Please read the following instructions carefully to prepare for your appointment with the Consulate.

Applicants must not make travel plans to leave Ciudad Juarez or to enter the United States until the adjudication process is fully completed. All applicants can expect to remain in Ciudad Juarez for a minimum of three business days, but possibly longer. Depending on your case, you may need to attend a medical exam at an authorized clinic and a biometrics appointment at the Applicant Service Center.

You will have two separate appearances at the Consulate spread over two (2) business days. We cannot change this process to assist travel plans.

Applicants diagnosed with a communicable disease by the authorized clinics and who miss an appointment must complete the panel physician’s prescribed treatment. When that treatment is finished, our office will receive your medical exam and reschedule your immigrant visa interview. An appointment notice will be sent to you by e-mail.

If more than nine weeks go by after your first medical examination, contact our office through our Immigrant Visas Navigator.

Please follow the below steps that follow before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Step 1: Register your appointment online

You must register your appointment online. That gives us the information we need to return your passport and visa package to by DHL after your interview. Registration is free.

As part of the registration process, you must schedule an appointment at one of our Applicant Service Centers to take photos and have your fingerprints taken. It must be done before your interview.

Register >>

Step 2: Get a medical examination in Mexico

As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical examination in Mexico. Click the Medical examination button below for a list of authorized medical clinics in Mexico.

Please schedule and attend a medical examination with one of these clinics at least three days before your interview.

Medical Exam Instructions >>

Step 3: Complete your pre-interview checklist

It is important that you bring all required original documents to your interview. We created a checklist (below) that tells you what to bring. Please print the checklist below and bring it to your interview with the listed documents.

Pre-Interview Checklist >>

Step 4: Review interview guidelines

Read our interview guidelines to learn about special actions you must take before your visa interview.

Interview Guidelines >>

Medical Exam Instructions

Everyone applying for an immigrant visa, no matter how old they are, must have a medical exam before they get their visa.

• Only a physician approved by the U.S. Consulate can do the exam.
• It is your responsibility to schedule and attend a medical exam with one of the following clinics at least three days before your visa interview.
• Medical exam results from different physicians will not be accepted

Authorized panel physicians in Mexico

CLINICA MEDICA INTERNACIONAL
Ave. Ramon Rivera Lara # 9020
Fracc. Las Lunas
Cd. Juárez, Chih.
México C.P. 32543
Tel: (52) 656-227-2800
Toll free from the U.S.:
1-844-624-9447

Website:  www.cmi-medical.com

SERVICIOS MEDICOS DE LA FRONTERA
Prol. Ramon Rivera Lara #8950
Col. Partido Senecú
Cd. Juárez, Chih.
México C.P. 32540
Tel: (52) 656-688-2700
From the U.S.:
888-456-0038 / 915-2172270

Website:  www.smf.com.mx

MEDICOS ESPECIALIZADOS INTERNACIONALES
Calle Presa Falcón 172,
Colonia Irrigación,
Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo,
Ciudad de México C.P. 11500
Tel: (55) 2624-0630

Website:  www.mei-mexico.com

Items to bring to your medical examination

You should bring these items to your medical examination:

1. Your visa interview appointment letter
2. Your passport
3. A photocopy of your immunization records
4. If you suffer from chronic illness, have been treated for venereal disease or are under psychiatric care, please bring your current medical file with you to the medical examination
5. DS-260 confirmation page

Pay all the medical examination fees (including x-ray and blood test fees) directly to the examining physician. 

• The examination fee for each applicant ages 15 years and older is USD $323.
• The fee for applicants between ages 2 and 14 is USD $231.00.
• For applicants younger than 2 the fee is USD $175.00.
• Required vaccines or DNA tests are separately charged.

A 16% tax will be added to these fees. You can only pay with cash or credit card (Visa or MasterCard.

Please remember to attend your medical examination at least three (3) days before your visa interview appointment. 

You may visit the clinics Monday through Friday. The Ciudad Juarez clinics are open between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The Mexico City clinic is open from 7:00a.m. to noon. Appointments are preferred but not required. 

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During the medical examination

The medical examination includes:

1. A medical history review
2. A physical examination
3. A chest X-ray
4. Urine and blood tests for applicants ages 15 and older
5. The United States also requires tuberculosis (TB) testing for all applicants ages two and older
6. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history, medications you are taking, and current treatments you are undergoing.

