Everything You Need to Know About Your Immigration Physical

At Dr. Bamba’s Health and Medical Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland, our skilled physician, Dr. Bamba, is a civil surgeon, or one of a select group of physicians designated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to perform immigration physicals. Here, we offer a basic overview of everything you can expect at your upcoming immigration exam.

Purpose of immigration physicals

Immigration physicals are required for people who want to immigrate to the United States. The main purpose of this physical is to make sure you don’t pose a risk to others on health-related grounds. It’s not a comprehensive physical exam because it only focuses on the specific areas dictated by the USCIS.

How to prepare for immigration physicals

You need to bring certain documents to your immigration physical, including:

Passport or other type of government-issued photo identification
Copy of medical records, including vaccination and hospital records
Form I-693 (Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record)
List of current medications
Copy of prior chest X-rays, if available

If you have a health problem, including a disease that’s already been fully treated, it’s best to bring a letter from your physician explaining your treatment plan as well.

What to expect during your immigration physical

Immigration physicals include:

Physical exam

Your physical exam checks many aspects of your health, including your:

Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Lymph nodes and skin
Lungs, heart, and abdomen
Extremities, hands, and feet

While not as extensive as a comprehensive yearly physical, an immigration exam does include many of the same aspects.

Mental health exam

Your mental health exam evaluates your mood, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and other aspects of your mental health. It also includes questions about any harmful or dangerous thoughts, feelings, and behaviors you may have experienced.

Tests

Immigration physicals include various types of tests, including a blood test, urine test, chest X-ray, and skin test. These tests look for tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, and other transmissible diseases.

Medical history review

Your medical history review covers your past illnesses, vaccinations, surgeries, and hospital stays. If you’re short of any required vaccinations, Dr. Bamba can administer them.

Dr. Bamba discusses your current conditions with you and reviews your treatment plans. Medical history also covers your current and past medications, including your past use of drugs and alcohol.

What happens after your immigration physical

At the end of your immigration physical, Dr. Bamba completes and signs Form I-693. She asks you to sign in the designated spot as well, then seals the envelope and gives it to you. Don’t open the envelope.

Submit this envelope along with your other application paperwork (Form I-485) to the address specified on Form I-485.

With your immigration physical complete, you’re one important step closer to citizenship. To schedule your immigration physical at Dr. Bamba’s Health and Medical Center, call our office today, or contact us online any time.