USCIS immigration medical exam — what actually happens at the civil surgeon appointment?
I have my USCIS medical exam scheduled with a civil surgeon next week and I'm not entirely sure what to expect. My attorney told me to bring vaccination records and the I-693 form, but she was vague on what the actual physical exam covers. I've been reading everything I can find but most of it is pretty generic and doesn't get into the specifics.
From what I've gathered, the exam includes a physical, mental health screening, TB test or chest X-ray if you've had BCG vaccination, and a review of vaccination history against the CDC schedule. My MMR and varicella titers came back positive already so I think I'm covered there, but I'm missing the Tdap booster and I don't know if they'll administer it on the spot or if I need to get it separately before the appointment. I used a USCIS practice test to prep for some of the interview questions and it helped clarify the process a bit.
The civil surgeon my attorney referred me to charges $375, which seems about average based on what I've seen people mention. I've also seen prices range from $250 to over $600 depending on location and whether catch-up vaccines are administered at the appointment itself.
Has anyone been through this recently? I specifically want to know how long the appointment typically runs and whether the TB result waiting period delayed your I-693 completion significantly.
Bring originals of all your vaccination records, not just copies. My civil surgeon wouldn't accept printed copies for the MMR — needed the original immunization record. Also bring your passport and any immigration notices USCIS has sent you.
Mine took about 45 minutes total including wait time. The physician did the physical, asked standard mental health questions — mostly around substance use history and psychiatric treatment — and went through the vaccination chart. If you're missing Tdap most civil surgeons will just administer it right there and add it to the cost, no need to go elsewhere.
$375 is normal — I paid $420 in the DC area and they administered two catch-up vaccines on top of that for another $80. Just make sure your civil surgeon is on the USCIS-designated list. Not every doctor can complete the I-693 even if they're licensed.
The TB test reads at 48-72 hours so if you haven't had a recent one they'll do the Mantoux and you'll need to come back. That's the main thing that extends the timeline. If you have BCG history they skip to chest X-ray instead, which is same-day.