O-A Visa USA medical report

[Wake Up]

Hello 

 

The last time I got an O-A visa from Washington DC USA in 2015 I tried to use a Thai doctor signed medical form that I obtained in Bangkok for 100 baht. The Thai embassy would not accept it. My USA doctor refused to sign the medical form because it was weird according to his words. 

 

I had to go to a doctor in the box clinic and pay almost 275.00 to get him to sign the form and do the tb test etc...

 

Has anyone been able to use a Thai doctor medical report for an O-A visa in USA. If so when and where. If not does anyone know a doctor or clinic in Texas that will sign the form cheaper than 275.00 USA dollars. 

 

I have an extension of stay now but I am thinking of going back to use the O-A visas if I can resolve the medical form cost issue. Thank you for your input. 

[marcusarelus]

I checked around at the walk in clinics till I found a doctor willing to do it reasonably.  

[DrJack54]

OP as mentioned above.... you may need check with couple different quacks.

I attended one who wanted to run blood tests. I left.

Next place I had no problem. Doctor signed the form I took in with me. I also asked office to put their clinic stamp on it. Cost zero.

BTW au.

Edited July 17, 2019 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

The embassy website does not state that the medical certificate has to be done by a doctor in the states. Perhaps they have changed the requirements since 2015. The only way to know with any certainty would be to contact the embassy.

[onera1961]

If you have a US health insurance, the check should be free as a yearly physical exam mandated in ACA. My insurance paid $175 that the doctor charged. 

[sqwakvfr]

I do not believe very many Doctors or Clinics in the USA will simply sign the OA Medical Form unless they know your medical history.  

 

3 years ago I got the medical done for the OA from the LA Consulate.  I paid $260 dollars at an Occupational Health Clinic.  Due to the changes in Obamacare “ I could not keep my doctor” and had to go a medical insurance provider that was run like a Socialist country( I will not name the plan). The wait for an appointment was very long.  

 

If your are quoted $275 then it seems like a fair price.  For the $260  the doctor at the clinic(he did not know me) wanted a chest x ray and a blood test.  For LA Thai Consulate I was told that the medical must from a US Doctor or Clinic because I was using a US Home Address. I do not know what the response would be if I had claimed a Thai Address?

[Wake Up]

5 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I checked around at the walk in clinics till I found a doctor willing to do it reasonably.  

What city and state. I went to 5 before the doctor would sign it for 275 dollars including the tb test. The doctors don’t like the form as it makes no sense and they are signing official documents that are not in their normal course of practice. 

[Wake Up]

3 hours ago, onera1961 said:

If you have a US health insurance, the check should be free as a yearly physical exam mandated in ACA. My insurance paid $175 that the doctor charged. 

My family doctor I had for years with health insurance refused to sign the form. It was not what he normally sees for a form and was “weird” according to him. When they say no you cannot make them. 

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, Wake Up said:

My family doctor I had for years with health insurance refused to sign the form. It was not what he normally sees for a form and was “weird” according to him. When they say no you cannot make them. 

My UK doctor a few years ago also thought it was a very strange requirement, but agreed to do it on the condition of checking briefly through my medical files after surgery. This could easily depend on the doctor who was on rotation that day, so to be sure this year I got one from a clinic in Thailand before applying for Non O-A, the London embassy was good with it.

 

Not sure why they rejected yours - it'd need to be recently signed by the Thai doctor and stamped by the clinic, and be the version of the form that includes third stage syphilis. There's a very similar looking medical form they often sign here for work permits that doesn't include this on the list. 

[MeePeeMai]

5 hours ago, Wake Up said:

My family doctor I had for years with health insurance refused to sign the form. It was not what he normally sees for a form and was “weird” according to him. When they say no you cannot make them. 

My family doctor in Hawaii signed mine for me but then she knows me and knows my medical history.  I had some questions and tried to call the Thai Embassy in D.C. many, many times and could never get anyone to answer the phone.  I even left a message and my number but nobody called me back. 

