Medical examination

[Khalid El 0]

Greetings, I'm new on here and wanted to know if we can use religious exemption for the medical examination. Here in the US I have no issues with it however I want to know if anyone has dealt with this issue for the CR1. My wife currently lives Jamaica and we wanted to know the process. 

[igoyougoduke 1,653]

Refer here https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-9-part-c-chapter-3

[Just Paul 4,595]

11 minutes ago, Khalid El said:

wanted to know if we can use religious exemption for the medical examination.

For an examination = no. 

For a vaccination = you can try.

[geowrian 22,337]

Yes it is possible.

It is not easy to obtain the waiver for vaccinations. There is no waiver for the medical examination.

It is also putting at risk the most vulnerable people she encounters - the very young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.

 

Edit: She would need to show a longstanding conviction. Very few religions actually have a prohibition of vaccinations.

 

13 minutes ago, Donald120383 said:

Refer here https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-9-part-c-chapter-3

Edit 2: Here's the FAM reference (which does refer back to USCIS - the previous edit neglected to mention this,. sorry):

https://fam.state.gov/fam/09FAM/09FAM030202.html#M302_2_6_D_1

Edited January 29, 2020 by geowrian

[Khalid El 0]

13 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

For an examination = no. 

For a vaccination = you can try.

Do you know what exactly happens in an examination? 

I also just read up on the vaccine exemption and it's doable. 

20 minutes ago, Donald120383 said:

Refer here https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-9-part-c-chapter-3

Thank you. It was very informative.

[Just Paul 4,595]

From the horses mouth:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/interview/interview-prepare/medical-examination.html

 

[geowrian 22,337]

2 minutes ago, Khalid El said:

I also just read up on the vaccine exemption and it's doable. 

Rare, but technically possible.

Add in the ~$1000 for the I-601 to be filed, attorney fees (optional), and around a 1 year extra wait after being refused the visa due to lack of vaccinations. That's the current timeframe for an I-601...that can change in the ~2+ years (12-16 months for the IR visa to get an interview + ~12 months for the I-601). At the end of that, you will get your decision if the waiver is approved or not. By then the medical will likely have expired, so a second medical would be needed.

[Khalid El 0]

8 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Rare, but technically possible.

Add in the ~$1000 for the I-601 to be filed, attorney fees (optional), and around a 1 year extra wait after being refused the visa due to lack of vaccinations. That's the current timeframe for an I-601...that can change in the ~2+ years (12-16 months for the IR visa to get an interview + ~12 months for the I-601). At the end of that, you will get your decision if the waiver is approved or not. By then the medical will likely have expired, so a second medical would be needed.

Thank you for the additional information. I'll be looking more into this. As long as there is a way I'll make it happen. 

[Murph4865 597]

12 hours ago, Khalid El said:

Thank you for the additional information. I'll be looking more into this. As long as there is a way I'll make it happen. 

Why would you want to put people in jeopardy by not doing this right for coming into the USA?

[SorrowL 138]

Much faster, easier and safer to get the immunizations and medical check. Cheaper too. It’s up to you but I would just do it if I were you. I don’t know any religion that would somehow forbid this sort of thing.

[geowrian 22,337]

There's a small handful of religions or sects that I've seen over the years that claim to prohibit all vaccinations. The most well known ones are "Christian Scientists" and the Dutch Reformed Church (although even those are not blanket coverage as some sects permit it). Some other religions have restrictions on certain vaccines or permit them when due to necessity. Both of those latter cases would likely not qualify for a religious waiver due to the "oppose vaccinations in any form" requirement.

I have not seen somebody have success on this basis, though. To successfully obtain the waiver, the onus is on the applicant demonstrate their claim.

I'm sure it has happened...I just can't think of a single case where it has. I've seen a few try but nobody ever came back to claim success.

 

Although I always wondered what the sect's stance is when somebody causes serious illness or death in somebody else.

[Khalid El 0]

Thank you for all for presenting facts and opinions. I got all the information I need for the question I ask.