If you’re applying for a green card, Form I-693 (Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record) has to be completed and signed by a doctor that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has specifically designated as a civil surgeon — not just any licensed physician, no matter how experienced, how long they’ve treated your family, or how good their reviews are. Here’s what that designation actually means, why your regular primary care doctor usually can’t sign this particular form, and how you can check a doctor’s status yourself, for free, before you ever book an appointment.

What Is a USCIS Civil Surgeon?

A civil surgeon is a licensed physician whom USCIS has specifically designated to perform the medical exams required for certain immigration benefits, including the green card process. This designation is separate from — and in addition to — a state medical license. A doctor can be fully licensed, board-certified, and excellent at what they do, and still not hold this designation, simply because they’ve never applied for it or gone through the process to receive it.

It’s worth being precise about the term: the correct word for this status is designated — not a general stamp of superiority over other doctors. USCIS is authorizing one specific physician to perform one specific kind of exam and sign the resulting paperwork. It isn’t ranking that doctor against every other physician in town.

Why Can’t My Regular Primary Care Doctor Sign My I-693?

Most primary care doctors, including very good ones, simply are not USCIS civil surgeons — because they’ve never applied for the designation, not because of anything lacking in their care. It’s a separate credential, similar to how a family doctor might not also be a surgeon or a radiologist, even though all three are fully licensed physicians.

If a physician who does not hold the civil surgeon designation signs your Form I-693, USCIS will not accept it as valid. That typically means the exam has to be repeated in full, from the beginning, with a physician who does hold the designation — an outcome worth avoiding by checking before you book, not after.

For questions about current form instructions, requirements, or timing, USCIS’s own site, uscis.gov, is always the authoritative source.

How to Verify a Doctor’s Civil Surgeon Designation Yourself

You don’t have to take any clinic’s word for this — including ours. USCIS maintains a free, official, public locator specifically so patients can check before they schedule an exam.

  • Go to my.uscis.gov/findadoctor, the official USCIS “Find a Civil Surgeon” tool.
  • Search by ZIP code or city to see designated civil surgeons near you.
  • Confirm the doctor’s name and practice address in the USCIS listing match the clinic where you plan to be seen.

If a doctor doesn’t come up in that locator, they do not currently hold the civil surgeon designation — regardless of what a website, sign, or receptionist might say. This isn’t a reflection on any particular doctor’s quality of care; it just means that specific exam isn’t one they’re authorized to sign off on.

What’s Included in the I-693 Exam Itself?

At PassQual, the I-693 exam is $190 per person, all-inclusive — that covers the physical exam, the required labs, and verification of your vaccination records. If your vaccination history needs to be established, titer testing is offered as an alternative to re-vaccination and is billed separately. For a fuller breakdown of the exam and what to bring, see our guide to finding a USCIS civil surgeon in Miami Gardens.

PassQual’s Civil Surgeon in Miami Gardens

Dr. Hendry J. Perez Pascual, MD is a USCIS-designated civil surgeon based at PassQual Health in Miami Gardens, serving patients from Miami Gardens, Hialeah, Miami Lakes, North Miami Beach, and Opa-locka. Our bilingual English/Spanish team can walk you through what to bring to your appointment and what the exam covers.

We’d still encourage you to check Dr. Pascual’s listing yourself at my.uscis.gov/findadoctor before you book — that’s exactly the kind of verification this article is about, and we’d rather you feel confident than take our word for it.

If you’re also researching primary care for your family separately from your immigration exam, our guide to bilingual primary care in Miami Gardens covers what a regular primary care visit looks like at PassQual. And if you need a DOT physical for a commercial license, Dr. Pascual is also an FMCSA-certified medical examiner — details are on our DOT physical page.

To schedule your I-693 exam, call 786-677-9922 or book online. We’re open Monday through Saturday, 7:30am to 6:00pm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a civil surgeon the same thing as a regular doctor?

A civil surgeon is a licensed physician who has also received a specific designation from USCIS to perform immigration medical exams. Every civil surgeon is a licensed doctor, but not every licensed doctor is a civil surgeon.

Can any doctor become a civil surgeon if they want to?

Only physicians who apply to USCIS and receive the designation may sign Form I-693. Holding a state medical license, on its own, does not qualify a doctor to sign this specific form.

How do I know for sure if my doctor is a designated civil surgeon?

Search the doctor’s name and location at the official USCIS locator, my.uscis.gov/findadoctor. This is the same tool USCIS uses internally, and it’s free to search.

What happens if a doctor without the designation completes my Form I-693?

USCIS will not accept the exam. In most cases, this means repeating the entire exam with a properly designated civil surgeon, which costs additional time and money that checking in advance would have avoided.

How much does the I-693 exam cost at PassQual?

$190 per person, all-inclusive of the physical exam, required labs, and vaccination-record verification. Titer testing, when needed, is offered as an alternative to re-vaccination and is billed separately.

Where can I find official, up-to-date information about Form I-693?

USCIS.gov is always the authoritative source for current form instructions, requirements, and timing. This article is general education, not a substitute for checking the form instructions directly.

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice. Immigration exam requirements can change; always confirm current instructions at uscis.gov. For questions about your specific situation, call PassQual Health at 786-677-9922.