Immigration Medical Exam (I-693) in Alton, IL

The county clinic is closer to you than to the county seat

Unprovable immunization history is the single most common reason an I-693 is delayed, and vaccines are a local matter. Alton is not the Madison County seat, which usually counts against a town — here it does not.

The county’s immunization clinic sits in Wood River, immediately east of Alton and a good deal closer to you than to Edwardsville. If your records have gaps, they can be closed within a few miles of home before you ever cross the river.

The clinic covers routine adult and childhood immunizations by the county’s own description and takes Illinois Medicaid and most commercial plans. Doses given at your examination are the alternative if that is simpler.

A short trip, and what it covers

From Alton the route is US 67 south over the Clark Bridge, then US 367 and I-270 west toward the airport — roughly thirty minutes outside the afternoon peak.

The visit itself is a physical examination, a review of your vaccination record, the tuberculosis screening USCIS requires, and any blood work indicated by your age and history. The form is completed and sealed here. What is required varies by applicant, which is why we quote the testing once we know which tests apply rather than in advance.

Detail on the form itself: the Form I-693 medical exam.

An Illinois address is not an obstacle

Civil surgeon designation is federal, not state-issued. A form sealed at our office is accepted at any USCIS field office in the country, and living in Illinois while being examined in Missouri changes nothing about its validity.

Dr. Padda also holds full staff privileges at Anderson Hospital, 6800 State Route 162, Maryville, IL — a credential you can verify inside your own state, not a second location. The examination happens at the Woodson office, where the testing and sealing are set up.

If an N-648 is part of your case

Where a medical condition prevents someone from meeting the English and civics requirement, the N-648 is the accompanying form, and it is prepared from records gathered beforehand rather than assembled at the appointment.

What to bring: the N-648 evidence checklist. Background: the N-648 disability waiver.

Vaccination records from another country

Records from outside the United States are acceptable, and they do not need to be in English to be useful — what matters is that they are legible, that they identify the vaccine, and that they carry dates.

Bring the original document rather than a retyped list. A clinic card from another country, however worn, is evidence; a page someone typed out from memory is not, and it is the second one that causes problems.

Where records genuinely cannot be obtained, the route is blood testing to demonstrate immunity, or simply repeating doses. Neither is a disaster and both are routine.

Doses you may not need

The requirement is age-appropriate, not a fixed list, and this is where published prices mislead people. Someone in their forties does not need the full childhood schedule; a young child needs a different set again; and demonstrated immunity on blood testing removes a requirement entirely.

That is the reason we quote vaccine and testing costs once we know what you actually need rather than in advance. A single figure published on a website is wrong for most people who read it, usually upward.

Parking and finding us

The office is on Woodson Road immediately south of the airport, with parking directly outside rather than a garage. Allow a few minutes less than a downtown appointment would need, not more.

If you are coming straight after a shift or a night flight, say so — the examination involves a blood draw and it is easier on an ordinary night’s sleep than at the end of one.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get missing vaccines near Alton?

The Madison County immunization clinic is in Wood River, minutes east of Alton at 101 East Edwardsville Road — closer to Alton than to the county seat. Walk-ins are accepted and appointments are preferred.

Will USCIS Accept My Foreign Vaccination Records? What Counts for the I-693 goes through it in detail.

Can I get the missing doses at the exam instead?

Yes, and it is often the fastest route. Vaccines are billed per dose rather than as part of the exam fee — see how the fees break down.

Does a Missouri civil surgeon work for an Illinois address?

Yes. The designation is federal, so a form sealed here is accepted at any USCIS office regardless of which state you live in. Background: the Form I-693 medical exam.

How long does the whole thing take?

Most applicants are seen within days of calling, and the sealed form is returned on the published timeline rather than an estimate. See fees and timeline.

Nearby: Edwardsville · Glen Carbon · Maryville · All Illinois

Where to go

Clinic map & directions · Meet Dr. Padda, your civil surgeon

Schedule your immigration medical exam

Most applicants are seen within days. The complete I-693 exam is $390 ($100 to schedule, $290 at the visit). Bring your ID and vaccination records.