More information on medical requirements for U.S. immigrants is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (CDC).

Center for Disease Control regulations require that applicants who show signs or symptoms of tuberculosis or who are HIV/AIDS positive must complete a another medical process. This process is designed to detect and treat tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS to reduce the risk of spreading the disease. It may take between three and six months before the clinic will be able to complete the final medical exam for these applicants.

• All immigrant visa applicants must provide a blood test for tuberculosis screening.
• All applicants whose age is 18-24 years old must provide a urine sample for gonorrhea screening.
• Applicants younger than 18 years or older than 24 years may be tested if there is reason to suspect infection with gonorrhea.
• All applicants ages 18 through 44 must provide a blood sample for syphilis screening.
• Visa applicants must obtain certain vaccinations before a visa is issued. Current immigrant visa vaccination requirements are available at the CDC website.

You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about medical exam requirements at travel.state.gov.

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Pre-Interview Checklist

• A photocopy of your interview letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) (This does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoption or asylee/refugee applicants).
  
  
• Unexpired passport and photocopy of the biographic page (where your name and photo are located).
  
  
• Confirmation page from the Form DS-260 Application for an Immigrant Visa you submitted online at ceac.state.gov/iv.
  
  
• Your originals and photocopies of civil documents including birth certificates, marriage certificates (if applicable) along with the marriage termination certificates or death certificates for any previous marriages.

Applicants who fall into any of the categories in italics below must bring the listed additional documents:

For family-based visa applications:

• The appropriate Form I-864 Affidavit of Support for each financial sponsor along with:
  • A photocopy of the sponsor’s IRS transcript or most recent U.S. federal income tax return, and
  • All relevant W-2s.
• For petitioners born in the United States, the original long form birth certificate and a photocopy.
• Proof of your U.S. petitioner’s legal status and domicile in the United States (photocopy of both sides of the Lawful Permanent Resident card I-551, Certificate of Naturalization, or U.S. passport).
• Evidence of the relationship between the petitioner and visa applicant (such as photographs, letters, or emails).

If you are married: Your original and a photocopy of your marriage certificate.

If you were previously married:  Your original and a photocopy of the certificate that proves the termination of the previous marriage (divorce or death of the previous spouse).

If you are a fiancé: Medical examination results in a sealed envelope.

If you are 18 years of age or older:  The original police certificate from your country where you live now and countries where you lived in the past.

• Police records from Mexico are only available to people ages 18 years and older.
• All applicants must obtain a state police record (Carta or Certificado de No Antecedentes) from the State Police (Fiscalía General del Estado) or a federal police record (Carta de No Antecedentes Penales) from the Dirección General de Ejecución de Sanciones, Comisión Nacional de Seguridad.
• Police records from the local town or city hall are not acceptable.

Please view the information online about how to apply for these documents.

If you lived in any other country besides Mexico and the United States for 12 months you must submit a police certificate from that country. You can find information on when a certificate is required on our website.

If you answer yes to these three questions, you must bring a new or more recent police certificate to the interview:

1. You are older than 18 years.
2. You got a police certificate and submitted it to NVC more than two years ago; and
3. You still live in the country that issued the police certificate.

For employment-based visa applications: Letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago.

If you have ever been arrested or convicted of a crime: Original and photocopy of all court and criminal records, with English translations.

If you have served in any country’s military: Original and photocopy of military records, with English translation.

If you are adopted: Original and photocopies of adoption documents or custody documents, with English translations.

If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: Original and photocopy of petitioner’s marriage certificate with the biological parent; and original and photocopy of the marriage termination certificates of the previous marriages of both parents.

NOTE: You must bring translations into English of all civil documents that are written in a language other than English or Spanish.

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Interview Guidelines

Sending documents to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez

If you need to send us any documents, please DO NOT mail them to us. Instead, visit ais.usvisa-info and ask for information about courier services.

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you cannot attend your appointment, please go to our Immigrant Visas Navigator for instructions about scheduling a new appointment date.

1. There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment, so please make every effort to attend the appointment NVC scheduled for you.
2. DV applicants should be aware that the number of visas is limited and must be issued by September 30 of the program year.
3. Review the Visa Bulletin carefully before you ask to reschedule your interview.

