxious about the upcoming process (only just gotten NOA2 2 weeks back). But reading your posts above has removed the mysteriousness of the whole procedure a little, so many thanks for providing as much information as you had!

 

Are there any other Singaporeans also on the K-1 process right now? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Edited August 22, 2019 by ShayrineC

[sam112 1]

Hi I had a medical recently at Pivot medical and got a report with some issues shown in my  xray. Suprisingly, I was advised to refer to TB department for further tests.But surprisingly,the time it takes for test completion is 2 months.Here I was almost done with my police certificates and other requested documents  (like DS and I-forms) and another hurdle in the path of being with my fiance.Issue is ,until my medical is not complete,I will not get the appointment and I will not be able to be with my fiance.Any advise or suggestions on how this process can be made faster.We have been waiting since last 4 years to be together sadly.All its been through this time is wait ,wait,wait /As soon as we thought its over,ow is the time we plan for marriage ,something came up.