# Chest Xrays before medical appointment?



## ntoolan

Bonjour again,

Today I received a letter for OFII with a date next week for my medical appointment.


According to the letter, there are some basic documents I need to bring: passport (and I'll bring the document showing the validation of my visa) and vaccination record (I have an international yellow card showing many inoculations that I'll bring).

They also require a list of hospitalizations. Is that just a list I can create myself, with estimated dates and places?

They also ask for my most recent chest xrays. I thought they would do the chest xray, so I'm a bit confused. I plan to call tomorrow and get this clarified but I'm just curious if anyone else has received a similar letter. 

It seems some of the requirements and process have changed based on the experiences of some of my friends who have been here for several years. 

Merci.


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## Bevdeforges

For any "list" they ask for, you can certainly make your own list. Some countries actually have a card for immunizations, but many don't. Hospitalizations are the same.

The request for a chest x-ray is an odd one, since medical exams these days don't tend to call for a chest x-ray and even if they did, in the US you don't get a copy of your x-rays like you do in France. 

Probably not a bad idea to call them just to check, but I'm sure they'll wind up arranging for you to have an x-ray. 

I once had a minor accident when I was visiting back in the States. Went to a local hospital to get checked out and they did decide to take an x-ray. In talking to the doctor, I mentioned how we get a copy of our x-ray here in France to take in to show our GP. The doctor (or technician) said "no problem" and made me a copy of the x-ray to take back home with me (which I did). Never needed to show it to my GP here, but I still have it, should anyone ask.


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## RayRay

ntoolan said:


> ...They also ask for my most recent chest xrays. I thought they would do the chest xray, so I'm a bit confused. I plan to call tomorrow and get this clarified but I'm just curious if anyone else has received a similar letter...


I notice you’re in the Dordogne. If you’re going to the Bordeaux OFII, here’s what I can tell you:

It’s not easy to find (at least, it wasn’t for us). It’s on a walking street near a large park that to us looked a bit sketchy at the time. There’s a very small sign about 10 feet high on a wall that simply says “OFII”. Give yourself enough time to find the office and look up to locate the sign.

When we arrived 6 years ago, the convocation letter from the OFII mentioned the x-ray. Unless something has changed, the x-ray demonstrates one does / doesn’t have tuberculosis. 

We didn’t realize that the OFII offered x-rays (which they did at the Bordeaux OFII at that time). The letter may not have said whether they did/didn’t. Our French, however, would have certainly been insufficient to figure that out unless it was very clearly stated. We asked a neighbor where to get one and she suggested a nearby x-ray center. We called the x-ray center, explained we wanted the x-rays for the OFII, and made an appointment. We brought the x-rays with us and the OFII accepted them. 

I think you’re correct to call the OFII (assuming you can reach them by phone). They may still provide x-rays, which will make your life easier. If you have to provide your own x-ray, they’re inexpensive (under 30€ if memory serves).

Best of luck.

Ray


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## kjstinson

The letter you received should have two appointments on it. Ours had a medical office for xrays at 8:00 am and OFII appointment at 8:30 am. They were at two different address (listed) but within walking distance. The xrays took about 15 minutes and they hand you the xrays to bring to the OFII. This was in Montpellier last year.

They didn't care about vaccinations. I brought nothing with me. Just asked if we had them and we said yes. 

Good luck.

Karen


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## libbylovespluto

Our experience in Bordeaux was the same as kjstinson's. Our letter from the OFII listed two appointments: one for the radiograph in the AM and one at the OFII office in the PM. I brought vaccination records, nothing else, and the vaccination records weren't requested

If you're going to Bordeaux, we were there in December and queued up about 25 minutes before they opened for the afternoon. We were 5th or 6th in line. After check in they took everyone in precise reverse order, so the last to arrive was first, and about 3 hours later we were called. YMMV


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## DC12345

Hi. I just found this thread and had the same questions -- I received my appointment letter from OFII (finally) which mentions: 
Le jour de la visite, vous devez vous présenter muni de :

la présente convocation,
votre passeport, votre carnet de vaccination, vos radiologies pulmonaires récentes, vos comptes rendus
d'hospitalisation, vos lunettes de vue ainsi que votre carnet de maternité le cas échéant.
Je vous précise qu'il n'est pas nécessaire d'être à jeun.

