Q: I am in the process of taking on the Immigration Medical Examination. But I am pregnant. Can I still appear for it?
If you are pregnant you can still take on the medical examination. But some parts of it could be postponed until your baby is delivered. Every case differs, however, and depending on the circumstances of your case the Civil Surgeon will decide, whether to conduct all parts of the Examination or not. You should discuss all your concerns or any existing issues with your family doctor before you go in for the Immigration Medical Examination, and meet the Civil Surgeon or the Panel Physician.
Q: I have some religious or moral beliefs. What if the vaccinations in the Immigration Medical Examination are contrary to my religious beliefs or convictions?
In the event of your holding some religious beliefs or convictions that do not permit you to go in for vaccinations you may still be eligible for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status. But for the vaccinations you may be required to apply for a waiver of vaccination requirements.
Q: Who will be paying for the vaccinations?
The applicant for the Green Card or Immigrant visa is supposed to be paying the appropriate fee for all vaccinations directly to the Civil Surgeon, as agreed upon with the Civil Surgeon. You should remember to ask for the price of the vaccinations before the medical examination is held or during the administration of the vaccinations.
What are the professional qualifications required for a surgeon to be considered qualified by USCIS?
In order to conduct the Immigration Medical Examination suitably USCIS looks at the following professional requirements in a surgeon and only if they are satisfied in entirety will he or she be considered to be appointed on the panel of USCIS Civil Surgeons:
- The Surgeon should be a currently licensed M.D or D.O in the state in which he or she practices.
- The Surgeon should have at least 4 years of professional experience, which do not include residency or other training.
How are Health Department Physicians designated?
Doctors who are Health Department Physicians can also work as USCIS Civil Surgeons for limited purposes in the Immigration Medical Examination:
- Physicians who serve at health departments and who meet the USCIS Civil Surgeon professional qualifications are granted blanket designation as civil surgeons only for the limited purpose of completing the vaccination portion of Form I-693 for refugees adjusting status.
- Participation in the blanket designation is optional; health department physicians are not required to act as civil surgeons. They can do so at their own free will.
- No application is required – as long as the physician is on the roster at a local or State health department and meets the professional qualifications of a civil surgeon, he or she may be considered a blanket-designated USCIS Civil Surgeon.
- If a refugee needs to undergo the entire immigration medical exam, he or she must seek a Civil Surgeon designated under the standard application process.
The Immigration Medical Examination conducted by USCIS Civil Surgeons consists of a physical examination, including an evaluation of mental status and all relevant diagnostic tests. A review of systems determines the presence and severity of class A and class B conditions.
WHAT ARE CLASS A AND CLASS B CONDITIONS?
Class A conditions are medical conditions that are inadmissible. These include:
- Active TB
- Active Syphilis
- Physical or mental disorders with associated harmful behavior
- Drug abuse or addiction.
Class B conditions are not inadmissible conditions. These include:
- Physical or mental abnormalities
- Diseases
- Disabilities that constitute a substantial departure from normal health or well-being.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE USCIS CIVIL SURGEON?
The role of the USCIS Civil Surgeon is manifold:
- He must follow the TIs** and any updates (including verifying the applicant’s identity; reporting any medical results to the appropriate authority etc.) as required by law.
- He must report the results of the medical examination on Form I-693 for immigration purposes.
- He must notify USCIS if contact information has changed.
21-year old Kim Surino, who stays in Phoenix, Arizona does not have a driver’s license, has not been able to qualify for in-state college tuition or avail of a host of other opportunities available to young people. She would have been able to do so if she had stayed in a different state, just a few hundred miles to the west.
With last week’s executive order on immigration reform coming out into the open, President Obama’s intentions seem to be – expand the deferred action program, by deferring the deportation of hundreds of parents of undocumented immigrants. But the harsher realities are that each state is adopting its own policies and many undocumented immigrants are therefore, facing a lot of impediments. Though the President of America is allowing them to remain in the USA for a longer time it doesn’t still mean that their state will allow them to drive a car, get into school or even enable them to obtain health insurance at affordable rates. There is a patchwork of rules that have formed in states – based more on political alignments, especially after the President allowed some young deportees to stay on in the country. There are states like Nebraska and Arizona that are very conservative, and do not allow these undocumented immigrants access to drivers’ licenses or affordable education. Sadly, states like Arizona are very strict when it comes to granting rights to undocumented aspirants.
In states like California, Democrats, immigration groups and health care advocates are trying to help illegal immigrants to receive health care under the state’s Medicaid program, although the president’s action excludes immigrants who came to the country illegally from qualifying for state health benefits.
Different policies adopted in different states are making it difficult for unauthorized immigrants to avail of basic amenities like driving licenses and health insurance.
