Civil Surgeons ... What a joke

[Bjl73 12]

My wife came over on a K1 visa. We have married and now are in the AOS process. We are stalled at the confusion that is the I693 form. All accounts state that a second medical is not needed if first medical was within a year however parts 1 and 2 need to be completed of I693 and this needs to be signed by a civil surgeon. We have attempted to contact a civil surgeon. There are none in our area. We have used the locator on the USCIS website. ALL of the ones listed are at least a two hour drive away from us. I have called ALL of them on the online list. An overwhelming number of them state they are no long conducting services for immigration and no longer civil surgeons. Of the four that said they were indeed still working as civil surgeons ALL four demanded that a new medical be preformed. NONE would transcribe vaccines onto the I693. ALL wanted around $300 for the medical. One even said all vaccines would need to be re administered because they couldn't verify records from another doctor. #######? I'm at my wits end as to what to do. I may just send in the I693 with part 1 and 2 completed without the signature of the civil surgeon and attach the DS3025 and copies of addition vaccine received (wife didn't have flu shot in home country of UK as it wasn't flu season). It would be a gamble if an RFE will be sent. I suppose then if we had to pay the $300 for another full medical then we would do it. It just doesn't seem right what these doctors are doing. Taking advantage people who are desperate. Does anyone else have any advice or have you been in a similar situation?

[Vanessa + Mario 4]

Hi. So sorry that you are going through this situation. It's tough.

I don't know that I could give you any sound advice, as I just went through this with my husband's I-693 last week.

I called so many clinics, and most of them required another med. exam. So expensive, between $300-475. (I kid you not.)

In the end, we decided to go to a nearby clinic that didn't require the med. exam, and it came out to $300. But, at least we got that out of the way. (He got two vaccines, no flu shot, and the TB test.)

Good luck

[kitthekat 1,317]

sending in the i-693 without civil surgeon's signature is not an option. i would just send in the DS-3025 as it sounds like your vaccinations are complete (they can give you a 'waiver' for not having the flu shot as it was not appropriate at the time of your overseas medical, seeing as how it was not flu season then).

[Ian H. 207]

That's frustrating. Imagine how much they must charge here in NYC. My cousin is thinking about doing K1 and with her children, they would be looking at quite an expense. I'm not sure you should risk an RFE, maybe someone who knows more will comment. Good luck.

[cocolucho 35]

My wife came over on a K1 visa. We have married and now are in the AOS process. We are stalled at the confusion that is the I693 form. All accounts state that a second medical is not needed if first medical was within a year however parts 1 and 2 need to be completed of I693 and this needs to be signed by a civil surgeon. We have attempted to contact a civil surgeon. There are none in our area. We have used the locator on the USCIS website. ALL of the ones listed are at least a two hour drive away from us. I have called ALL of them on the online list. An overwhelming number of them state they are no long conducting services for immigration and no longer civil surgeons. Of the four that said they were indeed still working as civil surgeons ALL four demanded that a new medical be preformed. NONE would transcribe vaccines onto the I693. ALL wanted around $300 for the medical. One even said all vaccines would need to be re administered because they couldn't verify records from another doctor. #######? I'm at my wits end as to what to do. I may just send in the I693 with part 1 and 2 completed without the signature of the civil surgeon and attach the DS3025 and copies of addition vaccine received (wife didn't have flu shot in home country of UK as it wasn't flu season). It would be a gamble if an RFE will be sent. I suppose then if we had to pay the $300 for another full medical then we would do it. It just doesn't seem right what these doctors are doing. Taking advantage people who are desperate. Does anyone else have any advice or have you been in a similar situation?

I know what you are going through as I am helping my wife and daughter to do adjustment of status.

I also called several doctors and they all wanted to do a full physical. After so many calls I went to one of them after I made the appointment and I brought the printed instructions for the I-693 and highlighted #3 on page 5 of 9 where is says that medical exams are not required if you arrived with a k1/k2/k3/k4 etc, etc within one year of examination..... and you are only required to show that all vaccinations have been completed if not done on DS 3025 (which I also brought a copy that was signed by a panel doctor) and that with the first page of the I-693 fill by the civil surgeon only. I show this to the doctor, he read it and my wife and daughter did not get a new medical exam, nor were charge for the full medical either.

We went to the Walgreen clinic and use my insurance to get the additional vaccines they both needed so I did not pay anything for the vaccinations either. I was charged $150 dollars for each for the preparation of the I-693 plus the certification of the vaccinations for both my wife and daughter. So for both of them I spent $300.00 only. I would recommend you bring along with the form already printed and fill where it says to fill it and bring the instructions for the form and the form I-94 that shows when your wife came into the country and her passport that shows the stamp. I was prepared to make sure I did not get charged for the full medical if not needed. i hope this helps and good luck to you both :-)

[Ian H. 207]

I agree with the above. Sometimes people are clueless as to what the requirements are, or they know what they are perfectly well and they will try to scam people into paying more money for a new medical they do not need.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Ian H.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

. Does anyone else have any advice or have you been in a similar situation?

Here's my post about that, based on a lot of study on the subject:

Do I need a medical exam?

What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical exam overseas?

