[coyotewildwomen]

Hi,

We are getting to the point of needing to complete a physical for our application process. We have not gotten our packet yet, but the representative has said it is in the mail. Do we need to use an approved NZIS physician to complete our medicals or will our regular internal medicine doctor work? We are going in for physicals early next month, which we pay for out of pocket, and we don't want to turn around and do it again with another doctor approved by NZIS. The link on the immigration site does not work. Can anyone provide me with any answers based on their experience?

Thanks,

Wendy

[clg]

It depends on where you are from. If you are in the UK you have to go to the people they specifiy where as in the US you can use your own doctor.

Chris

[veronica]

Hiya in the UK we do but not sure if the same rules apply to USA. Have you checked the NZIS or dropped them an email. I also have a feeling this was a thread a month or so ago so might be worth doing a forum search. Which city you aiming towards still Chch. regards Veronica

[shagen]

Hi Wendy,

It depends on where the doctors are located not so much where you are from. We are from Malaysia and we have a list of physicans approved by NZIS but if we were to drive across the border to Singapore, we can see any doctor we want!

All this information is available at the NZIS website Panel Doctors (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workandlivepermanently/LinkAdministration/ToolboxLinks/PanelDoctors.htm?level=1)

Hope this helps.

Shagen

[feathers]

Hi there

In the USA you definitely don't need to use an NZIS approved physician in fact there aren't any even if you get get the link to work on the NZIS website you would find no physicians in the US.

I actually called NZIS to ask them this question and they said that in the USA they have no approved doctors and your regular primary care physician can complete the forms

Hope this helps
feathers

[RoadRunner]

Be careful though - not all US Doctors are willing to do immigration medicals. It took me a couple of tries to find one. And the doctor has to be board certified. There was only one board certified doctor on my husband's insurance plan in the Tucson area willing to do this...

good luck.

[sweetpea]

Yikes. Board certified in what? Internal Medicine? Family Medicine?

[cloudboy99]

That typically means your GP. From what I read in the Med form instructions, you can't use a Nurse Practitioner (my wife's gotta find a real MD).

[clg]

Roadrunner,

I have to schedule this soon and don't currently have a Dr so I need to find one. Did you just call them up and ask if they do immigration physicals?

Chris

[RoadRunner]

Did you just call them up and ask if they do immigration physicals?
Yes, exactly. I tried to explain (in advance, when I made the reservation) just how in-depth the forms were, that we needed this done by the doctor, etc. They still only scheduled 15 minutes!! The doctor was running through the form so quickly he did little more than glance at us when we first walked in, then proceeded to mark "no" down the forms as fast as he could. We actually had to stop him at a couple of points to clarify a few things!

Also, be careful that he does your height in metres and weight in kilograms. He marked ours incorrectly, then had to fix, miscalculated, etc. A nightmare - mine is still 10Kg over the actual weight but he wasn't in the mood to correct it.

Anyhow, not sure how typical our experience was. It took a good half day when you add in going to three different places (doctor's, blood test, x-ray).

Then we had to go back a week later for the results of the blood tests...

So much fun! :roll:

Good luck Chris!

[cloudboy99]

Also be sure to note that it is more of a physical than "traveling overseas". I still have to call my GP back and schedule an appointment because the receptionist kept insisting that I need to go to the county traveler's clinic (immunizations only) instead of seeing a real doctor. Fortunately they're close by so I'm just going to go in there with the form (or a copy of) and show them what I need the doctor to fill out.