London Medical - Knightsbridge Doctors

[Jeannie & Al 18]

Yeah. I feel good about how things have turned out. If I'd spent more time on here before we made a decision about what to do, I'd have realised more quickly how little our now-fired lawyer knew (and the 2 others we'd had consultations with - not one of the 3 suggested DCF). Such is life, and everything's okay now.

And no, no plans to abandon. If I did, I'd only have to come crawling back when I get to RoC.

My lawyer hasn't been fired but I feel the same way you do...I think there are more knowledgeable people here for sure.

lol - good deal

Starting to get a bit nervous about his medical tomorrow...does it matter what you wear to the medical as long as you don't look like a slob?

[Anna Grant 169]

My lawyer hasn't been fired but I feel the same way you do...I think there are more knowledgeable people here for sure.

lol - good deal

Starting to get a bit nervous about his medical tomorrow...does it matter what you wear to the medical as long as you don't look like a slob?

I wore jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. I had got off my flight from the US at 9am that morning, so only had time to go back to the flat I was staying at, shower and change and back out to the medical (no wonder my blood pressure was raised!).

[lost_at_sea 995]

I wore jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. I had got off my flight from the US at 9am that morning, so only had time to go back to the flat I was staying at, shower and change and back out to the medical (no wonder my blood pressure was raised!).

Same. I wore jeans and a t-shirt and a pair of pink keds. For the x-ray, I only had to strip to the waist, so was nice to stay half dressed for a while before the rest of the medical.

I saw a tip about having a bag handy for your clothes - like a tote or something. Not a bad idea, you do end up hauling your bits and bobs around.

Edited July 25, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Jeannie & Al 18]

I wore jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. I had got off my flight from the US at 9am that morning, so only had time to go back to the flat I was staying at, shower and change and back out to the medical (no wonder my blood pressure was raised!).

No wonder is right..I am too much of a worrier to fly the day I had to do that..you're hard core...I love it.

Same. I wore jeans and a t-shirt and a pair of pink keds. For the x-ray, I only had to strip to the waist, so was nice to stay half dressed for a while before the rest of the medical.

I saw a tip about having a bag handy for your clothes - like a tote or something. Not a bad idea, you do end up hauling your bits and bobs around.

Great..thanks guys. This makes me feel relieved because he seemed pretty adamant that he wanted to wear jeans and a tshirt, especially with a 3 hour bus trip from Cardiff to London in that heat.. I just hope his bus doesn't break down like ours did once going into London.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Jeannie & Al

[Azsara 110]

Hey all can anyone give me an idea of how long the medical takes? Trying to plan what bus i should get home!

[Jeannie & Al 18]

Well, had bad experience today. My fiance got there early and they were happy he was early because their X-ray machine was down...they did part of his medical there, and then were sending him to the other location to have the x-ray. I don't like the sound of that as things can be lost or delayed then in getting to the embassy since our timeframe is so tight.

ALso, they told him is police certificate is too old. It's from April 10th and I guess it has to be not later than 3 months. I asked him recently if he thought he should get an updated one but he said he didn't see that requirement anywhere. He said they were really nice about it and said to just email a new one on Monday but it will delay his results to the embassy. This is just terrible - our Congressman was trying to get him an interview 8/2 or 8/5 to get him to fly out 8/9..doubt it now. I'm bummed.

Hey all can anyone give me an idea of how long the medical takes? Trying to plan what bus i should get home!

Hey there- they told my fiance to allow 90 minutes but as you can see from my post above, they wound up sending him to the other office for part of it because their machinery was down so things can happen...

[Anna Grant 169]

ALso, they told him is police certificate is too old. It's from April 10th and I guess it has to be not later than 3 months. I asked him recently if he thought he should get an updated one but he said he didn't see that requirement anywhere. He said they were really nice about it and said to just email a new one on Monday but it will delay his results to the embassy. This is just terrible - our Congressman was trying to get him an interview 8/2 or 8/5 to get him to fly out 8/9..doubt it now. I'm bummed.

Unless something has drastically changed in the last 2 months, they are wrong.

The Embassy website says that the PC is valid for 12 months:

http://london.usembassy.gov/document_checklist.html#police_certificate_uk

I've just dug out my PC and it doesn't have an expiry date on it, despite what the Embassy website says.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Anna Grant

[Jeannie & Al 18]

Unless something has drastically changed in the last 2 months, they are wrong.

The Embassy website says that the PC is valid for 12 months:

http://london.usembassy.gov/document_checklist.html#police_certificate_uk

thanks AG - they told him specifically if it was july 10th, he'd be fine. I'm so pissed ..they told him he can email it and sometimes it takes 2 days for them to process and sometimes 2 weeks. I don't understand..has anyone else had this happen?

