London Medical - Knightsbridge Doctors

[Euro 3]

Congrats on the visa!

Any clue if living in Ireland one has to use the US embassy of London or do they do stuff here as well?

I think this all depends on WHERE in Ireland you live!!

[elizaxyz 0]

Wow, thanks for all the info! I'm going to email this to my fiance, as he's awaiting packet 3 (hopefully he'll get it this week!)

[yabasta 0]

This is very helpful to give me a rough idea of what will happen and it might help me find the place. Thanks very much for the pictures too.

congratulations too.

[ChasUK 0]

OK. this is very detailed and informative. Thanks. I have just one question. Did they take a hair sample, or even suggest it?

Seems silly, but I just want to know.

[Euro 3]

OK. this is very detailed and informative. Thanks. I have just one question. Did they take a hair sample, or even suggest it?

Seems silly, but I just want to know.

No hair sample................

[ChasUK 0]

OK. this is very detailed and informative. Thanks. I have just one question. Did they take a hair sample, or even suggest it?

Seems silly, but I just want to know.

No hair sample................

Excellent. Thanks.

[Euro 3]

OK. this is very detailed and informative. Thanks. I have just one question. Did they take a hair sample, or even suggest it?

Seems silly, but I just want to know.

No hair sample................

Excellent. Thanks.

but i would still lay off da wacky backy

OK. this is very detailed and informative. Thanks. I have just one question. Did they take a hair sample, or even suggest it?

Seems silly, but I just want to know.

No hair sample................

Excellent. Thanks.

but i would still lay off da wacky backy

just kidding Tracy

[TracyTN 237]

[becca 0]

Fantastic post mate!! what a you are .I will be coming from Glasgow too so you pretty much covered my whole journey.. ( when the time comes) London is so scary.. this helps loads! Cheers very much!

[catfrances 3]

Great post and love the way you talk about being with the love of your everything!

Also, Chelsea supporter....NICE!!!!

Fantastic post mate!! what a you are .I will be coming from Glasgow too so you pretty much covered my whole journey.. ( when the time comes) London is so scary.. this helps loads! Cheers very much!

[bunsk2007 0]

I had my medical today at Bentnick Mansions in London; at 10.30.

I arrived at 10.30 and was asked first of all to hand over my photograph, passport, vaccination proof and the form I'd signed. Then I had to fill in a 2nd identical form- same questions but different font and layout- and sign a form to say I understood the implications of having a positive HIV result!

Whoever said it is mostly waiting, was right! It was past 11.00 before I got called in by the doctor- male, young, german- he was very pleasant and welcoming but at times hard to understand.

He went over the form I'd filled in, repeating the same questions -I'd answered no to everything so there were no 'complications'. I was then asked to strip to my underpants and lie on the couch. (I'd asked for a chaperone and she came in at this point.) He examined my throat, ears, listened to my chest and back, took my pulse on my feet, again on my wrist, took my blood pressure, examined my breasts for lumps and then had a quick look down below to check I was all female!

(I asked him about this last bit afterwards- did they really get females who turned out to be males; he said yes, they'd had 3 this year already! But he said they really do that as a way of finding out about syphillis. hardly anyone admits 'yes' on the form when asked if they've had a sexually transmitted disease, but when they are asked to pull their underwear down they become nervous or agitated and refuse- he said that's a dead give away that they've had something!

Just thought I'd share that with you....I'm nosy like that and I'm always finding out useless bits of information by asking questions!)

Then he had me read from the eye chart, took blood to test for syphillis and HIV, and told me to get dressed. He then spent a while chatting to me- telling me about his work in tropical diseases, asking me about my family etc. Afterwards he said that was to 'get an idea of my mental state of mind- to see if I was angry, aggressive or agitated! Apparently anyone who fits that description is referred for a psychiatric evaluation, he showed me that he had ticked 'normal' on my form! As if I expected anything else

I asked him what the Embassy were looking for- what would make them turn me down, and he said that, apart from HIV and Syphillis, and anyone who would be a danger to themselves or others, they were looking to see if I would be a drain on their resources. he gave an example of a woman aged 70 who put on her form that she was on an nhs waiting list to have a hip replacement- she'd been on it 8 months and was told it would be another year at least. She failed the medical and was turned down for her green card because 'she needed surgery and would be a drain on their resources'.

It hadn;t really occurred to me that it was all about money- although I knew about the HIV and syphillis; I'm quite naive!

That part was finished. I then waited another half hour before being called for my chest x-ray. Then I had to pay- although it was £170.00, not £180.00 as I had been told on the phone in early Jan when I booked it!

I asked whether the results would be ready for the Embassy by Monday, which is when my interview is. the doctor said it usually took 2-3 days to get them back and that i should tell the receptionist to mark them as urgent.

When I told the receptionist, she said-

'no, it takes 5-6 working days to get your results back and they won't be ready for Monday, and the doctor does not understand how this works!!!' Then she said that if the results aren't at the Embassy on Monday, I won't be told whether I have been approved at the interview- they'll have to wait for the result before they can stamp my passport and send it to me.

Which SUCKS!!

[B-R & A 0]

I had my medical today at Bentnick Mansions in London; at 10.30.

...

Dude, you guys are awesome!! My fiance has his interview tomorrow, and I just sent him this link to read in the morning. So helpful to have photos, and know why they are doing what they are doing.

