The Medical Process for the physical at SLEC

 

St. Luke's Extension Clinic (SLEC)

 

USEM recommends having the medical 7 ‐ 10 days before the interview. To help in processing your medical appointment (no appointment is needed as it is a first come first serve) you will need the interview confirmation page that you printed and the emailed confir-mation page from NVC with your MNL#. If you do not have the NVC letter then take a screen shot from the CEAC page from here. Again, you do not have to wait for your NOA2.

 

PREREGISTER (this is not to make an appointment just to complete their form so you do not have to wait around till you complete one there on the day chose to do your medical) at St. Luke's website, it saves time when you arrive. There is no need to arrive any earlier then just before 6:15 am for your exam. SLEC is slower on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday because children need to be seen earlier in the week because of TB skin test. So if you want to avoid a lot of children then choose to go later in the week. They request that applicants only show up for the appointment, all others will need to entertain themselves while waiting for their fiance to finish their medical.

 

Information from the embassy about the medical.   

 

Also, you will need your DS-160 for the second day.  Copies of all documents are fine. KEEP the original safe. Bring all the above to your medical appointment.

 

Note: Gentleman if you are in the Phils with your fiancé(e) before the medical NO "personal" contact until AFTER St. Luke's is completed.  SLEC will ask your fiancé(e) during the interview and this will have a bearing on her medical.  SLEC may, at their discretion, require a new appointment.

 

SLEC is known for how cold it is inside so we recommend a light jacket or sweater. Also, you may spend the entire day there so bring a few snacks with you to help satisfy your hunger.

Required documents can be found here. 

 

The medical is normally a two day process, exam first day and shots are given on the 2nd day.

 

The medical exam fee is PhP 11,300.00 for adults (15 years and older) and PhP 8,600.00 for children (under 15 years of age). SLEC does accept credit card and personal checks. The fees must be paid in Philippine pesos on the day of the exam.

 

TB sputum notes: If you have to do the culture test, keep close track of the visa validity date (when you

receive your visa, as it is tied to the initial medical date, so you will be short of the 6 months), you may only have 90 to 120 days before the visa expires.

 

TB treatement notes: If you have to do the 6 months of treatment, commonly referred to as DOT (directly observed therapy) you will have to pay for a second medical at completion. USEM will move your appointment date upon notification from SLEC.

 

SLEC follows the protocol as per the "CDC Immigration Requirements for TB Screening and Treatment." You can read more HERE.

 

After you complete DOT you will avail yourself for another medical (requires another payment for another medical exam as well). SLEC will complete a DS-2054 form do to your TB conditions and will include with your medical exam results.

 

Very Important: SLEC will release the medical exam results directly to the applicants unless instructed otherwise by the Panel Physician. Applicants are required to bring the sealed medical report to their scheduled interview at the U.S. Embassy Manila. Tampered pouches will not be accepted in the interview and applicants will be instructed to return the pouch to SLEC for reseal.

 

It is important that you have your medical examination report with you when you come to the Embassy for your visa interview. Otherwise, your visa application will be refused or you may be asked to return for another appointment.  Be sure to confirm with SLEC that they indeed sent your medical examination report to SLEC if they have not given it to you for deliverly to USEM when you have your interview.

 

When returning to SLEC (for results/vaccinations) bring the following:

 

• Passport 

• Appointment letter/confirmation page (original & 1 photocopy, or 2 copies of email or page from website) 

• SLEC official receipt. 

• DS-160 confirmation page

 

My Fiancé(e) Tested Positive for TB - Now What happens?

 

Its hard news to accept at the beginning, but you will survive if you remain focused to your love one.

 

Initially there are 3 sputum samples collected over 3 days. This occurs sometime around a week or so after the initial x-ray shows signs of past or present TB. Those samples are used to determine if the suspected case is in fact TB. It only takes one of those samples to go positive for the case to be classified as TB positive. Expect to receive a call from SLEC about 3 weeks after the sputum collection. SLEC will also inform you of the date that you should call in for results.

 

After positive determination, SLEC does a series of 3 sputum tests during the 6 month DOT process. Each test is 2 samples. The final 2 sputum samples are collected at the end of the 5th month of DOT. Those are taken over 2 days, 24 hours apart. That culture will marinade for 2 months. The DOT administration is weekdays only and at SLEC only (you cannot use your private physician - USEM rules not SLEC) and they're closed on weekends and holidays. There's a return trip required at the end of the 7th month to get the final sputum results, redo medical and to get the treatment paperwork.

 

If your fiance(e) is from outside the Manila area they will require suitable accommodations. A bed-spacer close to SLEC will cost approximately 5,000php a month. An apartment is about 15,000php plus utilities. Most chose the apartment route and budget about 30,000php a month for everything.

 

It's a 9 month process from the point of X-ray detection if the sputum is positive. That's if all goes well.

 

What Happens To My Current Visa Application While I Complete DOT?

 

Your CEAC status will change from Refused to Ready when the embassy removes the hold that is placed on your case as a result of SLEC reporting the positive TB to them. Ready status happens after the embassy opens the sealed medical report and at that time changes CEAC to Ready.

 

If you get an appointment to interview the day after or shortly thereafter the re-medical, when CEAC is still stating "refused" it will not be a problem, as the paperwork all catches up. So go ahead and schedule your interview at USEM and by doing so, you will have cut off two to three weeks wait time.

 

                                                                                                            Map to SLEC