A Detailed Guide What to Expect at Your Green Card Medical Exam.note¶

Source: /Volumes/X9 Pro/ObsNotes/YoudaoYunNotes/A Detailed Guide What to Expect at Your Green Card Medical Exam.note.pdf Converted: 2025-12-10 12:17:05

A Detailed Guide: What to Expect at Your

Green Card Medical Exam

Samantha February 21, 2017 0

In order to apply for a U.S. green card (lawful permanent resident status), you must undergo a

medical examination. The purpose behind the examination is to ensure that you are not inadmissible

to the United States on public health grounds.

However, you cannot simply undergo a medical examination with your regular doctor. Instead, a civil

surgeon who has been specifically designated by the U.S. government must perform the required

medical examination. The civil surgeons who are qualified to perform green card medical

examinations receive special, ongoing training in these areas.

Finding an authorized civil surgeon

If you are applying for your green card from overseas through a U.S. consulate or embassy (known

as Immigrant Visa Processing), the consulate will provide you with a list of authorized civil surgeons

before you attend your visa interview. You can also access the list . Choose your country from

the drop down menu and you will be provided with a list of doctors.

If you are applying for your green card from within the United States (known as Adjustment of

Status), you can find the list of qualified civil surgeons in your area . Simply enter your zip code

and the website will generate the list of doctors closest to you.

What to bring to the medical examination

In preparation for the medical exam, you should be sure to bring the following:

• Valid passport or other government issued photo identification;

• Your vaccination records;

• If you are adjusting status, a copy of Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination

Record;

• The required fee (varies by doctor);

• If applying abroad, the required number of U.S. passport photos (varies by country);

• For anyone in your family immigrating with learning disabilities, a report of their condition and any

special education or supervision requirements;

• If you are being treated for a chronic medical condition or taking medications on a regular basis, a

list of the medications (also be prepared to explain your conditions);

• If you’ve had a previous positive skin test for tuberculosis (TB), a certificate from your doctor giving

the circumstances of the positive test result, indicating any treatment prescribed and how long it

lasted. If you have ever been diagnosed with tuberculosis, you must present a written certification,

signed by your doctor, proving that you were adequately treated. The certificate must include dates

and types of medications you took;

• If you have had syphilis, a written certificate, signed by a doctor or public health official, proving that

you were adequately treated;

• If you have a history of harmful or violent behavior resulting in injury to people or animals,

information that will allow the doctor to determine whether the behavior was related to a psychiatric or

medical problem, or to drug or alcohol use; and

here

• If you have been treated or hospitalized for psychiatric or mental illness, or alcohol or drug abuse,

written certification including the diagnosis, length of treatment, and your prognosis.

What the doctor will examine & administer

Standard Physical

The doctor will conduct a standard physical, as you have likely received from your regular doctor

before. The doctor will look at your eyes, ears, nose and throat, extremities, abdomen, lymph nodes,

skin, and external genitalia. They will also listen to your heart and your breathing.

Vaccinations

The civil surgeon will look over your vaccination records to let you know if you will need any

vaccinations in order to complete your immigration medical exam. If you have received all required

vaccinations and have all necessary records, you will not need to receive any additional vaccinations.

If vaccines are required to complete your medical exam, they can be provided on that day or

rescheduled for a date in the near future if required.

If you have received vaccinations in the past but do not have your vaccination records, you have the

option of having blood titers drawn to prove your immunity. Blood titers are blood tests that can check

for certain antibodies against certain diseases. If you have had a full series of vaccinations in the

past, the blood titers will prove that you are immune to the disease and do not require the

vaccinations. However, if a blood titer comes back as not immune, the vaccination is then required.

The vaccinations required include:

• Hepatitis A and B

• Influenza

• Influenza type b (Hib)

• Measles

• Meningococcal

• Mumps

• Pneumococcal

• Pertussis

• Polio

• Rotavirus

• Rubella

• Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids

• Varicella

Tuberculosis (TB) Screening

All applicants two years of age or older are required to have a tuberculin skin test (TST). Children

younger than age two are required to have a TST if there is evidence of contact with a person known

to have TB or if there is other reason to suspect TB. If evidence of TB infection is found, a chest X-

ray is required. Any person with a positive skin test reaction of more than 5mm will also be required

to undergo a chest X-ray.

