Immigration Medical Exam: How to Find a Doctor Near You

Why You Need a Specific Type of Doctor

The immigration medical exam required for most green card applications is not something your regular family doctor can perform. USCIS requires that the exam be conducted by a "civil surgeon" — a physician who has been specifically designated by USCIS to perform immigration medical examinations. Only civil surgeons are authorized to complete Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, which is the form that gets submitted with your green card application.

This requirement exists because the immigration medical exam follows specific protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and USCIS. The exam screens for certain communicable diseases, checks your vaccination history against CDC requirements, and evaluates whether you have any physical or mental health conditions that could make you inadmissible to the United States. A regular checkup with your primary care physician does not satisfy this requirement, no matter how thorough it is.

How to Find a Civil Surgeon Near You

USCIS maintains an online tool that lets you search for designated civil surgeons by location. Here is how to use it:

1. Go to the USCIS website at uscis.gov
2. Navigate to the "Find a Doctor" tool (you can search for "civil surgeon" in the USCIS search bar)
3. Enter your ZIP code or city and state
4. The tool will return a list of USCIS-designated civil surgeons in your area, along with their contact information

When choosing a civil surgeon, consider these practical factors:

• Distance and availability. Some areas have many civil surgeons; rural areas may have very few. You may need to travel to find one.
• Cost. Civil surgeons set their own fees for the immigration medical exam. USCIS does not regulate what they charge. Costs vary widely — from around $100 to $500 or more depending on the area, the doctor, and whether vaccinations are needed. Call ahead and ask for the total cost including the exam fee, any lab work, and vaccination costs.
• Vaccination availability. Some civil surgeons administer vaccinations on-site. Others will complete the exam but require you to get vaccinations separately and return with proof. Having a civil surgeon who does everything in one office can save you time.
• Language. If English is not your primary language, you may want to find a civil surgeon who speaks your language or bring a trusted interpreter.
• Appointment wait times. Popular civil surgeons in major cities may have wait times of several weeks. Book your appointment well in advance of your I-485 filing date or interview date.

What the Immigration Medical Exam Includes

The immigration medical exam conducted by the civil surgeon includes several components:

Medical history review: The doctor will ask about your medical history, including past illnesses, surgeries, hospitalizations, and current medications. Be honest and thorough — providing inaccurate information can cause problems later.

Physical examination: The doctor will conduct a standard physical exam including checking your eyes, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, skin, and extremities. The exam is looking for signs of certain communicable diseases or conditions that could affect admissibility.

Tuberculosis screening: TB screening is required for all applicants. This typically involves either a tuberculin skin test (TST) or an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) blood test. If either test is positive, you will need a chest X-ray. If the X-ray shows anything abnormal, additional testing (such as sputum cultures) may be required. TB screening is one of the most common causes of delays in the medical exam process.

Blood tests: Depending on your age and circumstances, the civil surgeon may order blood tests for syphilis and other conditions as required by CDC guidelines. The specific tests required can change as CDC updates its technical instructions.

Vaccination review: The civil surgeon will review your vaccination records against the CDC-required vaccination schedule for immigration purposes. The required vaccines include (but may not be limited to): mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus and diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, varicella, pneumococcal disease, seasonal influenza (if in season), and COVID-19. The specific list is set by CDC and can change. If you are missing any required vaccinations, you will need to get them before the civil surgeon can complete Form I-693.

Mental health screening: The doctor will conduct a basic mental health assessment as part of the exam. This is typically a brief evaluation, not a comprehensive psychiatric examination.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

Preparation can save you from needing multiple visits. Bring the following to your appointment:

• Government-issued photo ID (passport is ideal)
• Your vaccination records. This is critical. If you have childhood vaccination records from your home country, bring them. If you were vaccinated in the U.S., bring those records too. The more complete your vaccination records, the fewer new vaccinations you will need — and the lower your cost.
• Any prior TB test results — especially if you have ever tested positive for TB in the past
• Your I-485 receipt notice or other proof of your pending application (some civil surgeons request this)
• Form I-693 — some civil surgeons prefer that you bring a blank copy of the form with the biographical section already filled in; others prefer to handle the entire form themselves. Ask when you schedule the appointment.
• Payment. Most civil surgeons require payment at the time of service. Many do not accept insurance for the immigration exam. Ask about accepted payment methods when you schedule.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

The immigration medical exam is straightforward for most applicants, but problems do arise:

