What to Expect From Your Immigration Physical

There are many steps in the path to establishing permanent residency in the United States as an immigrant. If you're planning on changing your legal status or applying for your green card, one of the steps you need to complete is an immigration physical, also designated as the I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.

A designated civil surgeon authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) performs this quick and easy medical exam, allowing you to move forward in your immigration journey. At Optimal Performance Medicine of Woodstock, Georgia, our care team, led by Michael Skardasis, MD, has the authority needed to conduct immigration physicals. In order to move through your exam quickly and without a hitch, here's what you should do to prepare, and what you can expect during your appointment.

Documentation to bring with you

Before you come in for your scheduled appointment, take the time to get your paperwork in order. When you come to your appointment, you need to bring:

• The I-693 form, which can be found on this website, with the sections marked “applicant” (sections 1-3) filled out as completely as you are able with a high degree of certainty
• A government-issued photo identification, commonly a driver’s license or valid passport, or, if you're 14 years old or younger, identification that shows your name, birthdate, place of birth, and parents’ full names, such as your birth certificate (with an English translation) or an affidavit
• Your vaccination and immunization records, including DTP, DT, DTaP, Td, Tdap, MMR, OPV, IPV, Hib, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, varicella, pneumococcal influenza, and meningococcal disease
• Documentation on any medical conditions on the watchlist, such as addiction or another type of mental disorder
• Your medical insurance information and payment for your exam

Be sure not to write in the area on the I-693 form marked “to be completed by the civil surgeon,” which should be blank when you come in for your appointment. When we conduct your exam, we fill this area in with the relevant information.

The exam process

Your immigration physical provides a chance for the US government to ensure that you don’t have any medical problems that might pose a public health hazard. Among what we check for during this exam are potential issues like:

• Your vaccination status, ensuring that you don't carry contagious and dangerous diseases including smallpox and polio
• Communicable diseases like tuberculosis or syphilis that need treatment
• Mental disorders that could potentially result in violent or dangerous behavior

If you need any vaccines, Dr. Skardasis can often provide them during your physical exam appointment.

When you come in for your exam, Dr. Skardasis uses a checklist to review your health history, and order further tests as needed. We take a blood draw to check for syphilis and tuberculosis (TB) and, if we detect TB, use a chest X-ray to confirm. You need to provide a urine sample as part of the exam, so don't come in dehydrated, and avoid urinating right before your appointment.

After your exam

Once we complete your exam and clear you on any potential issues, we fill out the blank sections of your form, then sign and seal the document. We may sign the form during a scheduled follow-up visit. You won't be able to open the sealed document, so be sure to get the copies you need for your files before you prepare it to send your paperwork on to the USCIS.

To get started with the immigration physical process, or address any questions you may have, get in touch with Optimal Performance Medicine today. You can schedule your appointment over the phone, or by using the online booking tool.