If you’re an immigrant to the United States and want to apply for a resident visa, you’re required by the US government to have an immigration physical to ensure you’re healthy and don’t pose a risk to the public.
At Associates in Family Medicine, located in Clairmont, San Diego, California, Dr. Mahshid M. Hamidi has extensive experience performing immigration physicals and has officially been designated Civil Surgeon for the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) since 2001.
That means she’s intimately familiar with the paperwork and what officials are looking for in the exam results, and she can help you navigate the system more easily. Here’s how you can prepare for your end of the physical.
There are several things you need to bring with you to the exam:
In addition, if you have a chronic or serious medical/mental health condition, you’ll need to bring records proving the condition is under control.
Form I-693 is the Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, which the doctor needs to fill out with her report of the physical, so it’s important you download and print it out before you come in. The physical can’t be completed without it.
When you come in for your appointment, you need to show your passport and appointment letter to the doctor to get things started, and then provide her with Form I-693 so she can fill it out.
The medical examination includes a blood and urine test for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) based on the applicant's age, especially one for syphilis; a blood test for tuberculosis; and possibly a chest X-ray, depending on the results of the blood test.
The physical includes an examination of the eyes, ears, nose, throat, extremities, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, and skin.
You should note this isn’t a complete physical exam. Its purpose is merely to screen for certain medical conditions relevant to US immigration law. The doctor isn’t required to examine you for any conditions except those the US Public Health Service specifies for US immigration purposes.
The doctor will also go over your vaccination record with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet immigration requirements. You may need to have the following vaccinations based on your age:
If you need any of these vaccinations, you should visit a county immunization office, where you can receive low-cost vaccines. The closest one to the Associates in Family Medicine office is San Diego County North Central Regional Center.
Once the exam is complete, the doctor will give you the filled-out Form I-693 in a sealed envelope and your chest X-ray. You should submit these to the proper authorities according to the directions you were given in your initial letter.
If you need an immigration physical, Associates in Family Medicine has got you covered. Give us a call at 858-565-6394 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hamidi, or send us a message online. We also accept telehealth appointments for other medical matters.
