Prospective Civil Surgeons

Depending on the immigration benefit sought, an applicant may be required to undergo medical examination. Immigration medical examinations conducted inside the United States must be performed by a civil surgeon who has been designated by USCIS. (Immigration medical examinations conducted outside the United States must be performed by a panel physician who has been designated by the Department of State.)

Professional Qualifications Required to Be A Civil Surgeon

In order to perform immigration medical examinations, you must be a physician designated by USCIS as a civil surgeon.  Physicians must meet the following professional qualifications to be designated a civil surgeon:

• Be a Medical Doctor (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.),
• Be licensed in the state where medical services are rendered,
• Have 4 years of professional experience, not including experience related to training (i.e. internships and residencies), and
• Be authorized to work in the United States

Civil Surgeons’ Responsibilities  

Civil surgeons must perform the immigration medical examination according to the Technical Instructions for the Medical Examinations of Aliens in the United States (Technical Instructions or TIs), published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.  These Technical Instructions include:

• The Technical Instructions for Medical Examinations of Aliens in the U.S. (1991)
• The Tuberculosis (TB) Component of the Technical Instructions for the Medical Examination of Aliens in the U.S. 2008 (effective May 1, 2008)
• Adjustment of Status for U.S. Permanent Residence Requirements: Technical Instructions for Vaccinations 2009 (effective December 14, 2009)
• 2010 Technical Instructions for Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse for Civil Surgeons (effective June 1, 2010)
• Any updates to the documents listed above as published on CDC’s website

Each of these documents and subsequent updates can be obtained from CDC’s website and are linked on the right side of this page.

CDC does not mail hard copies of these documents; it is the responsibility of the civil surgeon to obtain these documents online and comply with the requirements of the Technical Instructions.

Failure to comply with the Technical Instructions may result in the revocation of civil surgeon designation by USCIS.

Applying for Civil Surgeon Designation:

Physicians interested in applying for civil surgeon designation should submit the following to their local USCIS Office:

• A letter to the District Director requesting consideration
• A copy of a current medical license
• A current resumé that reflects 4 years of professional experience, not including training-related experience
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or lawful status in the United States
• Two signature cards with typed name and signature below

You can find the address of your local USCIS office by using the Local Office Locator.

USCIS Civil Surgeon Locator

A public list of designated civil surgeons is available online through the Civil Surgeon Locator.