If you were admitted as a:

A. K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e); or as a

B. K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen; and

C. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then:

1. You are not required to have another medical examination as long as your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination, and the medical examination did not reveal a Class A medical condition, or if you did have a Class A medical condition, you received a waiver of inadmissibility and have complied with the terms and conditions on the waiver.

2. Even if a new medical examination is not required, you must still show proof that you complied with the vaccination requirements. If the vaccination record (DS 3025) was not properly completed and included as part of the original overseas medical examination report, you will have to have the vaccination report completed by a designated civil surgeon. In this case, you are required to submit the vaccination record and page 1 of Form I-693.

(From the I-693 instructions page 5.)

Do you need an I-693 immunization sheet? Is my DS-3025 filled out properly?

Look at your DS-3025. If it has the ALL of the following items, you don't need an I-693 (Adults 19-49 yrs old).

1. Shots marked with a date (at least one of a series)

MMR (two are required but if you have the column "insufficient time interval" checked, then you get a waiver. Having one shot is often okay but the waiver beng marked is the surest thing.

Td or Tdap or DT or DTP or DtaP (One dated no longer than 10 years ago, or have a booster)

Varicella or VH written by it if you had chickenpox

Influenza (during flu season)** see note below because you are most likely okay without it.

2. Everything else marked not age appropriate, insufficient time interval, not flu season...things that allow a waiver.

3. RESULTS section filled in with "incomplete" and "may be eligible for blanket waiver" ticked or "complete" (but complete is rare).

4. Signed and dated by the doctor

If it's not completed EXACTLY like that then see a civil surgeon for the I-693. If it is complete, send a photocopy of your DS-3025. Almost isn't good enough. It needs to be filled out properly.

The USCIS is supposed to have your K1 medical files, but sometimes lose them or fail to match them up with your AOS. Do not get another exam unless you get an RFE that says they do not have results of your medical. It means they lost them, but you are probably stuck with paying for a new exam. Those kinds of RFE's are not about the immunizations or the form I-693; they are because USCIS failed to match up your other medical exam results with your AOS application.

**Note on flu shot: Flu shots are required for adults of all ages (changed Nov 2010) if your visa exam was between (Oct 1 and March 31). But if the AOS adjudicator picks up your case when it is not flu season, you will be excused. And the reverse is true. The adjudicator picks up your case during flu season, but sees it was NOT flu season when you had your medical exam, you are also excused because the date they go by is the date of your exam to determine if you were current on that date. Keep in mind that if you go to a civil surgeon for an I-693, then you are resetting the medical exam date for immunizations and you may have to get second doses of shots or a flu shot to become current on your new immunization date of record.

What if I only had one dose of MMR and it's marked "insufficient time interval"? Do I need to another dose and must I see a civil surgeon before AOS?

NO you do not need to see a civil surgeon unless USCIS loses the whole medical file you turned in at POE. If you were up to date the day that DS-3025 was signed, then you're okay without getting 2nd or 3rd doses. You can get them for your health, or you can not get them ever. It was not medically appropriate for you to get dose 2 on top of dose 1. There's a time interval for doses. So you get a waiver for "insufficient time interval" if that is marked on your DS-3025.

If you are one of the unlucky ones with a lost medical, then you will have to get a full medical again. By then, enough time would have passed for dose 2 so expect the CS to say you need it. Hopefully it won't come to that.

If you just chose not to get a second dose that was due (because it was more than 4 weeks since dose 1) then you wouldn't have that "insufficient time interval" waiver marked on your DS-3025. It was medically fine to have the second dose and you didn't. You aren't complete and have no waiver excuse. You may be approved and may not. Depends on the adjudicator

What if I don't have a DS-3025?

If you are positive that you got the needed shots, then actually mailing in a DS-3025 photocopy is not necessary. The original form is with your other medical results and was turned over to USCIS at POE. That's actually the one that counts because it remained in the "chain of custody" so you didn't have an opportunity to alter it. The photocopy isn't really an official copy and is more for a reminder that you got complete at your visa exam. Of course without having a copy, you don't have the opportunity to see if the rest of the form was completed correctly.

[Jsobased 5]

That's frustrating. Imagine how much they must charge here in NYC. My cousin is thinking about doing K1 and with her children, they would be looking at quite an expense. I'm not sure you should risk an RFE, maybe someone who knows more will comment. Good luck.

Not much. Free shots at a health clinic and 120 for the civil surgeon to transcribe to the I-693.

[TBoneTX 45,266]

Have you seen this thread, which I've just bumped?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/231026-civil-surgeons-who-dont-rip-you-off/

Start on the last page and work backwards, looking for someone near you.

[BabyFaceWife 11]

We had a similar situation and you'll find lots of threads on here with people who have the same frustrations as you. My husband had the medical but did not get his shots in the DR and was told he could easily get them here. I called 5 different civil surgeons in Houston and no one would just give the vaccines without doing another medical again even though I told them he had already completed his medical in the DR. Unfortunately these doctors know you cannot proceed without their help and they justify you taking their time by charging you ridiculous amounts of money.

[Ian H. 207]

Thanks. That's good to know.

Not much. Free shots at a health clinic and 120 for the civil surgeon to transcribe to the I-693.

[Bjl73 12]

Thanks for the advise!