So the same question -- is it a requirement for me to get the chest X-ray done before the appointment and bring it with me OR will get the chest X-ray done AT the appointment? 

Thank you.


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## Keri22

DC12345 said:


> Hi. I just found this thread and had the same questions -- I received my appointment letter from OFII (finally) which mentions:
> Le jour de la visite, vous devez vous présenter muni de :
> 
> la présente convocation,
> votre passeport, votre carnet de vaccination, vos radiologies pulmonaires récentes, vos comptes rendus
> d'hospitalisation, vos lunettes de vue ainsi que votre carnet de maternité le cas échéant.
> Je vous précise qu'il n'est pas nécessaire d'être à jeun.
> 
> So the same question -- is it a requirement for me to get the chest X-ray done before the appointment and bring it with me OR will get the chest X-ray done AT the appointment?
> 
> Thank you.


when I did Ofii they did the xray. I had none to bring. I also did a hand written list of my vaccinations.


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## DC12345

Keri22 said:


> when I did Ofii they did the xray. I had none to bring. I also did a hand written list of my vaccinations.


Thank you Keri!


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## Xyz789

My x-ray had to be done beforehand and shown to the OFII medical expert on the day of the OFII appointment - this was stated in the paperwork I received (and you had to go to a particular medical office for OFII to pay for it, otherwise you would have to pay the fee yourself). You could send your local OFII office an email if you are not 100% sure? (Mine answered questions by email)


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## RayRay

DC12345 said:


> Hi. I just found this thread and had the same questions -- I received my appointment letter from OFII (finally) which mentions:
> Le jour de la visite, vous devez vous présenter muni de :
> 
> la présente convocation,
> votre passeport, votre carnet de vaccination, vos radiologies pulmonaires récentes, vos comptes rendus
> d'hospitalisation, vos lunettes de vue ainsi que votre carnet de maternité le cas échéant.
> Je vous précise qu'il n'est pas nécessaire d'être à jeun.
> 
> So the same question -- is it a requirement for me to get the chest X-ray done before the appointment and bring it with me OR will get the chest X-ray done AT the appointment?
> 
> Thank you.


When we had our OFII interview, we weren't clear about it either, however, we simply went to a radiology center and requested the X-Rays. The cost, as with everything medical in France, was negligible (probably under $30 US). When we went for our meeting, they were very happy to accept our X-Rays...and we discovered (in 2012) that they also offered X-Rays at the OFII. 

If you have a question, it's probably best to ask the OFII (or ask a neighbor to ask on your behalf). Much has potentially changed since 2012.

Best of luck. 

Ray


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## bhamham

I went to my OFII medical exam last Dec in Rennes. I got the same letter requesting you to bring your chest x-ray. I didn't have one so they took the x-ray there. I had an old WHO vaccination card that I brought. In Rennes, the two sites weren't that close to one another.


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## bdelancy

This forum never ceases to amaze me with the wealth of information available and how it always seems that someone else has the same question I do at the same time.

I just received my OFII letter for an appointment in Montpellier and based on the above, I think I am good to go on the x-ray question. I am a little perplexed about how to address the vaccination and hospitalization questions, however. 

Other than Covid-19 vaccines, I don't really have a clue which ones I have and when I got them. How have the rest of you addressed that problem.


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## Bevdeforges

Vaccination and hospitalization records aren't a hard and fast "requirement." Think about it and make a list before you go for your appointment. Their real purpose is to get a medical history of sorts - and if you're old enough to retire, chances are for many of the now-standard vaccinations you will have simply had (measles/mumps/chicken pox) as a child and that's what you can tell them. I expect you should remember any serious hospitalizations as an adult - and then it's just a matter of whether or not you had your tonsils out, appendicitis and any other operations. They really don't need exact dates or places - just "when I was a child" or "when I was in high school or college" or something simple like that.


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## bdelancy

Merci - again.


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