[Isaanbiker]

The last time I got an O-A visa from Washington DC USA in 2015 I tried to use a Thai doctor signed medical form that I obtained in Bangkok for 100 baht. The Thai embassy would not accept it.

 

OP, they don't want the 40 to 100 baht ones you can get at a clinic. But I'm sure that they're okay with one that states that you don't have elephantiasis, nor Syphilis.  

 

Many doctors at clinics these days have added that, but you can go to a goverment hospital where they'll make a blood test, perhaps an x-ray and you won't pay more than 600 baht. I can show you an example what it looks like if you want. 

 

  

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

The last time I got an O-A visa from Washington DC USA in 2015 I tried to use a Thai doctor signed medical form that I obtained in Bangkok for 100 baht. The Thai embassy would not accept it.

 

OP, they don't want the 40 to 100 baht ones you can get at a clinic. But I'm sure that they're okay with one that states that you don't have elephantiasis, nor Syphilis.  

 

Many doctors at clinics these days have added that, but you can go to a goverment hospital where they'll make a blood test, perhaps an x-ray and you won't pay more than 600 baht. I can show you an example what it looks like if you want. 

 

  

What...is this a USA thing? 

The list of diseases check on list belongs as outdated nonsense. Throw in TB. 

Give me Syphilis over HIV positive, I will select Syphilis any day of the week.

I suggest any other members reading thread approach MD with Thai form. Explain the nonsense of it all and that its for visa only. Well perhaps excluding USA.

Edited July 17, 2019 by DrJack54

[Date Masamune]

What is a “doctor in a box clinic” ?

[DrJack54]

41 minutes ago, Date Masamune said:

What is a “doctor in a box clinic” ?

You for real. You type something related to op but you no reference it. 

The OP most likely made minor typo or its a usa term. Im guessing just local MD in clinic. Have you obtained a medical for O-A

If you have please advise op on your experience. 

Edited July 17, 2019 by DrJack54

[Date Masamune]

You for real. You type something related to op but you no reference it. 
The OP most likely made minor typo or its a usa term. Im guessing just local MD in clinic. Have you obtained a medical for O-A
If you have please advise op on your experience. 

I’m interested because I want O-A from LAX consul.
Doe this box clinic allow walking in without appointment? Where is it located? An examination for a visa will not be payed by any US insurance as it is not a medical necessity.

If you are lucky bet you can get your Doctor to sign the form during a regular checkup but I don’t have one.

[gamb00ler]

1 hour ago, Date Masamune said:

What is a “doctor in a box clinic” ?

I'm guessing it's just a walk-in medical clinic with a few MD's on staff.  Often people with no family doctor use them for minor medical care.

 

We have many of them here in Las Vegas.  UMC Quick Care has several locations.

[MeePeeMai]

6 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

We have many of them here in Las Vegas.  UMC Quick Care has several locations.

Yea they are called Urgent Care clinics in Hawaii and they're not much good for anything other than a Doctor's note for work if you catch a cold or flu. I seriously doubt if they would sign the form. 

 

A medical doctor (GP) would but some might be hesitant if you are not his/her patient without running all the tests first (as his license is on the line ...so to speak).  When my doctor asked me what it was for I just said that I needed it to get a tourist visa to visit Thailand and she just said "oh, okay" and filled it out/signed it.

[gamb00ler]

23 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

Yea they are called Urgent Care clinics in Hawaii and they're not much good for anything other than a Doctor's note for work if you catch a cold or flu. I seriously doubt if they would sign the form. 

I've called about a dozen walk-in clinics here in Vegas.  Most are happy to perform the tests but as soon as I mention that a form needs to filled out and signed they are no longer interested.  One office was willing as long as I paid them $400.  LOL.  I guess they consider signing a form as dangerous because they see what can happen in the land of litigation.

