medical exam question

[amdew80]

I have read on here before that people went to have their medical exam in Guangzhou a couple days before their interview and that this was fine.

 

However when we received our packet 4, in the information I saw this "You must go to the designated panel physician to have your examination at least two weeks before your visa interview appointment date." Has anyone else experienced this? Is this a new rule? We do not live that close to Guangzhou and were hoping to avoid having to make another trip there just for the medical exam. I was hoping someone who has interviewed since the March 16th changes could clear this up for me.

 

Thanks in advance

[lukoktonos]

Our Packet (Apr 1 Interview, Monday Morning) had these instructions: "You must go to the hospital to have your examination before your visa interview appointment date". So it sounds like they changed it since then. We called the Guangzhou clinic to make sure the (work)day before the interview was OK, and they said it was. It might have changed since then, though.

[Randy W]

I have read on here before that people went to have their medical exam in Guangzhou a couple days before their interview and that this was fine.

 

However when we received our packet 4, in the information I saw this "You must go to the designated panel physician to have your examination at least two weeks before your visa interview appointment date." Has anyone else experienced this? Is this a new rule? We do not live that close to Guangzhou and were hoping to avoid having to make another trip there just for the medical exam. I was hoping someone who has interviewed since the March 16th changes could clear this up for me.

 

Thanks in advance

 

An interesting change in the procedure - there may or may not be an actual medical or procedural reason for this (perhaps they'll be transmitting the records directly from the Medical center to the consulate instead of handing the beneficiary a packet to carry??)

 

It's probably best to follow the directions you're given - please report back to us if you can discern a reason for the change. Thanks.

[amdew80]

thanks for the replies. I was thinking the same thing that they may be forwarding the papers to the consulate, but later it says you will still receive the results and not to open them.

 

Here is the full paragraph:

 

"You should arrange to undergo your medical examination at one of the designated panel physicians indicated below. Medical examinations conducted elsewhere will not be accepted. The medical examination forms will be generated and completed by the panel physician during the exam. You must go to the designated panel physician to have your examination at least two weeks before your visa interview appointment date. Each person who is examined must present his or her own passport and five visa photographs at the time of the exam. Once the medical exam is completed, you will receive a sealed medical report. DO not open the envelope as you must bring the sealed medical report to your visa interview. NOTE: You are not permitted to undergo a medical exam unless an interview is scheduled. The validity of your visa is tied to your medical exam’s validity."

Was thinking we should try and follow it as well, but just received our interview email last week, then with the tomb sweeping festival everything was closed... our interview is scheduled for april 29... hardly two weeks notice. I also have emailed the consulate twice and have had no luck with them answering the question. Have tried calling the guangzhou medical exam center many times and they never answer the phone, just a pre recorded message.

[dnoblett]

Again my first thought about the "At least 2 weeks before" has more to do with if having a problem, you have time to correct before interview.

 

In my wife's case her interview was the Monday after spring festival, needless to say everything was closed, and we had to do medical expedited the Sunday before the interview, we had to arrive at the medical center first thing in the morning around 7 am to get service so could pick up the results by 5 pm. The 2 week recommendation is to allow for events that may affect the ability to get the medical done very shortly before an interview.

 

In my wife's case the two week thing would be impracticable due to there not being a medical center near where she lived, but if the beneficiary lives fairly close to one of the medical offices, then it is quite logical to get this done 2 weeks before, rather than at the last minute.

[amdew80]

Thanks dnoblett, your thoughts are pretty much what I was thinking when first reading the packet. My wife is in the same situation as yours. She doesn't live close to a medical center, so it's not really practical almost impossible to do this two weeks before. We are thinking that we may just head to Guangzhou a couple days earlier than we were planning on to give us a few days before the interview to get everything taken care of. We both are hoping this will work out.

[ama537621]

My wife and I went to Guangzhou a day early. I was short on vacation and I wanted to be there for moral support. Get to the medical center first thing 7AM and you should have no problem getting your information the same day. We were first in line nobody around the elevator dinged and BAM there was 30 people in line behind us.

[china123]

I will have my medical examination soon in Shanghai. I would like to know what kind of forms I should provide? Does the panel physician has the forms and the instructions? Anyway, I received an email about interview appointment but it did not mention about any forms for medical examination.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 19, 2013 by china123 (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

The medical center should have the forms.

 

What is needed to bring to the medical is explained here: http://travel.state.gov/pdf/medical/GUZ-MED-MULT-0006-1203.pdf (OF-171 refereed to in the instructions are a bit out dated)

 

I would bring passport, interview invitation email, and vaccination record if you have one.

[Bill & Hui]

My wife and step daughter in Chengdu have an interview date of June 13 2013 and we got the same instructions ( get Exam 2 weeks before interview) has anyone had a problem going 3 days before interview since rule change in march?

My step daughter has her last 12th grade exams on June 8th and is hoping to go to Guangzhou that nite so she will finish high school.

 

Also the interview instructions talked about a fee that must be paid at the interview for CR-1 and CR-2 visa but I cant find anywhere what the cost is or what the extra fee is for.

I did pay fees to USCIS before they sent the approved forms to Guangzhou.

thanks in advance Bill &Hui

[dnoblett]

The fee you paid USCIS is the petition filing fee, not the Visa fee.

 

Bill where did you file petition? USCIS in China or USA? If USA NVC. Will collect the visa fee, if China then you will pay the visa fee to Consulate.

 

Also after interviews you will pay an immigrations fee to USCIS.

[Bill & Hui]

I paid to the NVC in the USA thru the (CEAC) on line $88/ AOS fee then $230/ IV fee.

So is this fee that must be paid @ time of interview the prosesing / mailing charge for the passport and CR-1 visa?

Do you know how much $$ she will need to bring with her for this fee?

[dnoblett]

Then the only fee probably will be the mailing fee (I would have perhaps 100 or 200 rmb handy), note this has changed, the consulate will send the visa packages to a CITIC bank of your choice, that you make on CGI Stanley site.

 

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-niv-passporttrack.asp
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-documentdelivery.asp

 

As for medical, I would contact the consulate and ask if can handle this a few days prior to interview explaining the step child is still in school.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/immigrant-visa-unit-question.html

[Randy W]

You can get the medical anytime you want. If the results aren't ready in time for the interview, you may be blue slipped until they are.

 

It's the medical center that would need to expedite the results, not the consulate. Go ahead with your best plans, considering the circumstances.

[Bill & Hui]

Thanks guys, late last nite i found Randy W's post (recived NOA, whats next) from march 20 and you gave very helpful links... The Feb 1st fee change and what to do.

It said the $165 fee should be paid electroniclty as soon as she gets the visa packet with the A # from citic bank so she can get her Green card in the States.

I changed the interview date to June 20, with no problum , 12 days after my step daughters last exam. my wife is making an reservation with Mr Yang for June 13th.

that should be plenty of time for the exam and to prepare for the interview .

Thanks again, this whole 1yr 6mo proses with paper work and translating Chinese / English had made me turn gray haired, we can see the lite at the end of the tunnel now YAAA!