Process · 5 min read · Updated April 4, 2026
Your immigration medical exam must usually be completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon.
The official USCIS locator is the right place to start, but you still need to confirm practical details with the office before you book.
USCIS maintains the official civil surgeon locator. As of April 4, 2026, it lets you search by address or ZIP code and includes language filters.
Use that tool to confirm that an office is currently designated before you spend time comparing prices or schedules.
Two civil surgeon offices can both be listed by USCIS and still offer very different pricing, timing, and patient experience. A quick phone call can save you a lot of frustration.
Be cautious if an office gives vague answers about the current form edition or filing timeline. You do not want to repeat work because the office is following outdated instructions.
Also do not assume outside syphilis or gonorrhea testing will replace civil-surgeon-ordered testing. CDC rules do not allow that substitution for the immigration medical exam.
Only if that doctor is currently designated by USCIS as a civil surgeon.
Not necessarily. Price matters, but so do turnaround time, language support, vaccine handling, and how the office deals with missing records.
Yes. The current USCIS locator includes language filters, although the language data can still be uneven across listings.
Process · 6 min read
Learn what Form I-693 is, who usually needs it, and why filing timing matters more than it used to.
Cost · 6 min read
Form I-693 does not have its own USCIS filing fee, but the exam price can change a lot depending on what you still need.
Records · 4 min read
Records in another language can still help, but the office may need translation support before relying on them.