[Anna Grant 169]

thanks AG - they told him specifically if it was july 10th, he'd be fine. I'm so pissed ..they told him he can email it and sometimes it takes 2 days for them to process and sometimes 2 weeks. I don't understand..has anyone else had this happen?

See FAQ question about length of validity here:

http://www.acro.police.uk/Police_Certificates_FAQs.aspx

How long is my Police Certificate valid for?

There is no set period of time for which the Police Certificate is considered to be valid. The Police Certificate is only truly accurate on the date of issue. Embassies or High Commissions will usually require you to produce a Police Certificate which has been issued less than six (6) months before your visa interview.

I would suggest you or your fiance phone Knightsbridge Doctors and inform them of their mistake. You do not need to get another PC. This will delay you by at least 2 weeks, even if you go for their expedited service.

I got my PC dated 31 October 2012 and my medical was 30 May 2013 and I had no problem. that is outside for the 6 months that the ACRO website suggests but within the 12 months that the Embassy website says is okay (I had thought I would be having my medical a lot earlier that May!!)

[Laura. 90]

thanks AG - they told him specifically if it was july 10th, he'd be fine. I'm so pissed ..they told him he can email it and sometimes it takes 2 days for them to process and sometimes 2 weeks. I don't understand..has anyone else had this happen?

This definitely doesn't sound right to me. I think they are in the wrong.

I could maybe understand if it had been 6 months, but 3 seems far too short.

[Jeannie & Al 18]

thanks guys - they told 2 other people that too that were waiting...and they said "it happens all the time" - well maybe that one person who is telling people that..he's on a bus back to Wales but I think he should phone there monday and say something. I'm so upset..I'm getting in a car to drive to New Hampshire for the weekend to see my sister and niece about wedding stuff and I'm sick to my stomach about this..

[Anna Grant 169]

thanks guys - they told 2 other people that too that were waiting...and they said "it happens all the time" - well maybe that one person who is telling people that..he's on a bus back to Wales but I think he should phone there monday and say something. I'm so upset..I'm getting in a car to drive to New Hampshire for the weekend to see my sister and niece about wedding stuff and I'm sick to my stomach about this..

Yes, unfortunately they are now closed for the day.

Please don't allow this to spoil your weekend of planning with you family. That person at Knightsbridge is wrong. This can be resolved.

I just checked the Embassy website and the link to the medical. It has not been recently updated. He must phone on Monday morning. Send him the links I put in my posts. Tell him to stand his ground. You are in the right.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The Basil Street location doesn't do the US immigrant medicals any more. Perhaps the person was unfamiliar. Was it only the x-ray done at Basil Street? All the doctor stuff done at Bentinck? If so, it is Bentinck that needed the police certificate to look for any alcohol or drug related arrests for the mental health/addiction assessment. They know the police certificate was valid. So did Bentinck look at the police certificate and then Basil asked too?

[Jeannie & Al 18]

okay guys - I think we have clarification now...apparently my fiance had some other police check check thing - it's actually more comprehensive than the one they ask for...he never mentioned this to me but when he first was getting documents together earlier this year, he had spoken to the Embassy and they said this type was acceptable..he also confirmed that when he booked the medical. Unfortunately, this type is suitable but only for three months and that wasn't mentioned to him. Ugh. He feels horrible because everything had to go as planned for us even to have that remote shot to make our date which won't happen now..it was also the only form I didn't check and I had asked him recently if he thought we should get an updated one but didn't think he'd need it...

So they gave him a website where he paid 80 pounds (not sure how to do the symbol) to expedite it..the police station will have it Monday (along with some other documentation they asked for and a signed photo, etc) and they will do it in 2 days rather than 2 weeks...he paid to have it overnighted to him and then the medical people just want him to email it on Wednesday or Thursday to them and they will keep it with the photo they kept and then send all his results over to the Embassy. At least he doesn't have to go back to London for that...

They also told everyone who came in that day because the xray machine was down, all results would be delayed getting to the Embassy because the person reading the Xrays had twice the workload and it would all take longer. So, we may not have made it anyway...I think I'm in denial because I haven't emailed the woman from the congressman's office yet because she was really pushing them for us.

Ugh. Thanks for listening...hope this helps someone else anyway.

[lost_at_sea 995]

thanks AG - they told him specifically if it was july 10th, he'd be fine. I'm so pissed ..they told him he can email it and sometimes it takes 2 days for them to process and sometimes 2 weeks. I don't understand..has anyone else had this happen?

I don't understand that at all. My police cert was made in February and I had my medical in June and it was fine.

Edit. Sorry. Read your follow up. Makes sense.

What a bummer the xray being broken. Not the first time I've seen stories of that machine being bust on here. You'd think with the stupid high fee they charge us, they could buy a new one.

Edited July 27, 2013 by lost_at_sea