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Getting an Immigration Medical Exam
When you apply for a green card, whether family based or employment based, in the United States, you usually need to have a medical examination. In general, you must get a Form I-693 completed by a USCIS designated civil surgeon to show you are free from any conditions that would render you inadmissible under the health-related grounds.
If you apply for immigration visa from US consulate overseas, then the Immigration medical exam are performed outside the United States by a panel physician designated by the Department of State.
Finding a Civil Surgeon
Except for physicians who are Public Health Service officers, only physicians designated by USCIS to act as civil surgeons may conduct an immigration medical exam in the United States and complete Form I-693.
You may use the below link to find a designated civil surgeon list
What to Bring to the Exam
Bring the following to your medical exam:
- Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Doctor’s office should have this form.
- Government-issued photo ID, such as a valid passport or driver’s license. If you are 14 years old or younger, bring identification such as your birth certificate that shows your name, date and place of birth and parent’s full name.
- Vaccination or immunization record
- Health insurance card (check with the doctor’s office if they take your health insurance)
- Payment – call a few doctors to find out how much they charge as price may vary.
After the exam, the doctor will complete Form I-693 and seal the form in an envelope for you to submit to USCIS. Please do not open the sealed envelope.
You may wish to get a copy of the completed Form I-693 for your personal records.
Do I Have to Submit the Medical Examination Report When I File My Application?
No. You may submit it with the filing or at any time after filing and before USCIS adjudication. However, it is extremely difficult for you to submit any documents after the filing without an RFE from the USCIS. Therefore usually you will wait for the USCIS send you an RFE for the report or wait until your CIS interview time so you can bring the report with you to the interview.
Signature Requirement
| Age 14 or Older | The applicant must sign Form I-693. |
| Under Age 14 | Either the applicant, a parent, or legal guardian may sign the Form I-693. |
Validity Period of Form I-693 (Including Use of Prior Versions)
The USCIS issued a new policy on the validity of the medical exam report in 2018, which became effective on November 1, 2018. See below chart for easy reference.
| Form I-693 Submitted to USCIS Before November 1, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| When did civil surgeon sign? | When was your application filed with USCIS? | I-693 valid through |
| No more than 1 year before I-693 submitted to USCIS | More than 60 days after civil surgeon signed the I-693 | 1 year from date you submitted I-693 to USCIS |
| No more than 60 days before your application filed with USCIS | No more than 60 days after civil surgeon signed the I-693 | 2 years from date civil surgeon signed I-693 |
| After your application was filed with USCIS | Before the civil surgeon signed the I-693 | 2 years from date civil surgeon signed I-693 |
| More than 1 year before I-693 submitted to USCIS | N/A – I-693 not valid at time you submit I-693 to USCIS | |
| Form I-693 Submitted to USCIS On or After November 1, 2018 | |
|---|---|
| When did civil surgeon sign? | I-693 valid through |
| No more than 60 days before you file application with USCIS | 2 years from date civil surgeon signed I-693 |
| After you filed application with USCIS | 2 years from date civil surgeon signed I-693 |
| More than 60 days before you filed application with USCIS | N/A – I-693 not valid at time you submit I-693 to USCIS |
If you have any immigration issue or concerns, whether family based green card or employment based green card matter, please check with your trusted immigration lawyer first! Call the Law Office of Tricia Wang at (510) 791-0232 or send us an email at tricia@wangslaw.com to schedule an initial consultation with our lawyer. We will waive the consultation fee if we are retained by you for the case.
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