You’ve probably got questions about what doctors actually check during a U.S. immigration medical exam. That’s completely normal. The USCIS requires civil surgeons to screen for specific health conditions that could affect public health or your ability to take care of yourself. We perform these exams regularly at Health Care Centers of Florida, and we want you to know exactly what to expect before you walk through our doors.
Communicable Diseases Of Public Health Significance
Immigration physicals focus heavily on identifying communicable diseases that might pose risks to public health. USCIS maintains a very specific list of conditions that must be screened during your exam. It’s not arbitrary.
Tuberculosis (TB) sits at the top of this list. We’ll perform a TB test on all applicants aged 2 and older. If you’re 15 or older, you’ll also need a chest X-ray to rule out active TB disease. Got a positive result? Don’t let that scare you. A positive TB test just means you’ve been exposed to TB bacteria at some point in your life. It doesn’t automatically mean you’re sick. We’ll need to run additional tests to figure out if you have active disease or just a latent TB infection that’s sitting dormant in your body.
For everyone ages fifteen and older, a screen for Syphilis is required. Fortunately, it’s a simple blood test, and if syphilis is detected, it can be treated with antibiotics before paperwork submission. For those aged fifteen to twenty-four, there is an additional Gonorrhea test. This is done via urine testing.
There are other communicable diseases on the USCIS list, too. Hansen’s disease (that’s leprosy) and certain quarantinable diseases cut. These are much less common, but civil surgeons are trained to spot them during the physical examination.
Vaccination Requirements
Your Medley immigration physical includes a thorough look at your vaccination history. The CDC requires proof of specific vaccines before USCIS will approve your application. No exceptions.
Which vaccines? That depends partly on your age, but here’s what most people need:
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
- Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Hepatitis A and B
- Polio
- Influenza (seasonal)
- COVID-19
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Pneumococcal disease
- Rotavirus (for children)
- Meningococcal disease
Missing some of these? We can give them to you during your appointment. Bring whatever vaccination records you have from your home country. Those documents help us figure out which immunizations you still need instead of starting from scratch.
Physical And Mental Health Conditions
We’ll assess your overall physical and mental health during the exam. USCIS wants to know if you have any condition that could prevent you from taking care of yourself or might pose a danger to other people.
The physical part is straightforward. We check your vital signs, heart, lungs, eyes, ears, nose, throat, and lymph nodes. We’re looking for signs of illness or physical abnormalities that need to be documented. Nothing invasive.
A mental health evaluation might be required in certain situations. This part makes some people nervous, but it shouldn’t. We simply need to assess whether you have any psychological disorder that’s associated with harmful behavior. We’re talking about conditions like psychotic disorders or severe personality disorders where there’s documented harmful actions. Having a mental health condition won’t automatically disqualify you from immigration. What matters is whether the condition poses an actual safety risk to you or others.
Drug Abuse And Addiction
Civil surgeons also have to evaluate applicants for drug abuse or addiction. We’ll review your medical history and ask direct questions about substance use. If there’s evidence of current drug abuse or addiction, we’re required to document that on Form I-693. Past substance abuse that you’ve successfully treated typically won’t hurt your application.
What Happens If A Condition Is Found
Finding a health condition during your immigration exam doesn’t mean your application’s doomed. Really. Many conditions can be treated or managed without affecting your immigration status. If we identify something during your Medley immigration physical, we’ll sit down with you and discuss treatment options and what comes next.
Communicable diseases need to be treated before we can finalize Form I-693. That’s non-negotiable. For other conditions, we document what we find, and USCIS makes the final call about how it affects your case.
Schedule Your Immigration Physical
Knowing what’s screened during your immigration medical exam takes some of the mystery out of the process. It helps you prepare. We’re here to walk you through every step and answer whatever questions you’ve got about the examination requirements. Contact our team today to schedule your appointment and move forward with your immigration goals.