• Missing vaccination records. If you cannot find your childhood vaccination records, the civil surgeon may need to either draw blood (titers) to check your immunity levels or re-vaccinate you. Both options add cost and time. Start looking for your records early.
• Positive TB test. A positive TB skin test or blood test does not mean you have active TB — many people, especially those born in countries where TB is common, test positive due to prior BCG vaccination or latent TB infection. If you test positive, you will need a chest X-ray. If the X-ray is clear, the civil surgeon can still complete the I-693. If the X-ray shows abnormalities, additional testing is needed, which can add weeks to the process.
• Expired I-693. Form I-693 has a validity period. As of the most recent USCIS policy, the form is valid for two years from the date the civil surgeon signs it. If your I-485 processing takes longer than expected and your I-693 expires, you may need to get a new medical exam. This is frustrating and expensive but sometimes unavoidable with long processing times.
• Choosing the wrong doctor. If you accidentally get a medical exam from a doctor who is not a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, the I-693 will be rejected. Always verify that the doctor is on the USCIS civil surgeon list before scheduling.
• Not bringing the sealed envelope. The civil surgeon will complete Form I-693 and place it in a sealed envelope. Do not open this envelope. Submit it sealed with your I-485 application or bring it sealed to your interview. If the envelope is opened, USCIS may reject it and require a new exam.

Cost Considerations

USCIS does not set or regulate the fees that civil surgeons charge. Costs vary significantly by location and provider. In general, expect to pay for the exam fee itself, any laboratory tests (TB blood test, syphilis serology), and any vaccinations you need. If you need multiple vaccinations, the vaccination costs alone can be substantial.

Some tips for managing costs:

• Call multiple civil surgeons in your area and compare total estimated costs
• Ask specifically whether the quoted price includes lab work and vaccinations or if those are extra
• If you have health insurance, ask whether any of the vaccinations might be covered under preventive care — even if the exam itself is not covered
• Check community health centers, which sometimes offer immigration medical exams at lower cost
• Get as many vaccinations as possible from a cheaper source (such as a pharmacy or county health department) before the civil surgeon appointment, and bring documentation

The Bottom Line

The immigration medical exam must be performed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, not your regular doctor. Use the USCIS "Find a Doctor" tool at uscis.gov to locate civil surgeons near you. Bring your vaccination records, prepare for TB screening, expect to pay out of pocket, and do not open the sealed I-693 envelope. Book your appointment well in advance of your filing or interview date to avoid delays. For questions about how the medical exam affects your specific case, consult a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.

When to Work with an Immigration Attorney

Not every immigration question needs a lawyer, but some do. The topics covered in this article include situations where a brief consultation with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney can save months of delay, prevent irreversible mistakes, and identify options you might not otherwise know about. Consider consulting an attorney if your case involves any of the following:

• Criminal history of any kind. Even dismissed charges, expunged records, or decades-old offenses can affect immigration outcomes. The immigration consequences of a criminal record are technical and fact-specific, and plea deals that seemed favorable in criminal court sometimes have devastating immigration consequences.
• Past immigration violations or denials. Prior visa denials, overstays, periods of unlawful presence, and prior removal proceedings all affect current options. An attorney can review your history and identify which paths remain open.
• Complicated family situations. Divorce, death of a petitioner, domestic abuse, and similar circumstances can trigger waiver eligibility or affect existing petitions in ways that require careful legal analysis.
• Business immigration matters. Employment-based cases, investor visas, and self-petitions are typically too complex for do-it-yourself filing. The evidentiary standards are demanding and the stakes are high.
• Cases that feel stuck. If your case has been sitting without action for a long time, or if you received an RFE or NOID you do not fully understand, an attorney can diagnose the problem and respond effectively.
• Anything you do not fully understand. Immigration forms are technical, and a small mistake can cascade into large consequences. When in doubt, ask someone qualified.

Finding Reliable Information

The single most reliable source of current U.S. immigration information is USCIS itself. USCIS publishes form instructions, fee schedules, processing times, policy manuals, and policy alerts at uscis.gov. When any article (including this one) references specific fees, processing times, or eligibility rules, the information can become outdated as USCIS updates its policies and fee schedules. Always verify any time-sensitive detail directly with USCIS before filing anything.

Other reliable primary sources include the U.S. Department of State (for visa bulletins and consular processing), the U.S. Department of Labor (for PERM and prevailing wage information), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (for admission and port of entry rules), and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (for immigration court procedures).

Secondary sources — including practitioner guides, law school immigration clinics, and reputable nonprofit legal aid organizations — can provide helpful explanations of how the rules apply in practice. Community forums and social media should be treated with caution: they can point you to useful resources, but they also contain a great deal of inaccurate or outdated information, and the rules change frequently enough that what was true a year ago may not be true now.

Keeping Records

One of the simplest ways to protect yourself through any immigration process is to keep careful records of everything. Copies of every filing you send to USCIS, every notice you receive, every check or money order you submit, and every piece of correspondence you send or receive become critical evidence if something goes wrong later. Keep these records organized, dated, and backed up in at least two separate places (for example, a physical folder and a digital scan).

Also keep records of everything that supports your underlying eligibility — tax returns, marriage certificate, birth certificates, medical records, employment records, property records, school transcripts, and anything else that demonstrates ties to the United States, family relationships, or program eligibility. Good records are the backbone of a strong immigration case.