... in response to question about physical for visa, posted by Rafe on Jan 29, 2002Rafe,
I'm not a doctor or a lawyer, but this is my understanding of what could cause you to "fail" the medical exam. First, they are primarily looking for any infectious diseases that would be a public health risk (active TB, AIDS, etc.). Also, they may not approve you if you have a debilitating disease or disorder that would make you unable to work.
When she goes to the medical exam, she should bring copies of her medical records and an official letter from her doctor explaining her condition and her medical status. If her condition is stable and she has a good recommendation from her doctor, then she may be approved with no problem. I guess you won’t really know for sure until she takes the medical.
I would try to find out all you can in advance if you are serious about this friend. Try to speak with her doctors and ask a knowledgeable consular officer at the embassy if this type of medical problem in general is a big problem. Or get copies of her medical records and consult with an INS doctor stateside if possible. If you do petition her, make sure that you are both fully aware of all the medical implications and are both ready for a possible rejection of the visa.
You can read more on this topic by clicking on ‘Immigration’ at the left of your screen, then on ‘Marriage Visa Pages’ and do a site search for “medical”. It also has a link to the text of the technical guidelines for the medical exam.
Ray