Did you know that applying for an EB-5 Green Card requires a medical exam? If not, don’t worry—most applicants aren’t aware of this. This exam takes place at some point after your initial EB-5 application (I-526) is approved, at which point you become eligible to receive a conditional Green Card. The purpose of this exam is to make sure that you—and any family members applying for a Green Card—don’t have any medical conditions that would threaten public health in the US.
When their I-526 application is approved, EB-5 applicants are either living abroad or they are staying in the US on another visa. If you are living abroad, your medical exam will be performed by a physician authorized to do so by the US consulate or embassy that will be serving you. You can obtain a list of all doctors serving your consulate or embassy here. If you are residing in the US, you will need to go to an authorized civil surgeon. USCIS approved doctors near your location can be found here.
So, what exactly does the medical examination involve? The exam includes a review of your medical history, a physical examination, a chest X-ray, and blood tests. You should bring written documentation of your vaccination immunization records. If vaccinations were never received or records have been lost, the doctor will tell you which shots are required. At a minimum, the doctor will examine your eyes, ears, nose and throat, arms, legs, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, skin, and external genitalia.
All EB-5 applicants 2 years or older are required to undergo tuberculosis (TB) testing. The doctor may require a baby or toddler to undergo testing if there is evidence of contact with a person known to have TB or other reasons to suspect TB. If you or a family member has ever tested positive for TB, it is a good idea to bring a certificate from your doctor giving the circumstances of the positive test result, indicating any treatment prescribed and how long it lasted.
As part of the blood tests, EB-5 applicants 15 years of age or older will also be tested for syphilis. Again, the doctor may require a test for an applicant under the age of 15 if there is reason to suspect the possibility of infection. If you or a family member have had syphilis in the past, you should bring a written certificate, signed by a doctor or public health official, proving that the condition was adequately treated.
The doctor will also look for mental disorders that would make someone ineligible to enter the US. Usually, this would be a severe disorder that is currently harmful to the applicant, to others, or to property. An EB-5 applicant is only considered inadmissible if there is ongoing harmful behavior or a history of harmful behavior that is likely to recur. Related to this, the doctor will review your medical history and ask if you are currently using any drugs or other psychoactive substances, or if you have used them in the past.
Once the examination is complete, the doctor will provide a sealed envelope saying that you are medically eligible to enter the US. If you are living in the US at the time, this envelope will contain a completed Form I-693 and must be submitted to USCIS as part of your application (your I-485 adjustment of status application). If you are living abroad, you must take the envelope with you to the visa interview at the US embassy or consulate. Please keep in mind that the envelope must remain sealed and can only be opened by a USCIS or consulate officer.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to assisting you!
