Timeline of the I-693 Medical Exam Process: From Appointment to Results
Are you applying for your green card and concerned about how long will it take to complete the process? Then, this article is for you. We cover the complete Timeline of the I-693 medical exam from the appointment of the civil surgeon and the results verification process until you get your green card.
Keep reading.
Timeline of I-693 medical exam
When applying for permanent residency in the US, you must follow the I-693 medical exam procedure. There are separate timelines between making appointments, getting medical exams done, results, and the process of receiving a green card for validation.
Here’s the basic process timeline for this I-693 medical exam.
- How long does it take to make appointments for the I-693 medical exam?
It takes approximately 2 weeks to make an appointment with the civil surgeon for your medical exam.
- Medical tests and processing times
Usually, the duration of the medical exam depends on the complexity of the applicant’s medical history and the number of required tests. On average, the entire medical exam including blood test, urine test, drug and alcohol screening, paperwork and waiting time can take around 1 to 3 hours.
During the exam, the doctor searched for signs of the following in particular:
- Infectious diseases like TB, syphilis, and gonorrhea easily spread from person to person.
- Your history of drug abuse or drug addiction.
- Physical or mental disorders that may cause harmful behavior toward others.
- Certain physical/mental conditions that qualify the applicant as having special needs.
Your physical examination itself may take around 20 to 30 minutes. The TB tests may take several minutes, however, the follow-up reading of the results may take another additional short appointment.
The vaccination review can take around 20 to 30 minutes and if the doctor finds missing vaccines, they give you the first dose or the remaining dose at that time. The time varies depending on the number of shots needed and the applicant’s vaccination history.
- What happens after you get the results?
When you get your results, a civil surgeon will give you a copy of immigration documents in a sealed envelope to give to the USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) for verification and a copy of the documents to you for personal records. Keep in mind, only accept immigration documents if properly sealed otherwise USCIS returns the I-693 document, and that delays your process. It’s your responsibility to submit the sealed packed I-693 form by mail or in person at a USCIS field office.
- How long are the results of the medical exam valid?
A properly signed result from an I-693 immigration exam is valid for 2 years. The current processing time for a green card is between 6 months to 4 years. If your card isn’t approved and 2 years have passed, USCIS will send you a request for evidence to ask you to complete a second medical exam and submit seal-packed results to USCIS for verification.
This is the complete timeline of the I-693 medical exam from the appointment to results verification and getting your green card for permanent US residency.
For more information or inquiries, call us to get a consultation. Doral Health & Wellness has immigration physicians who have extensive knowledge in their respective fields. This is why our Immigration physicians will scrutinize your reports closely. Doral Health & Wellness, located at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212, provides immigration medical exam facilities to clients of all ages. Contact us at info@doralhw.org or (+1) 347-384-5690 to take the first step towards a seamless immigration journey to make your ‘American dream’ a reality.