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

What turns one visit into two

Almost every repeat visit has the same cause, and it is not the examination. It is documentation: a vaccination record that cannot be produced, an identity document that does not match the application, or a condition that needed records gathered before the appointment rather than during it.

Bring photo identification, your complete vaccination record in whatever form you have it, a list of current medications, and the USCIS notice if one prompted the exam. If any of that is missing, say so when you book — it is usually solvable before you drive rather than after.

Vaccination records, and the office on Public Square

Immunization gaps are the leading cause of a delayed form, and St. Clair County runs its own clinic in the middle of Belleville rather than somewhere you would have to drive to.

Closing the gaps at home before the appointment is the cheaper path when the drive is forty minutes. Missing doses can also be given during the examination if that suits you better.

The state line does not affect the form

Civil surgeon designation is issued by USCIS, not by a state medical board, so it does not stop at the Mississippi. A form sealed in Missouri is accepted at every USCIS field office in the country, and an Illinois address has no bearing on its validity.

Dr. Padda holds full staff privileges at Anderson Hospital, 6800 State Route 162, Maryville, IL, which is a credential verifiable within Illinois rather than a second office. The examination is carried out at the Woodson Road office.

Getting here from St. Clair County

Two sensible routes: IL 15 west to I-255 north and onto I-64, or IL 159 to I-64 west directly, then north on I-170 toward the airport. Allow around forty minutes outside peak.

Morning appointments travel considerably better from St. Clair County than afternoon ones, and the office is open Monday to Wednesday until 5:00 PM and Thursday morning. Say where you are driving from when you book and the scheduler will work around the peak.

Being examined in a language you are comfortable in

An examination conducted in a language you half-follow produces an inaccurate history, and the history is a substantial part of what is being recorded. This practice runs in several languages and arranges interpretation where the language is not one of them.

Bring someone if you would rather, though for the medical history itself a professional interpreter is better than a family member — relatives edit, usually kindly, and the edited version is what goes on the form.

After the form is sealed

The completed I-693 is placed in a sealed envelope that you must not open. An opened envelope invalidates it, and that is the single most common self-inflicted problem with an otherwise finished form.

You receive a copy for your own records separately, so there is no reason to open the sealed one. Keep it flat and dry, and submit it as instructed rather than storing it indefinitely.

If something on the form needs following up

Occasionally the examination turns up something that needs attention before the form can be completed — a vaccination gap, a test result requiring imaging, or a finding that should be looked at on its own merits.

That is not a rejection and it is not usually a long delay. What matters is being told immediately what the next step is and roughly how long it takes, rather than discovering weeks later that the form was never finished.

Frequently asked questions

What should I bring so I do not have to come twice?

Photo identification, your full vaccination record, a medication list, and any USCIS notice that prompted the exam. Missing records are the usual reason for a second visit: fees and timeline sets out the sequence.

Where can I update vaccinations in Belleville?

The St. Clair County Health Department runs immunizations at 19 Public Square, Suite 150, by appointment on (618) 825-4500. Doses can also be given at your examination instead.

The I-693 Exam: What Every St. Louis Green Card Applicant Must Know Before Booking goes through it in detail.

Is a Missouri exam valid for an Illinois resident?

Yes. Civil surgeon designation is federal and the sealed form is accepted at any USCIS office nationwide. Detail: the Form I-693 medical exam.

I may need an N-648 as well. Can that happen the same day?

Only if the records are gathered first, which is the whole difficulty with it. Start here: the N-648 evidence checklist.

Nearby: Collinsville · Troy · 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.