Showing up to your immigration medical exam with the right documents saves time, reduces cost, and avoids a second appointment. Missing vaccination records is the most common reason applicants end up needing extra vaccines or tests they could have avoided. This checklist covers everything required, everything optional but useful, and what you do not need to bring.
If you are booking a USCIS medical exam in Tampa, Medical Exams of Tampa provides a full checklist when you schedule your appointment. The base exam is $270 for adults and $220 for children.
Required documents: bring these to every appointment
Government-issued photo ID
The civil surgeon is required by USCIS to verify your identity before the exam begins. Bring a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. A passport is the most universally accepted option. A driver’s license or state ID is also acceptable. The name and signature on your ID must match what you will sign on Form I-693 at the appointment. If your passport contains a signature in a non-Latin script, you must sign Form I-693 with that same signature.
Vaccination records
This is the single most important document to bring. The civil surgeon reviews your vaccination history to determine which required vaccines you already have and which you still need. Every vaccine you can document is a vaccine you will not have to pay for at the appointment.
What counts as a valid vaccination record:
- An official clinic record or document from a government health authority
- Your name and date of birth must appear clearly on each page
- The record must list the name of each vaccine and the date it was administered
- Records from any country in any language are accepted
- If the record is not in English, bring a certified translation signed by the translator with their printed name and the date
Bring printed hard copies, not photos on your phone. The civil surgeon is required to keep copies of your vaccination records on file.
Form I-693 (printed and partially completed)
Some civil surgeon offices provide the form themselves. Others ask you to bring a printed copy. Confirm with your office in advance. If you need to bring it, print the current edition (01/20/25) from uscis.gov, complete Part 1 with your personal information, and do not sign it. Your signature must happen in the civil surgeon’s presence at the appointment.
Form of payment
Health insurance does not cover immigration medical exams. Confirm accepted payment methods with the office when you book. Some offices accept credit cards, others require cash or check. If vaccines are administered at the appointment, those are billed separately from the base exam fee.
Documents for applicants with prior medical conditions
If you have a history of any of the following, bring documentation. Arriving without it does not automatically disqualify you, but it will slow the process and may require a follow-up appointment.
Prior positive TB test or tuberculosis treatment
Bring a written certificate from your treating physician that includes the date of diagnosis, medications prescribed, duration of treatment, and confirmation that treatment was completed. Also bring any prior chest X-ray films, not just the written report. The civil surgeon may need to compare them with new X-rays taken at the appointment.
Prior syphilis diagnosis or positive blood test
Bring a written certificate from a doctor or public health official confirming adequate treatment, including treatment dates and medications. If you had a positive test but were not treated, bring a written explanation signed by your doctor.
Current medications
Bring a list of all medications you are currently taking, including dosage. Bring labeled pill bottles or printed prescriptions. Unlabeled pills will not be reviewed. This applies to prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs taken regularly, and supplements.
Mental health or substance use history
If you have a history of a mental health condition or substance use disorder, bring documentation showing current treatment, stability, or remission. A letter from your treating provider explaining your current status and how your condition is managed is ideal. This does not mean you will be found inadmissible. What matters to the civil surgeon is whether there is current harmful behavior associated with the condition, not the diagnosis itself.
If you need an interpreter
If you cannot speak and understand English, bring an interpreter to the appointment. The interpreter must be physically present and will be required to sign Part 3 of Form I-693. A family member or friend can serve as your interpreter. The civil surgeon’s staff cannot sign the form as your interpreter.
What you do not need to bring
You do not need to fast. The blood tests performed at the immigration medical exam screen for infectious disease markers, not cholesterol or glucose, so food and drink before the appointment do not affect results.
You do not need to bring your Form I-485 or any other USCIS application forms. The civil surgeon only needs the documents listed above.
You do not need health insurance. The exam is self-pay. Bringing your insurance card is useful only if the office accepts it for vaccines, which some do. Confirm in advance.
You do not need to arrive having already received missing vaccines. The civil surgeon evaluates which vaccines are appropriate for your age and health before any are administered. Getting vaccinated beforehand without that guidance can create timing issues with multi-dose series.
Book your immigration medical exam in Tampa
Medical Exams of Tampa is a USCIS-designated civil surgeon office at 7345 Jackson Springs Rd, Tampa, FL. The office has bilingual staff, accepts walk-ins on select days, and has Saturday appointments available. To schedule your immigration physical in Tampa, visit medicalexamstampa.com/immigration-exams or call 813-249-0001.
