question about vaccination supp.

[xulei601]

One of the last things we need to take care of before submitting AOS (and we're getting close to the deadline, if there is one) is the vaccination supplement. Can this be done anywhere? Like a county health dept., for example? I think it was on the USCIS site that there was a way to look up doctors in your area who could do it. but after calling them I came to the conclusion that that was only for the physical (one receptionist said they could do the physical but not the vaccine form, another said they could do it but would have to charge me the full physical price - $175!).

If anybody has any info I'd really appreciate it.

 

Thanks.

Edited December 14, 2005 by xulei601 (see edit history)

[pkfops]

One of the last things we need to take care of before submitting AOS (and we're getting close to the deadline, if there is one) is the vaccination supplement. Can this be done anywhere? Like a county health dept., for example? I think it was on the USCIS site that there was a way to look up doctors in your area who could do it. but after calling them I came to the conclusion that that was only for the physical (one receptionist said they could do the physical but not the vaccine form, another said they could do it but would have to charge me the full physical price - $175!).

If anybody has any info I'd really appreciate it.

 

Thanks.

175783[/snapback]

Here's the link but it is not that good:

 

http://uscis.gov/graphics/exec/cs/index.asp

 

It may be a good idea to talk to someone local

who has been through the process for a referal.

 

We were refered by a coworker here on a work visa.

 

Cost was $280. (2 shots given).

[NY-Viking]

This is the biggest rip off in the system. And since the money isn't going to the government, you really wonder why it's there.

 

I understand the government wants to make sure our loved ones are getting vaccinated (to protect the population from any diseases we had eradicated, etc.), and they need someone with appropriate expertise to make sure they are getting the necessary shots, and it would be too expensive to have someone do this effectively internally, so it makes sense to farm this work out to someone else, but in most cases when the doctor is essentially performing the work of a notary public.

 

I say this because, if the immigrating spouse has had all necessary shots, the aproved civil sugeon simply looks at verification and signs a form. Now, in our case it was slightly more than that, because my wife needed some extra shots, and the doctor had to tell her to get them, but for that we paid $90. Then $10 each for the shots (the actual vaccines were paid for by the state of MN, but $10 fee was for administering them .. ok). So it cost us $120 total.

 

xulei, if you do a search for civil surgeon or vaccination supplement, you should get several postings. I think pkfops paid way more than he should have, but prices are really all over the board on this. I did a search for the approved civil surgeons in my area too. Most would ONLY do the full physical and not just the supplemental form. One place said they could do the form for $50, but I had to wait 2 months of an appointment! Keep in mind the form takes less than 2 minutes to fill out, and when we saw the doctor, the entire thing lasted 5 mintues (including shots). The $90 we paid was the hospitals standard fee to see any doctor, so that's how much we had to pay to get in the door. I went with them because they were comparatively the cheapest place around that would give me an appointment relatively soon.

 

What area are you in? Try here on CFL for people in the same area - they may be able to give you recommendations for who they went to. Some people have also had luck in the Chinatown in their area - so look into that too. I've seen some people get the vaccination supplement done for as little as $20 dollars, and others who paid several hundred.

 

Good luck!

[cosmiclobster]

Call a DOZEN civil surgeons on the list as you could pay anywhere from $30 to $750 or more for what they say is "required".

Depending on what shots you SO has (and has a record of - which CAN be ones that are translated from Chinese), you only need to find a CS that will sign off on the I-693 Vac. Supplement and not see you as someone who is ignorant of the "system" and easily ripped off.

 

Best case scenario she will only need a tetanus shot. Many CS will try to sell you the MMR and Varicella (Chicken Pox). If she has a chicken pox scar on her arm then she does not need the Chicken pox vaccination. Some will try to sell you a TB test and Hepatitus test and STD checks. These were done as part of the initial exam and ARE NOT REQUIRED AGAIN!!

If she is of child bearing age and you tell them you are planning to start a family immediately, then she should only be given a tetanus shot.

