Immigration physical

I posted this topic here last week, and had several replies, but the thread completely disappeared off of this site, which was confirmed by an administrator. Who knows what happened, technology is funny sometimes.

Anyway, it was about immigration physicals. I had asked if anyone has personally experienced one or knows someone who has. My wife has become good friends with a coworker who immigrated here from an Eastern European country about 22 years ago, and became a US citizen several years ago. When they were talking about her experience coming here and what it was like, the physical was mentioned. At that time my wife didn't pry too much, but from what she gathered, her friend had a fairly thorough physical at a doctor's office near the US consulate in her native country that the consulate contracted with. Apparently all applicants to get a visa to come to the US for residency were sent there by the consulate to have a physical as a part of the application process. It included chest x rays, lots of blood work, and immunizations.

A few weeks later, her friend and her friend's husband came over for dinner. When her husband and I went to the garage so I could show him a project I've been working on, my wife was able to get more information from her about the physical when they talked more about the process. Her friend said that it was a complete physical, with a Pap, swabs to check for STD's, a full pelvic, and a rectal exam. She had to undress completely, including bra and panties, and put on an exam gown. She is 48 now, and is quite pretty with a very nice figure, better than the majority of women half her age. My imagination ran wild imagining her with her feet firmly planted in the stirrups, being thoroughly examined and probed! (My dirty mind will be the end of me!)

It took her several more weeks before her application was approved, and she was granted the visa. She had to travel not once, but twice to the capital city where the US consulate was, which was a 12 hour train ride from the small city where she lived. The first visit was to submit all the paperwork with the application, have the in person interview with a consulate staff member, and having the required physical, all done the same day. The second time was to pick up the visa and other paperwork to be able to come here.

If anyone has an experience similar to this, or knows someone who does, please share all the details.

The civil surgeons really vary, especially if they are local to the foreign country. You can go on visajourney.com and find some stories.

When I was hired in a different country, there was a cursory exam after I had arrived but before the paperwork was complete.

In both the USA and here in Europe I've had to have physicals as part of an employment process. Thoroughness varies.

In general, such exams are a) conducted by qualified professionals, and b) rather ho-hum.

Living in Europe I have to have one twice a year, but that is because I have an existing heart complaint.

The exam is complete, pap, gyno, smear etc and then I have to have a TB x-ray and ecg at the local hospital

I've done some scouring of the internet for this topic in particular, and I've read several blogs about it. It's surprising just how much variation there is, from a brief cursory check to a complete physical, including Pap, pelvic and rectal like my wife's friend had done. Her friend's exam was some 22 years ago, so I'm sure things have changed since then. It also seems to vary based on where the exam is done, as each country uses a local doctor, and the local doctors probably perform the exam as they see fit.

I read a blog on people moving to Canada. Some of the women on the blog had only a brief exam, and some had a complete exam with a Pap and pelvic. It seemed to depend on which region of Canada the women had their exams done. You would think there would be a standard exam, performed the same on everyone. But it probably also depends on each person's medical history and current personal health condition.

This exam is focused on infectious diseases including TBC and STDs. Thus applicants must have chest X-ray performed, HIV and syphilis lab tests and thorough physical examination, including pelvic and rectal.

Rabid, isn't this what we find regularly here? A draft physical exam in one state, one year completely different from the same in another state or year? A pre-employment physical, an annual physical, a CDL physical: variances which seem unlikely, but common? So I always harp on getting the basics, what location, what year.

Living in Europe I have to have one twice a year, but that is because I have an existing heart complaint.

Could you say which government authority/administration/ministry or whatever requires you to have an exam twice a year?

I naturally understand that you yourself would want regular exams, that your doctor would recommend them, BUT you make it sound as if there is a mandatory government element involved - which I really doubt.

Maybe you could explain a bit more, paint a better background picture with more info?