Important: There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview.

NOTE: You must register your original NVC appointment online before you can reschedule it. Rescheduling is only possible on a date after your assigned appointment.

Security screening procedures and arrival at the Consulate

All visitors to the U.S. Embassy must follow certain security procedures.

1. Any visitor who refuses to be screened by U.S. Embassy security personnel cannot enter the embassy.
2. To avoid delaying your entry and those in line behind you, bring only what is required for your interview.
3. Declare medical devices before security screening

Please read our list of prohibited items before your appointment. 

PROHIBITED ITEMS

These items are not allowed in the Consulate General:

• Cellphones, computers and other electronic devices
• All media devices such as CD’s, thumb drives, SD cards, headphones, speakers
• Cameras or video equipment
• Flashlights
• Lighters and matches
• Weapons or any item that can be used as a weapon
• Knives and other sharp objects
• Purses and bags larger than 18” x 18”
• Liquids, gels, aerosols, oils, lotions, or powder (exceptions below)
• Food of any kind (exceptions below)

These items are permitted:

• Medical devices declared before security screening
• Small quantities of make-up
• Small quantities of baby formula, baby food, milk
• Small quantities of food (only if medically necessary, with proof of medical condition)
• Small quantities of diapers
• Belts
• Watches
• Keys
• Non-liquid medication
• Baby Carriers and baby strollers that can be folded small enough to pass through an x-ray machine

To avoid delaying your entry and those in line behind you, bring only what is required for your interview. The consulate does not provide lockers or storage for personal items. If you leave items in your car, be sure to put them in the trunk and lock your car. Do not leave any personal items in that can be seen in the passenger compartment.

On the day of your visa interview, do not arrive at the Consulate more than 30 minutes before your appointment. For example, applicants with appointments at 8:15 a.m. are allowed inside at 7:45 a.m. 

Notice for your protection:

Your safety is a high priority for the Consulate. We ask you to avoid waiting on the sidewalks surrounding the Consulate for longer than indicated as it can pose a risk. There have been reports of scammers and frequent assaults and robberies near the Consulate and the medical clinics where the examinations are conducted. To prevent this happening to you:

1. Do not talk to strangers on the street.

2. Stay only in licensed hotels or guest houses. For more information about travel advisories, visit: Mexico Travel Advisory | Travel.State.gov

3. On the day of your appointment, do not arrive at the Consulate before 6:00 a.m.  The Consulate opens at 6:45 a.m., and applicants with appointments at 7:00 a.m. are allowed to enter at 6:45 a.m.

4. Carry the least amount of money possible in cash.

5. Do not allow random people in the street to give you advice or review your documents. All visa applications are reviewed and processed by consular staff inside the consulate on the day of your interview.

6. If you have any questions about obtaining a visa, the consulate has an information window open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary. The applications and information are free.

7. Report any attempted robbery or assault to the Consulate staff.

Immigrant visa fees

If you have not paid all required fees to either the National Visa Center or on the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview.

• All fees for visa services are collected ONLY inside the medical clinics or inside the Consulate.
• All fees must be paid at the cashier inside the clinics or Consulate.

For accurate information about your visa case, Consulate staff is available to answer your questions at the information window.

 If you need to pay a fee on the day of your visa appointment, you must pay in U.S. dollars or Mexican pesos. We accept cash and credit or debit cards. If you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded.  A complete list of fees can be found at travel.state.gov.

Accompanying persons

Attorneys cannot go with clients into the waiting room or to their interview.

Only these people may go to the interview with a visa applicant:

1. Interpreter: Applicants who do not speak English or Spanish well enough to participate in an interview must bring ONE interpreter.
2. Special Needs Visitors:  Applicants who are elderly, disabled or a minor child may bring one person to help.
3. Minor children: An adult who accompanies a minor to a visa interview must possess a legal relationship to the minor and provide official government photo identification (such as your credencial para votar/tarjeta de elector issued by the Instituto Nacional Electoral, Mexican Passport or Driver’s License).

• If the accompanying adult does not have a legal relationship to the applicant, in addition to providing official government identification she or he must provide a notarized and signed affidavit from the minor’s parent or legal guardian/custodian authorizing him or her to act as the minor’s proxy.

