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How does the I-693 medical exam in the US work for I-485?

Key answer

Only use a doctor from the official accredited list (civil surgeon) - call several, appointments are often unavailable two weeks out. At the visit they draw blood (including syphilis) and reconcile vaccines: anything on record need not be repeated, missing shots can be done at a pharmacy under insurance, but ask in advance whether the clinic allows outside shots and whether it charges for a second visit. Expect two visits and about 1.5 weeks in total. Price benchmarks from the chat: the visit 200-300 dollars and up, shots without insurance from 100 each.

Community answers

The answers below are translated from the original Russian - the language of the community chats.

  • The official website has a list of accredited clinics - I called all the ones nearby and made an appointment where it was the fastest. Many did not have openings even two weeks in advance. During the examination, they took blood and told us which vaccines were missing; I had almost all of them. That same day, I made an appointment at the pharmacy and got the missing ones covered by insurance for free. I sent it electronically, and a week later they called that the form was ready, and I needed to come sign and pick it up. In total, it took 1.5 weeks.

  • If you received the same polio vaccination in childhood and there is a record of it, you do not need to get it again. Vaccines given here go into a common registry. Blood is definitely tested for syphilis and some other things, so while waiting for the results, there will be two appointments regardless - I immediately inquired about what was included in the price.

  • Be cautious: not everywhere will allow you to go to another place to finish vaccinations under insurance - if something is missing and you said you would do it elsewhere, they might charge for another appointment after administering. They might not charge, it depends on the clinic. We were allowed to go make one vaccination, but it was literally under the counter. It's better to do everything you need in advance to avoid extra payments.

  • A doctor usually costs between $200 and $300 or more, depending on what you are missing. Shots without insurance at the pharmacy can easily cost over $100 each, so you could spend $500-$1000 on vaccines if you do everything upfront. Tests also depend on where you take them.

The answers are anonymized community experience from the public chats, not legal advice. Officers may decide similar cases differently.

Sources

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A reference page built from community experience, not legal advice. Requirements and practice change - verify on uscis.gov.

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