Sunday December 16, 2012
Kaieteur News
ImmigrationINFO™ (Immigration News For Our Community)
Why is a Medical Exam required for a Green Card? Attorney Gail S. Seeram When a foreign national is trying to immigrate to the United States or adjust his status in the United States, a medical examination is required. Many foreign nationals are unclear as to the purpose and scope of the medical examination. Medical examinations are necessary to verify good health and admissibility to the United States on medical grounds. All medical examinations include: • Physical Examination: applicants are required to have a physical examination (to include complete disrobing), and a mental status evaluation. • Tuberculin (TB) Skin Test: All applicants two years of age and older are required to have a tuberculin skin test (TST). • Vaccinations: Most applicants need to show that they are current with all vaccinations recommended by US public health officials. You should have vaccinations for mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus, diphtheria toxoids, pertussis, influenza type B, hepatitis B, If you are unable to submit a l l y o u r vaccination records at the time of the exam, or if you have never had certain vaccines, the Civil Surgeon or Panel Physician can administer them to you. It is important to not try to fulfill your vaccination requirements before you meet with the Panel Physician or Civil
Surgeon, in case it is not medically appropriate for you to have one or more of the required vaccines. As of December 14, 2009, the zoster and the HPV vaccine were no longer required. Who gives the medical exam? Medical examinations are given by licensed and experienced doctors, called Civil Surgeons (in the U.S.A.) and Panel Physicians (outside of the U.S.A.). Doctors who qualify as Civil Surgeons or Panel Physicians receive special and on-going immigration oriented medical training and policy updates. Note: A medical exam performed by a doctor NOT approved b y U S CIS will not be recognized. What if I am pregnant? If you are pregnant, you are required to have a medical exam, but some parts of it may be postponed until after delivery of your baby, depending on the circumstances of your case. If you have any concerns, you should discuss them with your family doctor before the medical exam, with the Civil Surgeon, or with the Panel Physician. What if vaccinations are contrary to my religious beliefs or moral convictions? If you have firmly held religious or moral beliefs that do not permit vaccinations, you may still be eligible for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status. You will need to apply for a waiver of vaccination requirements.
Gail S. Seeram Who pays for the vaccinations? ( The applicant is responsible for paying the appropriate fee for all vaccinations directly to the civil surgeon, as agreed upon with the civil surgeon. You should ask about the price of the vaccinations before the medical examination or the administration of the vaccinations. Can I be forced to be vaccinated for immigration purposes? ( If you refuse to receive the vaccines required for immigration purposes, as mandated by the immigration laws of the United States, your application for legal permanent resident status may be denied. What happens after the medical exam? After the medical exam is complete, the Panel Physician (if you are abroad) or the Civil Surgeon (if you are in the United States) will certify the results on the appropriate forms and place them in a sealed envelope. DO NOT OPEN THE SEALED ENVELOPE. Turn in your envelope with your immigration application to your attorney or the office that requested the medical examination.
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Evict public officers for not paying rents for Govt. Flats – Joe Harmon Public officers who refuse to pay their monthly rentals for Government Flats should face eviction. And, the Public Works Ministry which is responsible for collecting rentals for Government Flats should be held accountable for allowing public officers to default on their monthly obligations to taxpayers. These notions were expressed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Member of Parliament, Joe Harmon, in light of revelations in the 2011 Auditor General’s Report that 10 public officers residing in Government Flats owe the accumulated amount of $10.133 million in rentals for 2011. The rental register for Government flats revealed
that 20 flats were available at Echilibar Villas, of which 13 were occupied by public officers. There were also 12 double flats at Main and New Market Streets and 10 premises at other locations, all of which were occupied. The Head of the Budget Agency accepted that it is true that the sum of $10.133M is owed by tenants occupying Government Quarters. It was noted that the officers have been written to in order to settle their indebtedness and have assured that follow-up action will be pursued. While the Law inhibits those in authority from reaching into someone’s salary and arbitrarily making deductions, Harmon stressed
Government Flats at Main and New Market Streets.
that the Ministry needs to take stringent measures even if it means evicting tenants to uplift taxpayers’ monies. He emphasized that public officers residing in Government Flats are usually highly paid officials with top ranking positions in Government Offices and could therefore afford to pay their rents. Harmon said that just as how Government applies pressure to poor people to pay their water bills to Guyana Water Inc. or their light bills to Guyana Power and Light pressure must be applied to these officials to pay their rents. If the Ministry is unable to uplift the monies it should be held accountable, he added.