If an interpreter or accompanying person is required, complete an access request to allow them to enter the Consulate compound.

Anyone not listed above who accompanies a visa applicant to the Consulate must wait outside the consulate and meet the applicant after the interview.

If U.S. citizen petitioners travel to Ciudad Juarez during the interview process, remember that they must have a U.S. passport in order to return to the United States.

U.S. citizens are also required to have a valid passport (not a passport card) for all air travel within Mexico and for any travel in Mexico past the immediate border region.

We recommend you get a U.S. passport before your family member’s interview in case you need to travel to or within Mexico. You can find information about getting a passport at https://travel.state.gov.

Dress appropriately for the interview and for the weather. Some of the consulate’s waiting area is outside the building.

Snacks and beverages are available for sale in the waiting area.

Do not make travel plans outside of Mexico

Consular officers can only make decisions on applications after they review the formal application and interview the applicant.

There is no guarantee that you will receive a visa.

Do not sell your house, car or property, resign from your job or make non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you receive your immigrant visa.

If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for it. We will return your passport by DHL courier at a later date (see Step 1).

Please Note: It often takes 1-2 weeks after visa approval to receive your passport and visa packet.

If you must travel within Mexico while your passport is still with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.

If more information is needed

Sometimes a consular officer must refuse a visa application because they need to review additional documents or the case requires further administrative processing.

• When additional documents are requested, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that asks you to submit the additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the Consulate.
  
• Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. The timing is different based on the circumstances of each case. 

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After Your Visa Interview

What happens after your visa is approved

1.       Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet: We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport.

• Please check your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors.
• We may also give you a sealed envelope containing documents you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time.

DO NOT OPEN THAT ENVELOPE.

You must carry it with you. Do not put it in your checked luggage.

• Applicants whose documents are all available electronically will not receive an envelope. 

If you receive a compact disc (CD) containing your chest X-rays, please keep it in your records for future medical reference. 

2.       USCIS Immigrant Fee: Everyone who is issued an immigrant visa overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before traveling to the United States.

This fee is for processing your residency status and printing your Permanent Resident Card. The only people who do not have to pay this fee are children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and people traveling on a fiancé (e) (K) visa and follow-to-join asylee and refugee applicants.

3.       When You Should Travel: You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the date of your medical exam.

• Your visa cannot be extended and fees cannot be refunded.

The principal applicant must enter before or at the same time as other family members with visas.

Unless they are eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act, children who are issued a visa before turning 21 years of age must enter the United States before their 21^st birthday to avoid losing their immigrant status.

4.       Getting a Green Card: Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, also called a green card, will be automatically mailed to the address in the United States that you gave in your visa application form. This document proves you have permission to reside in the United States.

If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives: Make sure you review the (USCIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for rules about the documents you need to re-enter the United States.

• We recommend checking with your airline about specific rules they may have for travelers without a green card.
  
• After your green card is granted, check your rights and responsibilities, including international travel, at the USCIS website: Rights and Responsibilities of a Green Card Holder (Permanent Resident) | USCIS
  
• Once you receive your green card, do not stay outside the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.

5.       Children’s Issues: In the United States, children must have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school.

1. Bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States.
   
2. If your child is adopted, or if you have full custody because of a divorce, or if you share custody with another parent, bring a copy of all adoption or custody papers from the court that has the authority for such matters in your home country.
   
3. You will need these papers (translated into English) for issues such as school enrollment, medical care, and eventual citizenship.

6.       Information for New Immigrants: Please visit the USCIS web page for helpful information about moving to the United States. You can read their publication Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants online.

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Diversity Visa Applicants - Additional Information

If you are applying for a Diversity Visa (DV), most of the previous instructions apply to you. Please gather the required documents and attend a medical examination before your visa interview.

The following are additional instructions that only apply to DV applicants. 

Bring to your interview

In addition to the documents listed on the Pre-Interview Checklist in this package, DV applicants must also bring the following items to their visa interview:

• Appointment information printed from the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website.
  
  
• Documents that show you have either a qualifying high school education or two (2) years of qualifying work experience in the five (5) years immediately before your application (for the principal applicant only; more information is available online).
  
  
• Diversity Visa Application fee of USD $330 for each visa applicant.

Review your DV Lottery entry

Before your visa interview, we recommend that you review the data on your first E-DV entry.

