Vancouver medical review August 1/07

[vanee 13]

First the facts, then more description.

What to bring

In the order that they're needed:

• Your passport
  
• 3 passport-style photos
  
• The letter from the consulate with your case number
  
• Your immunization record
  
• A photocopy of the main page in your passport
  
• (Possibly) a letter from your doctor about any health conditions you have
  
• $275 CAD cash or money order
  

Steps you go through

• Line up to sign in. The receptionist will take your passport and passport photos, and she'll record the case number from your letter. She'll then give you a form to fill out and another one to read and sign.
  
• Fill out the form (note that the "no" column is on the left and the "yes" column is on the right) and read and sign the paper.
  
• Line up again to give the receptionist the forms. She'll then direct you to the laboratory (go through 3 doors, and it's on your left) to have blood samples taken.
  
• Go to the lab and give blood. They'll tell you to return to the waiting room for your chest X-ray. (The waiting room for the doctor's office and for the X-ray are the same.)
  
• Return to the waiting room. Listen for your name to be called, and then go for the X-ray. You'll need to remove your clothing from the waist up (watches are OK, necklaces aren't) and put on a hospital gown. Get dressed afterwards and return to the waiting room.
  
• Wait for your name to be called for the physical. (This wait can be long.)
  
• Go for the physical. You'll need to undress down to your panties (speaking for women) and sit with the paper sheet covering you. The doctor may ask you questions about your form (e.g. about hospitalizations or medications). He'll check your ears and mouth, and then you lie down and he pokes and prods you in the usual places. He just peeked "down there." The receptionist was present during appointments with women.
  
• Get dressed and go for your eye exam and height and weight measurements, both done by the receptionist.
  
• Get your passport and immunization record back.
  
• Pay the $275.
  
• Come back at just before 2 PM to pick up the results (a sealed envelope for the consulate and an open envelope with your immunization record) and the chest X-ray.
  

Description

It turned out to be an interesting day because of the other people I talked to there. I started talking with another woman, and we hadn't talked for long when she recommended Visa Journey to me. (I was going to say that! ) I told her that I was already here. I don't think she's a member yet, but she's read a lot here, and the information helped her prepare for her interview (which she had yesterday and which was successful pending the results of her medical exam).

We got talking with several other women too. They hadn't heard of VJ, but they said that they'd check it out. (If any of you are reading this, I was the one wearing the white shirt and denim capri pants. Feel free to join in. ) Three of us were K-1s, 2 were K-3s, and one (the daughter of one of the K-3s) was a K-4. We spent a lot of time comparing details about how we'd met our partners, what evidence we'd compiled, and so on.

One piece of advice: be sure to listen for your name being called for the X-ray. I didn't hear mine called because I was so involved in the conversation with the other women, and that pushed the next step back, so my physical was much later than the other women's.

If the other people who were there post here too, we'll have more details.

[Melyssa 0]

That wa well laid out! That's neat about the other lady from VJ.

I was starting to wonder how your I-129F was approved in June 2006 and you only did your medical now...! (I think you just made a typo in your signature)

[vanee 13]

That wa well laid out! That's neat about the other lady from VJ.

I was starting to wonder how your I-129F was approved in June 2006 and you only did your medical now...! (I think you just made a typo in your signature)

Thanks. I forgot to mention that you give the photocopy of your passport when they take a blood sample (2 vials). Also, although I'd been told to bring a letter from my doctor about my health condition in case it was needed, the doctor didn't ask for it. He just asked how long I'd been on medication for it and at what dose.

And thanks for pointing out the typo. Fixed now.

One more thing for those who are concerned about the medical exam. While we were talking, the receptionist told me that no one had been denied a visa for medical reasons through that office. Delayed for treatment, perhaps, but not denied.

[~Nini~ 2]

Sounded relatively painless, vanee! Thanks for the review!

[Emancipation 2]

Great review!! Loads of great info here!!