Medical Appt in Vancouver

[Bernie and Gary 0]

Do I wait to book the medical when I get my interview date? Checklist says to schedule the appointment, but I'm not sure I want to make two trips.

NB: I know I've seen this on a previous thread, however I can't find it......

Thanks for your valuable information, as always!

[Earmuffs 1]

id wait so its valid longer. I had mine right away and then it took me a long ### time to get everything else.. well just my passport.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Do I wait to book the medical when I get my interview date? Checklist says to schedule the appointment, but I'm not sure I want to make two trips.

NB: I know I've seen this on a previous thread, however I can't find it......

Thanks for your valuable information, as always!

The growing trend has been to get the letter in hand before you go to the medical. At one time, all you needed was your case number at MTL or VAN but now a directive has gone out to panel physicians to only do the medical for those people that have the letter in hand. I know when I took my parents for their medicals they gave me huge hassles over not bringing my letters. That was in Toronto but I've been told that this is the new policy across Canada.

[vanee 13]

When I had my medical in Vancouver, another K-1 person there had had her interview the day before and was approved pending a successful medical. She didn't live in Vancouver and was able to schedule the medical and interview a day apart and not in that order.

Visa medicals in Vancouver are always on Wednesdays, so if you aren't in Vancouver, maybe you can do something like the above with your interview on a Tuesday or a Thursday.

You could also call the doctor's office and see what lead time they need for appointments. It's probably a shorter time than the wait for a visa interview.

Good luck!

[vanee 13]

Concerning the checklist part of it, I hadn't gotten the cashier's cheque (or whatever it's called) from the bank but wrote on the checklist that I was going to get it before the appointment, and they accepted that. The same would probably work for the medical.

[Toastburglar 0]

I am wondering pretty much the same thing. We're right in the middle of our NVC paperwork and it would me much simpler for me to do my medical before xmas while I'm still in Halifax. When I called the doctor's office the receptionist gave me a long list of things I needed to bring (including $180 in cash) but didn't say anything about my immigration documents. Has anyone else gone to Dr. Doane in Halifax and been asked for their paperwork? I thought as long as I have my case # I would be alright but maybe I'm really jumping the gun on this one. . . I dunno, I would hate to get a surprise early interview and not have my sh*t together. Is the general consensus that you have to wait for an interview date (or at least a complete from NVC)?

Edited November 23, 2007 by Toastburglar

[Flames9_RN 358]

I had my medical with Dr Doane in Halifax back in 2004. I forgot to bring my immigration paperwork with me--and he didnt ask for it! He just asked for 2 (maybe 3) passport style pics! He did the physical there, then sent me off to another building a few miles down the rd (hospital) for the xray and blood work!

[~Nini~ 2]

I would wait until you have the interview date in your hands before you schedule the medical, especially if you're travelling from out of town. It just makes it much easier to make travel plans, and it's not like the consulate checks up on you to make sure that you've got your medical set up already

[Bernie and Gary 0]

My interview date is Tues, Dec 11th, I'm sure they know that I'm traveling from afar, so the norm would likely be that I could book the medical a day after the interview (Wednesday). The reason I ask is because Vancouver is not responding to my emails.... Thanks Everyone!

[Texanadian 10]

My interview date is Tues, Dec 11th, I'm sure they know that I'm traveling from afar, so the norm would likely be that I could book the medical a day after the interview (Wednesday). The reason I ask is because Vancouver is not responding to my emails.... Thanks Everyone!

Phone up the medical center that does the exam in Vancouver. They'll call you back within 1 day.

Sucks that it's $100 more expensive than the exam in Nova Scotia costs but what'cha gonna do?

I paid for the K1 medical in Vancouver twice. $275 the first time and $225 the second time. My original exam was out of date when I needed to get my 2nd K1 stamp. Now that was frustrating. That office is the most boring and uncomfortable medical office ever.

