LOVERS JOURNEY: K1 FIANCÉ(E) VISA MEDICAL EXAM TIPS AND GUIDE

Presumably, you are already done scheduling your interview appointment at the Visa Information and Appointment Service. Note: It is advisable not to set your interview appointment at the near date with your medical exam. This is to avoid conflict with your medical examination and interview. What I did is I went to my medical exam two (2) weeks before my actual interview.

Book your flight a day ahead of your intended medical exam day so that you will have time to visit the medical facility and know your way around there. This is a first come-first serve basis. You don’t need to call for appointment but you should be there at the door of the medical facility as early as 2:00 AM of your medical exam day. Hundreds of people are there to get their medical exam for visa purposes. The medical center is open at 7:00 AM-11:30 AM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday. When the medical center opens, the people gathered there will start queuing and the guard at the door will give you a priority number.

A PLACE TO STAY: HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic (SLMCEC) is Located at 1177 J. Bocobo St., Ermita, Manila. As an advice book your hotel accommodation near in this area. The nearer the distance of the hotel accommodation to SLMCEC the faster you will arrive at your medical exam day. For more information click the map here >>>. Based on my experience, I booked my hotel accommodation at Casa Bacobo located in the Ermita district of Manila, at the corner of J. Bocobo Street and T.M. Kalaw Avenue. This is just a few minutes away from the St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic. After my first day at the Medical Center, I walked 10 minutes to my hotel. The place is nice with free wi-fi, near at any restaurants, pharmacy, banks and markets.

The first day is the most tiring day in the medical exam. The medical center doesn’t allow you to bring in any food. Therefore, eat heavy before you go to your medical exam. I guess, you can bring water as long the bottle is clear. The place is air-conditioning so bring a jacket with you.

DOCUMENTS /THINGS TO BRING AT THE SLMCEC:

• ·Valid and Unexpired Passport
• ·Letter from the US Embassy Philippines that contains your Name, Case Number and Visa Category
• ·4 pcs of 2”x2” pictures with white background ( No necklaces or earrings, be sure that your ears are shown in the pictures or else they won’t accept it)
• ·A Black Ballpen
• ·A hair tie or rubber band that will tie your hair
• ·Payment for the Medical Exam and extra for any emergencies
• ·X-ray and Immunization Vaccine Sheets (if Applicable)

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

• Be sure that on the day of your medical exam your not having your period or else they will advise you to go back after your period is done..Don’t wear casual clothes; loose blouse or Top is better because they will ask you to take off your upper garments or all for X-ray and for physical exam; and
• ·Be healthy before your medical exam, drink lots of milk, sleep early and take multi-vitamins.

MY MEDICAL EXAM WALKTHROUGH:

Below are my personal experiences I remember during my medical exam.

FIRST-DAY OF THE MEDICAL EXAM:

1. ·Show your passport, 2x2 pictures, and the letter from the US Philippine Embassy that contains your Name, Case Number and Visa Category to the guard. The guard will then give you your priority number;
2. ·Patient Data Sheets Forms (PDS) will be distributed for you to fill up. I remember in the form they will ask you information regarding your bf/fiancée address,the intended port you will enter, the date of travel and etc.;
3. ·After you filled up the PDS wait for your number to be called by the guard, so be attentive. Don’t listen to the people next to you just focus on the number been called. The guard will instruct you of where you will go. So listen carefully on what room, floor, or window you will go;
4. ·You will be queuing with others that the guard numbers called. You will be directed to a window (ground floor area) and then the girl there will get your PDS, fingerprint scanning, take-pictures, and asked you bunch of questions; such as if you have allergy, family medical history, if you have tattoos and etc. Afterwards they will give you a paper and instruct you where to go. This paper is your guide on where you will go next and what tests;
5. ·You will go to 5^th floor to pay your medical exam. Be ready to pay the equivalent amount in Peso. Be sure to check the dollar and peso conversion so that you will know the equivalent amount in Peso;
6. ·Afterwards, you will go to second floor(USA Counters) for a blood pressure test, height, weight, eyes check-up, and etc.;
7. ·You will go to 4^th Floor for your Blood/Urine Test.You will go to a room to take your blood drawn (blood sample) and next to the designated comfort room where you will ask too pee in a cup and give it back to the people in charge there. (This could be test for Pregnancy and HIV Test);
8. ·Then you will go a room to have your X-ray done. A small room is available to take off your top garment and place a lab gown. Go back to a waiting area together with other people queuing there. They will call your name and the X-ray technician will let you in the X-ray Room. What I have noticed if you have problems in your X-ray results, there will be an additional paper that will be stapled in your paper. Then the technician will tell you where to go next; and
9. ·The last and final test is the physical test. If you’re a woman, the doctor will do the physical exam is a woman.Once she will call your number or name, she will let you sit and ask you questions such as medical history of your family, your first and last day of menstruation and personal questions. And then she will ask you to undress completely and lay down in a bed. You don’t need to be scared or feel worried. She will check your breast for lumps, tattoos, and private parts (checking possibility of venereal diseases). Then you will be asked to go back the next day for the results. This time you don’t need to be so early. You can go there around 9:00 AM.

SECOND DAY OF MEDICAL EXAM (IMMUNIZATION and RESULTS)

• ·Go directly to the Guard standing at the podium or near the door.He will asked your name and check it on the master list. If you don’t have any problems with your medical tests then he will ask you to go to the immunization room; and
• ·The in-charge at the immunization room will ask you a question such as your immunization history and personal questions. If you have immunization vaccine sheet bring it to the medical exam. After the interview, the in-charge there gives me four (4) shots. Then she/he will ask you to go back to the ground floor to get your Vaccination Sheets and Passport. And there you will need to wait your name to be called in those windows in front. This area is also the same place where you submit the PDS in the first day of medical exam.

In some cases people with problems in their X-ray has to go back after the X-ray Results for another test. For serious cases, they need to have their sputum test daily at the medical facility. Rare cases the applicant needs to go to the medical center for days or months depending the severity of the results.

Lastly, if you have done your medical exam and get your results early, then you have time to go to the CFO Seminar. All Filipino going abroad as fiancé (e) or spouses of foreign nationals are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling session in order to secure the Guidance and Counseling Certificate (GCC) which is needed in your registration at the CFO Office. Afterwards, they will stamp your passport and attached your Guidance and Counseling Certificate.