Prior to the visa interview at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy for an immigrant visa or for a K-1, fiance visa, the applicant must undergo a medical examination with the consular post's panel physician. As part of that medical exam, the applicant will be asked about prior drug and alcohol use, and a blood sample will be taken to test for drugs in the system. If the drug test comes back positive, the visa will be denied, and the applicant will need to wait 3 years before applying again. Thus, it is very important that the applicant have a clean system at the time of the medical exam.
If, after 3 years, the applicant wishes to apply for the visa again, he or she will also need to apply for a waiver of inadmissibility. If the visa application is based on a relationship with a U.S. citizen, either as the spouse or the fiance, the applicant will need to show extreme hardship to the U.S. citizen if the U.S. citizen must (1) live in the applicant's home country in order to be with the applicant; and (2) live in the U.S. without the applicant.