1. On your first E-DV entry, you must have correctly entered your marital status. If you are legally married, you must have listed your spouse, even if you are now separated from him or her. (Unless your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident.)

2. Also, you must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children or children you have formally adopted under the laws of your country.

If you did not list an existing spouse or child at the time of your entry in the Diversity Visa lottery, your visa and the visas for your family will be denied.

Fees paid to the U.S. government for your visa application(s) cannot be refunded.

If you did not include a child who had already been born, or a spouse to whom you were married when you entered the lottery, you should not proceed with the visa application.

You can review the eligibility requirements online.

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K1/K3 Visas - Special Instructions

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Before your consular interview, complete these steps:

1. Fill out Form DS-160 online at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.
2. Log in to http://mexico.usvisa-info.com and schedule an appointment at an Applicant Service Center (ASC) near you. At this appointment, staff will take your fingerprints and photo.

Everyone must visit the ASC in person before their consular interview—no exceptions, regardless of age.

Schedule your ASC appointment as soon as possible. If you don't complete this step before your consular interview, your case may face significant delays.

Visa fee: Each K1 and K2 visa applicant must pay a $265 fee before the consular interview. Visit https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-mx/iv/information/k_visa to learn how to pay.

Make sure we receive and confirm your payment before your interview date.

Note: This fee covers all visa processing costs. You will not get a refund if we deny your visa.

Gather your documents

• Collect the documents listed below that apply to your case.
• Do not mail these documents to this office. Bring them with you to your interview instead.

1. A valid passport.
2. Original birth certificate.
3. Original marriage certificate (if applicable).
4. Divorce(s) or death certificate(s) of any previous spouse(s) for both applicant and the U.S. citizen sponsor.
5. Applicants 18 years and older must provide a state or federal police certificate from your present country of residence and all countries where they have lived. If you have been convicted of any crime or offense, you must present a certificate from the court describing each offense. Details on obtaining police certificates can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us- visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-5-collect-financial-evidence-and-other-supporting-documents/step-7-collect-civil-documents.html.
6. Medical examination (vaccinations are optional). Instructions for medical exams attached (MEXWIDE-202).
7. Evidence of financial support. The petitioner may provide current employment letter, earnings statements, and/or recent tax returns. Additionally, the Consular Officer may request form I-134 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-134).
8. One 2x2 photograph for each applicant. See the required photo format explained at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html.
9. Evidence of the relationship between the petitioner and beneficiary.
10. Proof of the petitioner’s U.S. citizenship. This might include a birth certificate or U.S. passport.
11. Receipt of payment for $265.00 USD for each applicant through the online system.
12. Consular interview appointment letter.
13. Confirmation of online submission of form DS-160 for each applicant.
14. If you have obtained non-immigrant visas to enter the United States (i.e. tourist visa, Laser visa, student visa), bring those visas with you to the interview.
15. The address where you would like us to mail your documents at the end of the visa process.  

Attend your interview

• You and all children on your case must appear in person for the interview, regardless of age.

Don't make travel plans for the day of your interview. You may experience delays at the consulate and at the port of entry. We cannot predict when we'll finish processing your case.

Protect yourself from fraud

• Never show your documents or application to anyone who offers to organize or complete them for you.
• If you have questions about your visa, ask staff at the consulate's information window. Legitimate advice and application help are always free.

Information window hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–12:00 PM.

PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP

If your fiancé(e) visa depends on your engagement to a U.S. citizen, bring documents to your interview that prove your relationship is genuine. These documents may include:

• Life or medical insurance policies that name each other as beneficiaries
• Birth certificates for any children you've had together
• Photos of you and the petitioner together
• Letters or cards addressed to both of you from family members
• Correspondence between you and the petitioner
• Any other documents that show you and the petitioner have an ongoing, genuine relationship

Bring this proof to your interview. It helps us confirm that your relationship is valid.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS

Your interview date

Check the letter you received from the National Visa Center or the U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juárez for your visa interview date.

Schedule your medical exam

You must schedule your own medical exam with an authorized clinic before your interview date. We only accept exams from authorized clinics—not from other physicians.

Schedule your exam at least 3 days before your interview. Find complete details here: Medical Exam Instructions.