[MeePeeMai]

Yea liability fear factor kicks in big time in the good ole USA!

[onera1961]

6 hours ago, Date Masamune said:

An examination for a visa will not be payed by any US insurance as it is not a medical necessity.

My UH insurance paid it as I made appointment for  a Physical exam and doctor billed it as such. I was also not expecting it and ready to pay $160 for the exam. 

Edited July 18, 2019 by onera1961

[Wake Up]

On 7/18/2019 at 12:46 AM, Date Masamune said:

I’m interested because I want O-A from LAX consul.
Doe this box clinic allow walking in without appointment? Where is it located? An examination for a visa will not be payed by any US insurance as it is not a medical necessity.

If you are lucky bet you can get your Doctor to sign the form during a regular checkup but I don’t have one.
 

They are clinics that allow walk ins and no appointment necessary. Some are chains and some claim to be for minor emergencies that are not life threatening. Cheaper than going to an emergency room at a hospital and quicker to go to a walk in doctor than make an appointment with your primary physician which may not be able to see you for several days or weeks.

 

For all the posters that got their doctor to sign the form then great for you. But my primary care doctor that I went to for over 20 years would not sign the form and nothing you can do to make him. Not worth getting an O-A visa if I cannot get a recommendation of a doctor in Texas USA that will sign the form for a reasonable fee. Washington DC Thailand embassy told me over the phone they will not accept the doctor certificate signed in Thailand and they would not accept it in 2015 either. I will simply need to keep 800 k in a Thai bank and renew my extension of stay yearly unless someone can recommend a Texas doctor that will sign the form for less than 150 USA dollars. 

[onera1961]

10 hours ago, Wake Up said:

For all the posters that got their doctor to sign the form then great for you. But my primary care doctor that I went to for over 20 years would not sign the form and nothing you can do to make him. Not worth getting an O-A visa if I cannot get a recommendation of a doctor in Texas USA that will sign the form for a reasonable fee. Washington DC Thailand embassy told me over the phone they will not accept the doctor certificate signed in Thailand and they would not accept it in 2015 either. I will simply need to keep 800 k in a Thai bank and renew my extension of stay yearly unless someone can recommend a Texas doctor that will sign the form for less than 150 USA dollars. 

Go to this website https://my.uscis.gov/findadoctor

 

and enter your zip code. Pick a doctor and make an appointment for a physical check for a visa. Take the form with you and in the Doctor's office, give him the form and ask him to do Physical exam for checking the the diseases in the forms. Tell him that it is for getting out of the  USA not for coming to the USA. These immigration doctors are familiar with immigration health check for immigrating to USA which is very exhaustive and they usually charge $350/USD. I am not sure how much they will charge. The doctor I went to charged $160 and my insurance paid it. Your mileage may very. Pick a doctor in a rural area, preferably a university  town,  but close to where you live. Large cities like Dallas, Huston, Austin may charge more. I went to a Doctor in university town in IL where I have a house. 

 

Another option is going to the county health department. Most places they have a doctor but my county did not have a doctor due to budget cut. 

Edited July 25, 2019 by onera1961

[dejenny80]

I would recommend dr donna's clinic - MedConsult clinic in sukhumvit soi 49. They issued my medical clearance and it costs about 500 Baht plus a bit for the tests (maybe 1500 Baht) extra

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, dejenny80 said:

I would recommend dr donna's clinic - MedConsult clinic in sukhumvit soi 49. They issued my medical clearance and it costs about 500 Baht plus a bit for the tests (maybe 1500 Baht) extra

Did you even read the OP?

Helps sometimes.

