What Is a USCIS Civil Surgeon? How to Verify One Before You Book
A civil surgeon is a physician USCIS has designated to perform the immigration medical exam, often called the green card medical exam, and complete Form I-693. Without the designation the form is not acceptable to USCIS, so check before you book.
Designation is not the same as a license
Every civil surgeon is a licensed physician, but few licensed physicians are civil surgeons. The designation is a separate authorization USCIS grants to specific doctors, who must follow CDC’s Technical Instructions: which tests to order at which ages, how to classify TB results, and which vaccines to record. A form signed by a doctor without it, even an experienced specialist, will not be accepted.
In a clinic with several doctors, the designation belongs to individual physicians, not the building. Confirm that the doctor who will sign your form is the designated one.
How to verify a civil surgeon, step by step
USCIS runs a free, official locator. It is the verification that counts.
- Go to my.uscis.gov/findadoctor directly, not through an ad or third-party directory.
- Enter a ZIP code, yours or the clinic’s.
- Review the results: names, practice addresses and phone numbers of designated civil surgeons nearby.
- Match the name. Ask the clinic which physician will sign your form and find that exact name.
- Match the address to where you will be examined.
- Save a screenshot as a record that you checked.
If a clinic will not tell you who signs the form, look elsewhere.
The locator tells you who, not which one
The locator lists names and contact details, nothing about price, availability, lab handling or care with the form. Once designation is confirmed, these factors separate one civil surgeon from another:
| Factor | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Availability | How soon you can be seen, and how long until the sealed form is ready. |
| Price transparency | A published price with a clear list of what is included and what isn’t. See our cost guide. |
| Lab handling | Whether blood is drawn on-site or at an outside lab, and whether a second visit is needed for results. |
| Languages | Staff who speak your language, or a welcome for your interpreter. |
| Attorney coordination | Willingness to work to your attorney’s timeline. |
| Current knowledge | No mention of a COVID-19 vaccine requirement or a “two-year” validity for new forms. Both are out of date. |
Choosing carefully matters more since June 11, 2025, when the form became valid only for the application it is filed with; see our I-693 validity guide.
Red flags
Walk away from any provider who shows one of these:
- Not in the locator. “We’re approved” is not verification.
- Offers to “help with” your answers. A civil surgeon records your history accurately. Any suggestion about what to say or leave out puts your application at risk; legal concerns belong with an attorney.
- No published or quoted price. Expect surprise charges.
- Pre-signed forms, or asking you to sign early. You sign in front of the civil surgeon, who signs once all results are in.
- An unsealed envelope. USCIS will not accept a form whose envelope has been opened.
- Promises about USCIS. No doctor can promise approval.
Civil surgeon or panel physician?
Both follow CDC’s Technical Instructions, but they serve different applicants.
| Civil surgeon | Panel physician | |
|---|---|---|
| Appointed by | USCIS | U.S. Department of State |
| Location | Inside the United States | Outside the United States |
| Typical applicant | Someone adjusting status to permanent residence from within the U.S. (Form I-485) | Someone applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad |
| Result | Sealed Form I-693, filed with USCIS | Exam results sent through the State Department process |
Filing an I-485 in the United States means a civil surgeon; a visa interview abroad means a panel physician on the consulate’s list.
Next steps
Our complete guide to the immigration medical exam covers the visit, the tests by age, and the form errors that cause delays. National Immigration Medical Exams is a network of independent, USCIS-designated civil surgeon practices; each clinic page names the civil surgeon and links to the USCIS locator so you can verify before you book. Find a clinic near you.
Frequently asked questions
Can my regular doctor do my immigration medical exam?
Only if your regular doctor has been designated by USCIS as a civil surgeon. Most primary care doctors have not, and a form signed by a physician without the designation will not be accepted, no matter how well that doctor knows you. Your own doctor can still supply vaccination records and documentation of ongoing conditions to bring along.
Can a nurse or physician assistant perform the exam?
Clinic staff can help with parts of the visit, such as drawing blood, recording your history or giving vaccines. The designated civil surgeon remains responsible for the exam and is the person who must sign Form I-693. If you want to be sure, ask the clinic which physician will sign your form, then look up that exact name in the USCIS Find a Doctor locator before your appointment.
What if I can't find the doctor in the USCIS locator?
First ask the clinic for the full name of the physician who will sign your form and search again using that name and the clinic's ZIP code, since spelling and location both affect results. If the doctor still does not appear, do not rely on verbal assurances. Choose a physician who is listed. The cost of an exam signed by a non-designated doctor is a form USCIS will not accept and a second exam.
I had a medical exam abroad with a panel physician. Do I need a new one?
It depends on your visa category and how much time has passed. In some situations, a person who had a panel physician exam before entering the United States may need only part of Form I-693, such as the vaccination record, rather than a full new exam. In others, a complete exam with a civil surgeon is required. Because the answer depends on your specific case, confirm it with your immigration attorney or the current USCIS form instructions.