Everyone needs a medical exam. All applicants, regardless of age, must complete a medical exam before we issue a visa. Only a physician the U.S. Consulate has approved can perform this exam.

Authorized medical offices

The following medical offices may perform exams for this consulate:

CLINICA MEDICA INTERNACIONAL
Ave. Ramón Rivera Lara # 9020
Fracc. Las Lunas
Cd. Juárez, Chih., Mexico C.P. 32543
Tel: (52) 656-227-2800
Llamada gratuita desde EE. UU.:
1-844-624-9447

Website: https://cmi-medical.com

SERVICIOS MEDICOS DE LA FRONTERA
Prol. Ramón Rivera Lara #8950
Col. Partido Senecú
Cd. Juárez, Chih., Mexico C.P. 32540
Tel: (52) 656-688-2700
Desde EE. UU.:
888-456-0038 / 915-2172270

Website: http://www.smf.com.mx

MEDICOS ESPECIALIZADOS INTERNACIONALES
Calle Presa Falcón 172,
Colonia Irrigación,
Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo,
Ciudad de México C.P. 11500
Tel: (55) 2624-0630

Website: https://www.mei-mexico.com/

Medical office hours
Ciudad Juárez: Visit the medical office Monday–Friday, 6:00 AM–11:00 AM (except Mexican holidays). The office is near the Consulate.
Mexico City: Visit the medical office Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–12:00 PM (except Mexican holidays).
Appointments: We prefer that you schedule an appointment, but you don't need one.

What to bring to your medical exam

1. Your visa interview appointment letter
2. Your passport
3. A photocopy of your immunization records
4. Your current medical file, if you have a chronic illness, have been treated for a venereal disease, or are under psychiatric care
5. Your DS-160 confirmation page (for each applicant)

Medical exam fees
Pay the examining physician directly for all fees, including x-rays and blood tests.

Required vaccines and DNA tests cost extra. A 16% tax applies to all fees. You can only pay with cash or a Visa/MasterCard credit card.

What the exam includes

1. A review of your medical history
2. A physical exam
3. A chest X-ray
4. Urine and blood tests (applicants 15 and older)
5. A tuberculosis (TB) test (all applicants age 2 and older)

Be ready to discuss your medical history, current medications, and any ongoing treatments. Find more details on medical requirements on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Additional screening requirements

• Tuberculosis: All immigrant visa applicants must provide a blood test.

Gonorrhea: Applicants ages 18–24 must provide a urine sample. We may test applicants outside this age range if we suspect infection.

• Syphilis: Applicants ages 18–44 must provide a blood sample.
• Vaccinations: You must get certain vaccines before we issue your visa. Check current requirements on the CDC website.
• If you test positive for TB or HIV/AIDS
• CDC regulations require additional steps if you show signs of tuberculosis or test positive for HIV/AIDS. This process detects and treats these conditions to reduce the risk of spreading disease. This process may take 3–6 months before the clinic can complete your final medical exam.

Questions?

• Visit travel.state.gov to read Frequently Asked Questions about medical exam requirements.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

These items are not allowed in the Consulate General:

• Cellphones, computers and other electronic devices
• All media devices such as CD’s, thumb drives, SD cards, headphones, speakers
• Cameras or video equipment
• Flashlights
• Lighters and matches
• Weapons or any item that can be used as a weapon
• Knives and other sharp objects
• Purses and bags larger than 18” x 18”
• Liquids, gels, aerosols, oils, lotions, or powder (exceptions below)
• Food of any kind (exceptions below)

PERMITTED ITEMS

These items are permitted:

• Medical devices declared before security screening
• Small quantities of make-up
• Small quantities of baby formula, baby food, milk
• Small quantities of food (only if medically necessary, with proof of medical condition)
• Small quantities of diapers
• Belts
• Watches
• Keys
• Non-liquid medication
• Baby Carriers and baby strollers that can be folded small enough to pass through an x-ray machine

To avoid delaying your entry and those in line behind you, bring only what is required for your interview. The consulate does not provide lockers or storage for personal items. If you leave items in your car, be sure to put them in the trunk and lock your car. Do not leave any personal items in that can be seen in the passenger compartment. 

On the day of your visa interview, do not arrive at the Consulate more than 30 minutes before your appointment. For example, applicants with appointments at 8:15 a.m. are allowed inside at 7:45 a.m. 

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