How to Apply for Civil Surgeon Designation With Form I-910
Anyone applying for a visa through the Department of State must undergo a medical examination as part of their application process.
A designated civil surgeon is a medical doctor who is authorized by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to perform medical examinations for individuals who are seeking to obtain certain immigration benefits, such as adjustment of status to permanent residency.
What Is Form I-910?
If you’re a doctor in the United States and want to be authorized to conduct medical exams for people applying for certain immigration benefits, you’ll need to use Form I-910 to apply for the Civil Surgeon Designation.
In addition to the I-910 form, you’ll also need to complete Form I-693 for each person you examine. The I-693 form is a medical report with the medical exam results you performed for the would-be immigration’s application. This report helps ensure the applicant meets the health-related requirements for admission to the United States.
It’s important to note that the Civil Surgeon Designation does not give you the authority to conduct these exams for people seeking immigration benefits abroad through the U.S. Department of State. Only doctors specifically designated by the Department of State as panel physicians overseas can do these types of exams.
Qualifications for the Civil Surgeon Designation
To become a Civil Surgeon, there are several qualifications you must meet, including:
- Being actively licensed—with no restrictions—as either a doctor of medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) and planning to perform immigration medical examinations.
- Having a medical license that’s in good standing in the U.S. or a U.S. territory without any restrictions or limitations.
- Having at least four years of professional experience as a physician in the United States. This experience should be in general medicine or a related specialty.
- Being authorized to work in the United States.
- Having an active medical practice at the location(s) where you’re requesting to perform the exams. If you are merely planning to practice at a location in the future or are no longer practicing there, USCIS will not grant you a Civil Surgeon Designation for that location.
While you may meet the qualifications and requirements listed on the application form for a Civil Surgeon Designation, the decision to approve your application is ultimately up to USCIS.
Civil Surgeon Responsibilities
If you’ve been chosen as a USCIS-certified civil surgeon, you have some important responsibilities to fulfill to ensure the immigration medical examination process is accurate and trustworthy.
According to USCIS instructions, you must:
- Make sure to be honest and accurate about the results and include all the laboratory reports.
- It’s important to verify that the person who shows up for their immigration medical exam is actually the same person who is applying for the immigration benefit. This means checking their ID, like a passport or driver’s license. This applies to any lab tests, vaccines, or x-rays too.
- Perform the immigration medical examination according to Department of Health and Human Services regulations and the CDC’s Technical Instructions. Additionally, if your patient has any “communicable diseases of public health significance,” you must make referrals and file case reports, as required.
- Notify USCIS of any changes relevant to your designation as a civil surgeon. Changes include stopping practicing medicine, stopping performing immigration medical examinations, having your medical license restricted, or receiving any disciplinary action. Finally, you should notify USCIS within 15 days if your contact information changes.
How Do I Fill Out I-910 Form?
The civil surgeon application is nine pages and requires information about your medical background and clinical locations.
You should type or write clearly in black ink to complete this form. If you need extra space, it’s provided in Part 10 of the form. If a question doesn’t apply to you, write N/A (for “not applicable”). If the question requires a numeric response, then type or write zero or none.
Here’s the information you’ll need to provide in each section:
Part 1: Information About You
This is where you’ll provide basic information like your name, birthdate, USCIS online account number (if applicable), and A-number (if applicable).
If you’ve been a designated civil surgeon in the past, you’ll complete numbers two through seven, but only if it applies to you. You’ll provide your civil surgeon identification number and the designation period. You’ll also indicate if you’ve ever had your designation revoked or if you’ve voluntarily terminated your designation.
Part 2: Clinical Office Locations
This is where you’ll provide the addresses of your clinical offices. You must also indicate if any of the office locations are new, have been closed, or if there’s been a change in any contact information for these locations.
Part 3: Your Status in the United States
In this section, you’ll provide USCIS with information about your citizenship or immigration status. If you’re a nonimmigrant in the U.S., you’ll provide additional information about your status, as well as your passport or travel document number.
Parts 4 – 6: Professional Qualifications
In these sections, you’ll provide information about your medical degree(s), license(s), and previous employer(s) in the medical field. You must list the degrees and license numbers and the issuing authority of each. If you have any restrictions on your license, you’ll also need to indicate that here.
Parts 7-9: Signatures
The form’s final section is where you’ll provide your contact information and signature, an interpreter’s contact information and signature, and a preparer’s contact information and signature. You only have to provide information for an interpreter and/or preparer if you have help completing the form.
What Is The Filing Fee for Form I-910?
The filing fee for Form I-910 is $785. You can pay the fee by credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, or by including a personal check, cashier’s check, or money order with your Form I-910. A check or money order must come from a U.S. bank or other financial institution.
Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C., Can Help
Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. has a team of experienced immigration attorneys who understand the process for becoming a civil surgeon; and we can help you through each step of the process. Our attorneys will help ensure that your application is accurate, complete, and submitted on time to avoid processing delays.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you apply for a Civil Surgeon Designation.
