Here are a few things to consider when selecting a civil surgeon:
Designated
You need a physician who is listed on the U.S. Civil Surgeon website.
Current
Find a civil surgeon who knows all the current USCIS and CDC policies and procedures. USCIS exam guidance, vaccine requirements, reporting processes, and even the I-693 form itself change frequently. Often these changes happen with little notice and it’s easy to miss the announcement of a small change. Pick a civil surgeon who stays on top of all the guidelines. How many I-693 exams do they do each year? Do they do other legally required exams in their practice?
Transparent
Be wary of civil surgeons who have complicated pricing structures or are not clear upfront about how much you will pay in total. Health insurance will not cover anything related to immigration. Immigration is an expensive process, and while no one wants to pay more than is absolutely necessary, this might not be the place to simply find the cheapest option. See the pitfalls of opting for the cheapest I-693 medical exam.
Communication
Find a civil surgeon that you can reach by phone. Email communication is great and easy online booking is great, but you want a civil surgeon that you can reach and actually talk to if there are any complications along the way. You also want a civil surgeon’s office that takes the time to explain the process to you and answers all your questions.
Continuity
Pick a civil surgeon that will maintain records of your exam for years to come, and a civil surgeon that is likely to still be there in years to come. Things happen: USCIS changes requirements, new I-693 form editions are issued, mail gets lost, and dogs open sealed envelopes. Your civil surgeon’s office should be able to assist you in addressing problems long after your exam is done.
Reputation
It’s hard to make everyone happy. Even the best civil surgeon will have one of two patients who felt they had a bad experience, and people who feel they had a bad experience are more likely to leave reviews and are louder than all the people who had good experiences. So it’s important to take reviews with a grain of salt. Still, taken as a whole, reviews of the civil surgeon’s office can give you some idea of what to expect.
Convenience
Will the civil surgeon’s office take care of everything for you, or do they send you elsewhere for labs, and somewhere else for vaccines? Do they complete the forms for you, or must you bring in parts of the form? Do they communicate with you about lab results and next steps, or are you expected to track everything on your own?
Correct
Take the time needed to complete the exam and the documents correctly. Be wary of civil surgeons who offer to complete the whole process in one day. It takes time for lab results to come back, and USCIS requires civil surgeons to order their own lab work. Similarly, with the documents, you want to make sure your I-693 is more correct than fast. Pick a civil surgeon who takes extra time to review your history, your vaccines, and the I-693 itself. Pick a civil surgeon who will give you time to review your part of the documents before it’s all sealed.
Contact us
Are you in the San Francisco Bay Area? Book an appointment with one of our certified U.S. civil surgeons to learn more. See appointments or call us at 415-409-3456.