After the TST is administered, the doctor will ask you to return in 48 to 72 hours for the results to be

read. If the results are measured as 5mm or larger, you will then be required to have the chest X-ray

to rule out tuberculosis as the cause.

Pregnant women must still undergo the X-ray if the TST is found to be 5mm or larger.

Syphilis Blood Test

All applicants age 15 and older are required to be tested for syphilis by USCIS, as well as applicants

14 and under who have symptoms of syphilis or a history of syphilis. The syphilis screening is a blood

draw to determine if the applicant has syphilis. The blood draw must be done at the same time as the

medical exam and at the civil surgeon’s designated laboratory. If syphilis is detected, the applicant

will need to be treated before the I-693 form can be completed.

Gonorrhea Urine Test

All applicants age 15 and older are required to be tested for gonorrhea by USCIS, as well as

applicants 14 and under who have symptoms of gonorrhea or a history of gonorrhea. The gonorrhea

screening is a simple urine collection. If gonorrhea is detected in the sample, the applicant will need

to be treated before the I-693 forms can be completed.

*Applicants should be sure to confirm that the civil surgeon properly completes the form to indicate

that the test for gonorrhea was administered.*

Illnesses or conditions that may make you inadmissible

Only certain medical conditions can make you inadmissible to the United States under the

Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.), under Sections 212(a) and 221(d). These include:

• A communicable disease of public health significance. These include active tuberculosis, gonorrhea,

infectious leprosy, and infectious syphilis. HIV was removed from this list on Jan. 4, 2010.

• A physical or mental disorder and a history of behavior associated with the disorder that may pose

or has posed a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of the applicant or others.

• A physical or mental disorder and a history of behavior associated with the disorder that may pose

or has posed a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of the alien or others, and which behavior is

likely to recur or lead to other harmful behavior.

• Abuse of or addiction to drugs.

Submitting the results of your medical exam

If you are applying for your green card abroad through visa processing, the civil surgeon will either

give you the medical examination to hand-carry to the visa interview or they will send the results

directly to the U.S. consulate or embassy. If it is given to you by hand, do not open the envelope. The

embassy will not accept the medical exam if it has been opened.

If you are applying for your green card through adjustment of status, the doctor will complete Form I-

693 and give it to you in a sealed envelope. Do not open the envelope. You must then submit the

sealed examination with your application to USCIS. The envelope will not be accepted if it is not

sealed.

The results of your examination remain valid for up to one year before you file your application for a

green card.

If you are interested in applying for a green card or would like to explore your options for immigrating

to the United States, please to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys

today!

Only designated doctors are able to conduct the exam

Only certain doctors designated by the USCIS, also called civil surgeons, are able to conduct the exam. You

can find a doctor close to you by using

You must provide a record of all previous vaccinations

contact our office

this online tool.

The record includes hepatitis A and B, and varicella. You will be required to be vaccinated for any diseases

for which you cannot provide a vaccination record. The number of vaccines given will vary according to your

medical history and the season. For example, the influenza vaccine is only given from October through

March.

The doctor will ask you questions to assess your mental health

One of the key points of the exam is to determine if there are any mental health concerns such as drug

abuse or harmful behavior that might make you ineligible for a green card. The civil surgeon may ask you

questions that seem out of place in an attempt to analyze your behavior and reactions.

You will be tested for communicable diseases

The doctor will conduct a physical exam to evaluate the existence of symptoms associated with sexually

transmitted diseases or leprosy. A blood test will be conducted to determine the existence of syphilis.

A tuberculosis test also called a tuberculin skin test, will also take place. In this case, you will have to come

back to the doctor’s office two days later so that he or she can analyze your skin reactions associated with

the test. If the initial tuberculosis screening is clear, no additional measures are necessary. If the initial

screening results are not satisfactory, a chest X-ray will be prescribed for further investigation.

If the final results for any of the communicable diseases are positive, proper treatment will be prescribed by

the doctor.