[jeje 0]

My interview date is Tues, Dec 11th, I'm sure they know that I'm traveling from afar, so the norm would likely be that I could book the medical a day after the interview (Wednesday). The reason I ask is because Vancouver is not responding to my emails.... Thanks Everyone!

Phone up the medical center that does the exam in Vancouver. They'll call you back within 1 day.

Sucks that it's $100 more expensive than the exam in Nova Scotia costs but what'cha gonna do?

I paid for the K1 medical in Vancouver twice. $275 the first time and $225 the second time. My original exam was out of date when I needed to get my 2nd K1 stamp. Now that was frustrating. That office is the most boring and uncomfortable medical office ever.

texanadian, can u let us know what sucks about the medical office in vancouver, cos we have been seeing poeple on here recomending that doctor as the best around here even far better than the one in calgary, please let us know what went wrong may be one can try another doc.

[Texanadian 10]

There's only 1 doctor in BC that does the exam. The doctor and the staff are fine. Friendly, no hassles in that regard.

My beefs are:

Bring something to read. There's not much to glance at. A novel would be better than a magazine.

Upright benches for seating. Stiff.

Most of the cheaper places in eastern Canada send you your results in a few days. BC gives you the results the same day you go. This means even though you start at 6:30AM (blood test, 3 minutes), wait.....8AM (chest x-ray, 3 minutes), wait....10:30AM (2 minute medical exam). Now you have to wait from 10:30 to about 2PM to get all your results back. If they mailed them out to you, you could have gone home at 10:30. At least I was lucky enough to go to a sports bar for lunch with another person I had been talking to during the long waits in the office. We got blitzed!

Carrying around that humungous X-ray for the rest of the afternoon as well as the large folder for the customs agent later when you immigrate, while you make your way home is a nuisance. This all depends on where you're going. If it's just down the street to a hotel, no problem. For me, I was walking around downtown, waiting for the bus, waiting for the ferry, carrying it on the ferry. I didn't get home until about 6PM.

The medical exam itself is pretty basic. The hearing test consists of the doctor rubbing their fingers behind your ears. The sight test is standing about 5 ft away from the eye chart and being asked if you can read it. Blood pressure check and for the guys, a check of your balls, and that's about it. They also ask you to walk across the room (3 steps? small room). I'm not sure what the walking test is for. Honestly it's just a blood sample, an X-ray, and a check of your vacinations. 99% of people got their vacinations at birth. You might need a tetnus shot if you haven't had one in a couple years. But aside from that, it's $275 to sit around and wait for half the day.

[jeje 0]

Do I wait to book the medical when I get my interview date? Checklist says to schedule the appointment, but I'm not sure I want to make two trips.

NB: I know I've seen this on a previous thread, however I can't find it......

Thanks for your valuable information, as always!

thanx for that,

2 more Q,(1) what about if u dont have ur vaccination from birth will he give u all the shot u needed, (2), did he give u copy of ur vaccination sheet to transcribe to i-693 when u get to states.

[~Nini~ 2]

2 more Q,(1) what about if u dont have ur vaccination from birth will he give u all the shot u needed, (2), did he give u copy of ur vaccination sheet to transcribe to i-693 when u get to states.

1) He will, but if you can do it through your provincial medicare it's best as it's free, and the panel physician will bill you for the immunizations. Just be sure to bring proof that you've taken the vaccinations beforehand if you decide to do it prior to the medical exam.

2) I received a copy of the DS-3025 for my own records. It should be in an envelope stamped on the front, "Immunization Records". If you don't get it for whatever reason, ask for it.

Edited November 29, 2007 by Nini & Bee

[d & s 0]

Do I wait to book the medical when I get my interview date? Checklist says to schedule the appointment, but I'm not sure I want to make two trips.

NB: I know I've seen this on a previous thread, however I can't find it......

Thanks for your valuable information, as always!

My fiance rec'd Packet 3 last week (over vacation!) and has booked his medical in Edmonton for the beginning of next week. It is on the list of things to obtain, but does this have to be completed before he can send his check-list back to Vancouver to schedule the interview?