[lamyai3]

3 minutes ago, dejenny80 said:

I would recommend dr donna's clinic - MedConsult clinic in sukhumvit soi 49. They issued my medical clearance and it costs about 500 Baht plus a bit for the tests (maybe 1500 Baht) extra

Although most clinics are now insisting on the tests (for syphilis), this is about 3x too much. I was quoted typically 4-500 in several places including the blood tests (UK embassy accepted the certificate with no questions a few months ago). Although some places will sign a certificate for around 100 baht without the blood test, this is probably a different medical form used for work permits, driving licences etc, and doesn't include the full list of tests required by embassies for visa applications. 

[DrJack54]

26 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Although most clinics are now insisting on the tests (for syphilis), this is about 3x too much. I was quoted typically 4-500 in several places including the blood tests (UK embassy accepted the certificate with no questions a few months ago). Although some places will sign a certificate for around 100 baht without the blood test, this is probably a different medical form used for work permits, driving licences etc, and doesn't include the full list of tests required by embassies for visa applications. 

Disagree. Most MD would realize that these are nonsense requirements, having explained its for visa for Thailand. Take standard form for MD to stamp. Some will refuse. Most should not.

[lamyai3]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Disagree. Most MD would realize that these are nonsense requirements, having explained its for visa for Thailand. Take standard form for MD to stamp. Some will refuse. Most should not.

No question it's an absurd requirement, and most of what's on the list would be more relevant to the 19th century than the 21st.

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying that no clinic will sign, just that I was unable to find one that would agree to it at short notice without doing the blood tests. Syphilis has been on the rise in the past couple of years globally, so they might be getting more stringent about signing off on this recently. The thing to be careful about is that many clinics here sign medical forms all the time for local purposes, and may not be aware of the specific form required by overseas embassies. 

 

When some places say they'll sign without doing a blood test, they might be talking about a different form. I was told they'd accept the medical form with this list (pic below) without needing a blood test, but since it doesn't mention syphilis it'd be rejected at the embassy. The clinic was unaware of the difference in requirements for a visa application, as they rarely sign forms for use at overseas embassies. So as you say, need to print off the form first, and make sure it has the right list, not an alternative version like this one:

 

 

Edited July 28, 2019 by lamyai3

[lamyai3]

Just to add to the above, this is the correct form for a Non O-A application:

 

Medical-Certificate-Form-For-Non-Immigrant-O-A-Long-Stay-Only (2).pdf

[Sheryl]

Looking at that form, I doubt any US doctor will sign it without at least a chest Xray or Tb test unless you have a recent CXR on file with them.

 

The elephantiasis and tetrtiary syphilis bit is absurd (and both can be readily ruled out in a simple physical exam, blood test is not necessary for 3rd stage syphilis) but certifying that someone does not have TB, they would take seriously.

 

Some would also be wary of certifying that a patient they do nto know well is not addicted to drugs.

 

 

 

 

[lamyai3]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Looking at that form, I doubt any US doctor will sign it without at least a chest Xray or Tb test unless you have a recent CXR on file with them.

 

The elephantiasis and tetrtiary syphilis bit is absurd (and both can be readily ruled out in a simple physical exam, blood test is nto necessary for 3rd stage syphilis) but certifying that someone does nto have TB, they would take seriously.

 

Some would also be wary of certifying that a patient they do nto know well is not addicted to drugs.

I guess it depends on who's signing the form and where. In the UK my GP was willing to sign it three years ago with nothing more than a quick stethoscope check regarding TB. He wanted to read through my records after surgery (presumably to check no history with drug addiction), but he was baffled by leprosy, elephantiasis and third stage syphilis. I can only imagine the form was drafted by a medical advisor who received his training before the invention of penicillin.

 

While it's true that a blood test is only useful in the early stages of syphilis, I'm not sure the staff in a clinic would know this. I was surprised the places I asked insisted on it, and I explained (in Thai) that a blood test is not relevant at stage 3. But it was one of those "computer says no" situations, perhaps profit motivated. 

 

Regarding drug addiction, there was a recent case of someone unable to get a medical form for the Thai embassy in Dubai - due to the very strict drug laws there was a real problem finding anyone willing to sign.