A DoS medical clearance is required if you are moving permanently overseas (PCS and/or TCS) or traveling TDY overseas for more than 60 days.

A DoS medical clearance assures you that adequate medical resources are available in your new post (Russia) to treat any known health problems that you and/or your dependents might have, and that the services which are available will not adversely affect any medical condition. A medical clearance also assures you that the DoS will assist in any medical evacuation required for either you or your dependents. Dependents are only covered if they are included on your official TCS/PCS travel orders. Dependents of TDY’ers, no matter the duration of the TDY, are NOT covered.

The JSC Medical Clinic will perform the required DoS examination for you and any of your dependents, who are at least 18 years old, and are designated on your official TCS/PCS travel orders as moving overseas with you.

The JSC Medical Clinic does not have the appropriate equipment nor facilities to perform the physical examination on dependents under the age of 18. Therefore, if you have dependents under the age of 18 who are designated on your official TCS/PCS travel orders as moving overseas with you, you should get the DoS physical examination form and have your personal physician perform the examination. The completed forms must then be returned, in a sealed envelope, to the JSC Medical Clinic. Call the clinic to set up an appointment for yourself and/or any dependents over 18 years old.

Procedure

If you are a Civil Service Employee traveling overseas for more than 60 days you should immediately contact the JSC clinic to schedule the appropriate tests and examinations to meet the requirements of a DoS medical examination as defined on DoS form DS-1843 -- Medical History and Examination For Foreign Service State Department Clearance. Your spouse and any dependent children over 11 years old, if accompanying you on TCS/PCS travel orders, must also meet these requirements and complete form DS-1843. Any dependent children under 11 years old that will be accompanying you must have the appropriate tests and examinations to meet the requirements and complete a similar form, DS-1622.

You may have your spouse and/or dependent children over age 18 see their own doctor and bring the DS-1843 form back to the clinic for review. Any additional tests required can be done at the JSC Clinic. Your dependent children under age 18 must have their examinations performed by your own doctor. Please bring the DS-1622 to the JSC Clinic after your doctor has finished the tests and completely filled out the form. The JSC physicians will review DS-1622 before it is forwarded to the State Department.

*The clinic does not have the appropriate equipment nor facilities to perform the physical examinations of dependents under the age of 18.

*If the spouse chooses to see his/her private physician, the medical records review for the spouse and children of the NASA civil service employee will be conducted by a JSC Clinic physician and medical recommendations made if appropriate.

As part of the review of your medical charts, the JSC physician will look at many things, including:

• Have you been on extended travel overseas recently -- if not, a new complete physical needs to be done. If you have previously been on extended travel to Russia then your clearance may still be valid (DoS medical clearances expire after 2 years).
  
• Have you or your dependents had certain lab work done, such as: HIV, Blood Type, Alkaline Phosphate, Creatinine – if not, the lab work needs to be done. *Please note, lab work can be no older than 6 months from date taken.
  
• Are you and your dependents non-smokers and have any of you ever had TB – if the answer is yes to either, then that individual must have a chest x ray.
  
• Are you or any of your dependents pregnant – if so, it would be in the best interest to have the OB/GYN submit a statement regarding the condition of the pregnant individual.

Once all tests have been received, the JSC Clinic will complete the physician portion of the DS-1843 and/or GS-1622. The physician will then make complete a final review of the file and sign the DS-1843 and/or DS-1622. The JSC Clinic mails the form(s) via Federal Express to the State Department in Washington. The Clinic Executive Secretary maintains a log of all personnel receiving State Department physicals, and can update you on the status of your clearance request.

If the DoS approves your clearance they will send a form DS-823 to the clinic, who will file it in the manual. If further tests are pending, the DoS will notify you via mail with the same form (DS-823). It is your responsibility to follow up with these tests. You can contact the clinic with the information and the clinic will provide assistance. If you have not been cleared by the DoS and fall ill while overseas, the Embassy may not be able to provide care. In the event of a life threatening situation, the Embassy will cable the State Department for further instructions.

It usually takes at least 2 months from the date that the appropriate paperwork was sent to the DoS before they complete their review and grant a clearance.

If a contractor is instructed by NASA to go to Russia in excess of 60 days, that individual must fill out the DS-1843 form. The contractor will take the original form to Russia. The State Department does not recognize contractors, only civil service employees. Contractors going to Russia will receive medical care provided that the individual presents the original DS-1843.