Immigration Physical: Fast, Affordable USCIS Exams at Health Express Clinics

What Is an Immigration Physical?

A USCIS Immigration Physical—officially known as a Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record—is a health exam required for individuals applying for:

• Lawful permanent residency (Green Card)
• Certain visa types
• Adjustment of status within the United States

Only USCIS-designated Civil Surgeons can perform and sign off on this exam. At Health Express Clinics, I personally complete and sign each I-693 form after a comprehensive evaluation.

Step-by-Step: What to Expect During Your Immigration Medical Exam

At Health Express Clinics in Lewisville and surrounding areas, we follow this standardized, patient-friendly process:

Step 1: Initial Visit

• Bring valid government-issued photo ID (passport, visa, green card, etc.)
• Bring any vaccination records you have
• Full medical history review
• Physical exam
• TB blood test (QuantiFERON), syphilis blood test, and gonorrhea urine test
• Vaccine review and any required immunizations

Step 2: Lab Results & Vaccine Follow-up

• Results typically return within 3-4 business days
• If vaccines are needed, we administer or refer appropriately (we stock most common vaccines)

Step 3: Form I-693 Completion

• Once all components are complete, we prepare your sealed envelope
• You also receive a copy for your records

“We maintain strict chain-of-custody and documentation procedures for all sealed forms to ensure they’re compliant with USCIS standards.”
– Dr. Harveer Parmar, MD

Real-World Observations From Practice

At Health Express Clinics, we serve a diverse immigrant population, including patients from India, Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. A few consistent patterns I’ve noticed:

• Missing vaccines are common, especially Varicella and Hepatitis B
• Many adults don’t know their vaccine status—we guide them based on CDC catch-up schedules
• False-positive TB skin tests in BCG-vaccinated individuals—this is why we prefer the QuantiFERON TB Gold test, which is not affected by prior BCG

“In patients from TB-endemic regions, I always recommend the blood-based TB test over the skin test to avoid unnecessary chest X-rays and delays.”
– Dr. Harveer Parmar, MD

Evidence-Based Guidelines We Follow

We adhere to:

• CDC’s Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons (2023 update)
• ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) vaccination schedules
• USCIS guidelines for I-693 form preparation and sealing
• CLIA-certified lab testing for all required infections

Recent literature supports the use of:

• IGRA (QuantiFERON) as superior to TST for TB screening in BCG-vaccinated populations (JAMA, 2022)
• Streamlined vaccination protocols to reduce cost and improve compliance (Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2023)
• Universal COVID-19 vaccination as a requirement for immigration screenings (CDC Advisory, 2022)

Misconceptions About the Immigration Physical

❌ “I can go to any doctor to get this done.”

✔️ No. Only USCIS-approved Civil Surgeons are authorized to complete and sign Form I-693.

❌ “I had my regular checkup recently—I don’t need another one.”

✔️ The immigration physical is different. It includes USCIS-specific screenings and documentation, such as TB, syphilis, and gonorrhea testing, and vaccine documentation according to immigration protocols.

❌ “If I don’t have vaccine records, I’ll fail the exam.”

✔️ Not true. We can administer catch-up vaccines or perform titers (blood tests) to verify immunity.

Comparative Clinical Approaches: Vaccine Status Gaps

When to Seek Help or Re-Evaluation

You should return or consult a Civil Surgeon if:

• You develop TB symptoms after a negative QuantiFERON
• You are pregnant and unsure about vaccine safety
• You’ve had recent international travel or exposures
• Your I-693 is rejected due to errors by another provider

“We often get patients whose I-693 forms were incomplete or rejected by USCIS. We help them correct errors and expedite the re-submission.”
– Dr. Harveer Parmar, MD

Local Relevance: Serving Lewisville and Greater DFW

In the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, we’ve seen a significant uptick in I-693 demand due to:

• High volume of employment- and family-based green card applications
• Increased adjustment-of-status filings post-pandemic
• Delays in immigration timelines requiring updated (within 60 days) I-693 forms

At Health Express Clinics, we’ve adjusted by:

• Offering evening and weekend appointments
• Providing multilingual services (Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog)
• Working closely with immigration attorneys to ensure timely form completion

Summary: Why Choose Health Express Clinics?

✅ USCIS-Approved Civil Surgeon on-site
✅ Same-day appointments available
✅ Affordable cash pricing with no hidden fees
✅ Fast turnaround (sealed form within 5–7 days)
✅ Vaccinations available on-site
✅ Serving Lewisville, Denton, and Carrollton

“I take pride in making this process simple, respectful, and clinically sound. My goal is to help every patient move one step closer to legal residency with confidence.”
— Dr. Harveer Parmar, MD