And 3 people this year who not only tried to claim they were of the opposite sex but thought they could make it through a medical?! I suppose it must be a sign of commitment, or desperation, but I just can't believe it's 3 this year!

[StillThePrettiest 3]

I would hazard a guess that the good doctor's tongue was firmly in his cheek when he gave that statistic

I had my medical today... nothing really to report

I was first slot of the day, so there was no real waiting around of any length; I filled in the paperwork while waiting, and they copied my passport and embassy letter etc, and then went in to see a lovely woman doctor (can't remember her name though I did see it; she was very attractive with dark skin and hair)... very professional and straightforward; we had a brief chat about the various things on my form, and a few random bits and pieces, then the physical, which she said was more an 'inspection' of the body: eye exam, then I had to undress from the waist up, and she did the gender check, as stated above, and a breast check, looked at all my limbs ('no prosthetics' she said) then gave me a gown and had me lie down, first for a blood pressure check and then for the blood sample... I told her that I've fainted giving blood before, which I have; I'm not scared of it, but still just don't seem to cope with it all that well, but she was great with that, and had me talking the whole time, and kept me lying there for a couple of minutes, still asking me random questions while she went across to her desk to write up whatever she was writing up

so no fainting THIS time

then down the hall with all my stuff, still clothed from the waist down and in my gown from the waist up; a five minute wait in another waiting room, and then the x-ray guy came along; very jovial man, and friendly; asked me to put my hair up on the top of my head and take my necklace off; everything else could stay on... he inspected the first x-ray, chatting the whole time, and decided to do a second one because the edges were pale; after the second one I was free to go

£170 later I was outside; the whole thing probably took just over an hour

[bakofoil 27]

Had my medical at Bentinck Mansions on Tuesday 12th March.

Bentinck Street is fairly easy to find and about a 5 minute walk from Bond Street Tube station. As you leave the tube station and come out onto Oxford Street make sure that Selfridge's is on the same side of the road and to your left then walk down Oxford Street away from it until you reach Marylebone Lane. You can then follow Marylebone Lane all the way to Bentinck Street. You will cross over Wigmore Street before reaching Bentinck Street. Bentinck Mansions is the first large building on your right. Press the bell for Flat 4 and the door is opened.

Inside you will find two windows, at the second window the lady took my passport, vaccination records, one US size photograph and the questionnaire that came with packet 3. She will not ask for payment until the medical is done.

In the waiting room you will fill out a second questionnaire and sign off an HIV test consent form. The questionnaire is, as reported, much like the first one you filled out but slightly different wording in places. When complete hand this back to the office staff and await the doctor or x-ray technician to call your name.

I was called first for X-ray. He was, as reported, very jovial and made me feel completely at ease. I had to strip off the top half of my clothing including bra and necklace and put on a gown. He took the X-ray and guided me into a waiting area where the doctor would come and collect me. I waited around 20 minutes here before the nice Irish doctor came to collect me.

The Doctor asked me to take a seat and went through the questionnaire with me and asked some further questions. If you tick any of the boxes (except for the smoking one) ensure you have a supporting letter from your GP which refers to your medical records, treatment and prognosis. This way you will avoid any delays in medical clearance and possible referral to an independent specialist.

I was told I would need more evidence for a period of depression that occurred over 4 years ago. Unfortunately my medical records had been in transit between two surgeries for a couple of months and my GP was unable to give factual evidence of treatment in the letter she had written for me or given an assurance that the depression would not return. I was told at this stage that this would delay my medical results and if an unsatisfactory response was received by my GP then I would need to have a psychiatric evaluation. I said 'ok' and asked a few calm questions to ensure that I knew exactly what was required. He assured me that this would not stop me from getting the visa but that it would just mean more time waiting. The US government want everything to be black and white. He was very kind to me about it and although it was difficult to hide my disappointment I made sure I kept calm throughout.

Next the physical examination. He asked me to lie down on the bed and he checked my ankles and stomach. He then asked me to sit up whilst he listened to my chest, heart and took my blood pressure. He then made a bit of small talk with me about how J and I met, where I would be living, the weather etc. whilst taking a blood sample. After the blood was taken he asked me to get dressed behind the curtain and he continued to chat to me whilst he filled out the remaining paperwork. He asked me if I'd had chicken pox and ticked the medical exemption section for varicella on the vaccination record. He reassured me again about the evidence required and told me not to worry then asked me to wait outside in the waiting room.

Out in the waiting room I realised he hadn't checked down my pants and felt pleased that I had got away with that part of the medical. After about 5 minutes he came back out to see me with a letter for my GP and he gave me a reassuring wink as he passed it over. I then paid my £170, received my vaccination record and left the surgery.

My GP got really involved at this stage and I discovered after my interview at the embassy yesterday that the Senior Doctor at Bentinck Mansions had signed me off on Thursday night and that my medical clearance would arrive at the embassy on Monday. Phew!

Hope this helps anyone awaiting a medical. Make sure you have a letter from your GP explaining any periods of illness that are covered on the medical questionnaire, treatment received and prognosis. Make sure it is completely black and white!

[desilu 0]

Thanks so much to all for the invaluabe advice & info in this thread

I am a LONG way off from my medical, but Im worried as I do have a few medical conditions. Do we get a copy of the medical questionnaire in advance (packet 3?) or is it just presented on the day? I want to make sure I have the correct medical evidence from my GP.

Apologies for my ignorance, I just want to make sure I have everything I need in place.