The Importance of Immigration Physicals

Part of the process of applying for a green card in the United States is an immigration physical, which is a medical exam for assessing an applicant’s physical and mental health status. Dr. Alancia Wynn and the experienced medical staff at Wynn Family Medicine in Fairfax, VA, provide immigration physicals. All required forms are completed within a few days and presented to you in a sealed envelope. You will also be given copies of everything for your records.

What is an Immigration Physical?

An immigration physical is a medical exam for assessing an individual’s physical and mental health status. The exam is used to establish that an applicant for entrance to the U.S. is not inadmissible on the grounds of public health issues. Examples of medical conditions that might make an applicant inadmissible for health reasons include:

• Unvaccinated or failure to show proof of required vaccinations
• Having a communicable disease of public health significance
• Mental or physical disorder associated with harmful behavior to self or others
• Having a condition that renders a person unable to support themselves 
• Substance/drug abuse or addiction

What to Expect During an Immigration Physical

There are several components to an immigration physical, including a review of an individual’s medical history and a physical examination. Additionally, form I-693 must be completed as part of the physical. The form is a report of your immigration medical examination and vaccination record. The board-certified family medicine doctor at our office in Fairfax, VA, performs immigration physicals and will ensure all necessary components are completed. 

An immigration physical typically takes between 30-45 minutes to complete in the office.

Common components of an immigration physical include:

• Review of medical history
• Mental health evaluation
• Physical exam or checkup
• Review of immunization/vaccination records
• Communicable diseases testing

 Additional time may be required if outside testing or immunizations are needed. If x-rays or lab tests are performed, the results might not be ready for a few days. We do everything we can to complete your paperwork quickly so you can continue the green card application process without delay. 

Your medical exam is an important part of the process of applying for a green card and we can help you with it. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Wynn for your immigration physical by calling Wynn Family Medicine in Fairfax, VA, at (703) 560-0300.