IMMIGRATION PHYSICAL
Our clinic has a designated Civil Surgeon authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). By this designation, the Civil Surgeon is authorized to perform medical examination and give necessary immunization for aliens applying for adjustment of status or Permanent Resident Status (Green Card). Individuals applying for citizenship, seeking Permanent Residency, or a Green Card may be required to obtain an immigration physical prior to approval of their application.
What to bring with you for your appointment:
- Valid Government Issued ID: Passport, US Driver’s License, State ID
- Proof of prior vaccinations (if available)
If previously tested positive for Tuberculosis or treated for Tuberculosis, records of the test results and/or treatment completion
Immigration Physical Form I-693, with Part 1 completed in black ink only.
What the I-693 Form Requires
Medical Examination by a Certified Civil Surgeon
During the medical examination, a medical history and physical examination is performed. The focus of the medical history and examination is on communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, Syphilis and Gonorrhea. During the medical history, the examiner will ask about previous illnesses, surgeries, signs and symptoms of any communicable diseases, and mental health. There will be a medical examination that includes a head to toe physical such as examination of your head, neck, heart, lungs, etc. Your blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respirations will be measured.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis most often infects the lungs but can sometimes infect other parts of the body. Tuberculosis infections do not always make a person sick right away. There is a type of dormant infection called latent tuberculosis (TB) infection. The other type of infection if TB disease, which can be fatal if not treated. TB disease can occur within weeks of being infected or can occur years later, when the person's immune system becomes weaker.
Tuberculosis is extremely common. Unfortunately, one-third of the world's population is infected with tuberculosis and is at risk of developing the disease. Therefore, it is a requirement for the immigration medical examination.
USCIS requires a tuberculosis test for all applicants 2 years old or older. Applicants with certain medical conditions that suppress their immune system or applicants with signs or symptoms of tuberculosis disease must also have a chest x-ray.
The type of tuberculosis test performed is called QuantiFERON. Previously, the most common test for tuberculosis was a tuberculosis skin test (TST). Immigration no longer allows the use a TST. The benefits to the QuantiFERON over the skin test are that it is a simple blood test performed in one visit. The TST required a second visit in 48-72 hours to check the results. The QuantiFERON is also not affected by a common vaccine given in many countries for Tuberculosis called the BCG vaccine. The TST could result in a false-positive for applicants who have had the BCG vaccination.