Sarcoidosis

[slavvie]

Can anyone help.
I found this website last nite and found a post from last year, someone had applied for PR and had been granted that had SARCOIDOSIS.
We have received our ITA, i have a job offer for end Feb
Problem...my husband has just had his xray and has found he has this same condition.
How do i contact the person who posted this thread if the discussion is closed and was from a year ago.
I am desperate to know if they have let one person in with the condition do you think they will let others in with it ?
Please help....
Thanks

[sophiedb]

hi slavvie,

I don't know how to answer your question, however I did search the Residence Review Board decisions (http://www.residencereviewboard.govt.nz/srchres.aspx) and found no cases containing the term "sarcoidosis".

From this I would deduce that whoever it was who applied before with that condition (nor any others) didn't have to go for a medical waiver

best wishes!

[JandM]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

I presume this is the thread you found. http://www.enz.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-19093.html
I'm afraid the person there who mentioned sarcoidosis hasn't been back to the forum since September 2008, so you aren't likely to attract their attention.

However, on the matter of granting PR - the point about the medicals is that they are (mainly) checking for a state of health that isn't going to cost the NZ health service over $25,000 in the first four years. If a condition is there, but isn't giving the person any problems, or is controlled by medication (of the sort that doesn't cost an arm and a leg), they are allowed in anyway. As you say your husbands sarcoidosis was discovered by the X-rays for the medical, presumably it hasn't been causing him any trouble up till now. What will probably happen is that his medical will be 'referred' (which means that a medical assessor in NZ will look over his records, and may ask for more details from your doctor, or for a specialist to be seen, or for tests to be done, as s/he thinks appropriate). If these further details state that the condition isn't causing him problems, hasn't needed treatment and isn't likely to need treatment, then he's likely to be accepted. Unfortunately, this is going to take a bit of time.

[cani]

When I did my medical in February, an xray showed a problem, I did a search of this forum to see if anyone else had gone through the same and what had happened to them. They got their PR but weren't posting anymore and I had questions so I posted in the lounge if anyone knew them which someone did and helped me contact them so I could ask for what I needed to know. Perhaps you could do the same, good luck.


Kristina

[slavvie]

Thankyou so much guys for your speedy replies, you are correct he has no symptoms, is not suffering in anyway and at the moment the consultant said they will monitor him every 6 months but no teatment is needed.
Hopefully this is good news.
My job is to start end of FEB...do they still try and push ITA's with job offers through in a matter of weeks, I read somewhere it should only take an extra 1-2 weeks for a medical referral. I just hope we will not need a medical waiver.

[slavvie]

Hi Sophie
If you are turned down due to health issues and need a medical waiver is this where all applications are posted if refused. I have looked at website link and all these health issues are severe

[JandM]

I can imagine how you must be feeling, now this has thrown a spanner in the works all of a sudden. Hang in there!

As Sophie says above, nobody appears in the records as having had a medical waiver for sarcoidosis, AND the forum member on that old thread reported how they had been accepted WITH the condition, so it looks very unlikely that you would have to go the medical waiver route.

Another important thing to know is that the MAs are an independent body from NZIS. Your CO can't do anything to hurry them up or influence them in any way. Also, apparently, medical records have to be sent by ordinary mail from London to NZ - it's not just a matter of emailing them. And you yourself can't communicate with the MA.

For the rest of it, nobody can tell you timings for certain. NZ immigration is a big bureaucracy, and it takes the time it takes, maddening as this can be. In general, people with job offers see their case processed more quickly, and if there is an employer waiting for you, it seems that some COs do try to get PR done in time (though others have replied rather stingily that people shouldn't make arrangements till after their case is dealt with). HOWEVER, there is a fall-back available, in the shape of getting a work permit to tide you over till they finish dealing with PR, and your CO can advise about that. Talk to your CO - don't just be in limbo trying to second-guess NZIS.

Sorry not to be able to tell you a brilliant way through straight off, but try not to be too worried.

[JandM]

Here's the official list of medical conditions that will automatically be refused. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/index.htm As you will see, sarcoidosis is NOT there.

[72andsunny]

Can anyone help.
I found this website last nite and found a post from last year, someone had applied for PR and had been granted that had SARCOIDOSIS.
We have received our ITA, i have a job offer for end Feb
Problem...my husband has just had his xray and has found he has this same condition.
How do i contact the person who posted this thread if the discussion is closed and was from a year ago.
I am desperate to know if they have let one person in with the condition do you think they will let others in with it ?
Please help....
Thanks

Disclaimer #1: Everything I know about sarcoidosis I learned from watching House.
Disclaimer #2: I hate it when I post a question to an internet forum, and then someone answers some other question I did not ask.

With that in mind:

Slavvie, sarcoidosis is rather difficult to diagnosis. Has it been confirmed with a CT, biopsy, or anything else? How old is your husband/where is he from? And of course, the ever popular question: any travel in the last decade?

I agree with the others that this is not a show stopper (and they're all more knowledgeable about immigration stuff than me). However, I am certain NZIS will be wondering the same things as me: Namely, is this really sarcoidosis, or is it something more serious, expensive, or contagious? I would expect your husband to be put through the ringer of tests (to rule out things like TB, etc.) After all that, a letter from his doctor stating no symptoms, no expected need for treatment should be sufficient to warrant approval.

[slavvie]

Hi there

Thanks for the reply, my husband is 42 from UK, sarcoidosis was diagnosed after the xray from medicals showed patches on his lungs then a CT scan was done to confirm along with blood tests which showed the raised levels in calcium and something else that is a pointer to sarcoidosis.
He is very fit and healthy even the consultant said this, no symptoms and no treatment needed certainly not at the moment, they will monitor him every 6 months to see whether this prognosis is changing.
We are awaiting a letter from the consultant to be sent to the doctor confiming all of this, the doctor will also write a report for us to send in with our ITA, I will also send his chest xray as it is on his lungs.
I am wondering with all this info whether they will also ask for more evidence or will they be satisfied with these reports and obviously the report from the MA, hopefully we will not then need a medical waiver !!
I am hoping that the timescale is not too long as i have a job offer for FEB...