 

Also, if you know she will need some of the shots, you can get them done at any doctor or health center. Make sure you get a record of what shots were given as you will need to show them to the CS.

Also, bring her X Ray to the CS as this will elimnate any BS with possible TB.

 

I had to drive an hour from my home even though there were 3 CS 5 minutes from my house in order not to get ripped off!!!

 

Good luck!

[NY-Viking]

... Many CS will try to sell you the MMR and Varicella (Chicken Pox). If she has a chicken pox scar on her arm then she does not need the Chicken pox vaccination. ....

175797[/snapback]

Cosmic, I agree with the rest of your advice, but on this I'm not so sure. If your wife is either pregnant or planning to get pregnant in the next month or so, then yes, Varicella (Chicken pox) and MMR should be avoided temporarily, but if not, I think she should get them, especially if it can be done for a reduced fee (like the $10 a shot we paid).

 

The reason I say this is both the CS I spoke to AND an unrelated doctor who was doing a check-up for me recently (so she had nothing to do with the original inspection) said that the live viruses they insert in your body could harm your unborn child, but otherwise you should get them, because the chicken pox vaccination scar is NOT total immunity to the disease.

 

What I was told (I'm not a doctor, and this is why some fee for the civil surgeon is warranted ... IMHO) is that if you actually get the disease, you have lifetime immunity to chicken pox. You can never get it again. On the other hand, if you've only received a vaccination to chicken pox as a child, you need another shot. Again, I'm not a doctor, but this is what the civil surgeon said to us and an unrelated doctor told me. Many of us may have had parents who sent us to chicken pox parties so we could get it as children ... Anyway, if you get it as an adult it can be far more serious, even deadly.

 

Given that, I think unless your wife is pregnant, she should get all vaccinations recommended by the civil surgeon, and at least in our case, the civil surgeon stressed that if she was pregnant he would not administer the vaccines and still sign off on the supplement.

[xulei601]

But in the end, I do have to go with somebody on the list, huh? I live in Walla Walla, WA and there are only 2 doctors on the list. My hometown (small town) hospital said they would gladly do it for me, but they are not on the list..... Thoughts or suggestions?

[frank1538]

You can get your vaccinations anywhere (make sure you get a record of the shots), but you have to have the civil surgeon sign off on the vaccination supplement form itself.

[david_dawei]

Frank nailed your question on both counts !

 

The problem is finding a civil surgeon (CS) who will only sign off on the form [many want to do a physical or no visit is allows]...

 

Also, even if you get the shots via your family doctor or local clinic, some CSs have told members (like myself) that a second MMR course is still needed (28 days after first); which is technically correct. Or that the scar on your arm is not enough proof [for them] and a blood test is needed.

 

I'd say, get all the possible shots or tests you'll need (MMR,Td,Varicella) ... get an appointment with a CS for a 'signoff' only (may have to call many of them). Cross your fingers...

[johnxiaoying]

I thought my wife had completed the I-693 supplement in July until I looked closely at it the other day to answer a question for a friend, that's when I noticed the box checked was "Applicant does not meet immunization requirements". She still needed one more TD shot which was done today. We now have the fully completed "All requirements met" I-693.

 

The required immunizations (for my 37 year old wife) were:

 

3 td's

2 mmr's

2 varicella's

 

Suprisingly, the Civil Surgeon was quite civil and didn't charge for completing the I-693, only charged for the shot.

 

I had to call a number of Civil Surgeons before I found an office that was familiar with only doing the supplement. Many of them want to do the complete exam so they can take more of your cash.

[NY-Viking]

xulei, Frank answered your question, but one further thought is that you don't have to have a civil surgeon in your area fill it out, but you do have to have a civil surgeon fill it out (they also simultaneously update it on some computer).

 

So, if you have the time (I know we all want to get the application in ASAP, but if it doesn't delay things that long, you might put it off just a bit) and you'll be travelling to an area where there are more civil surgeons, you can always get it done there. Basically what I'm saying is that there is no reason why the civil surgeon who does your supplement has to be in your immediate area - it can even be done in another state.