Examination in the United States of alien applicants for benefits under the immigration laws and other aliens.
8 C.F.R. § 232.2
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) General. When a medical examination is required of an alien who files an application for status as a permanent resident under section 245 of the Act or part 245 of this chapter, it shall be made by a selected civil surgeon. Such examination shall be performed in accordance with 42 CFR part 34 and any additional instructions and guidelines as may be considered necessary by the U.S. Public Health Service. In any other case in which the Service requests a medical examination of an alien, the examination shall be made by a medical officer of the U.S. Public Health Service, or by a civil surgeon if a medical officer of the U.S. Public Health Service is not located within a reasonable distance or is otherwise not available.
(b) Selection of civil surgeons. When a civil surgeon is to perform the examination, he shall be selected by the district director having jurisdiction over the area of the alien's residence. The district director shall select as many civil surgeons, including clinics and local, county and state health departments employing qualified civil surgeons, as he determines to be necessary to serve the needs of the Service in a locality under his jurisdiction. Each civil surgeon selected shall be a licensed physician with no less than 4 years' professional experience. Under usual circumstances physicians will be required to meet the 4 year professional experience criteria. However, at the district director's discretion other physicians with less experience can be designated to address unusual or unforeseen situations as the need arises. Officers of local health departments and medical societies may be consulted to obtain the names of competent surgeons and clinics willing to make the examinations. An understanding shall be reached with respect to the fee which the surgeon or clinic will charge for the examination. The alien shall pay the fee agreed upon directly to the surgeon making the examination.
(c) Civil surgeon reports—(1) Applicants for status of permanent resident. (i) When an applicant for status as a permanent resident is found upon examination to be free of any defect, disease, or disability listed in section 212(a) of the Act, the civil surgeon shall endorse Form I-486A, Medical Examination and Immigration Interview, and forward it with the X-ray and other pertinent laboratory reports to the immigration office from which the alien was referred, The immigration office may return the X-ray and laboratory reports to the alien. If the applicant is found to be afflicted with a defect, disease or disability listed under section 212(a) of the Act, the civil surgeon shall complete Form OF-157 in duplicate, and forward it with Form I-486A, X-ray, and other pertinent laboratory reports to the immigration office from which the alien was referred.
(ii) If the applicant is found to be afflicted with active tuberculosis and a waiver is granted under section 212(g) of the Act, the immigration office will forward a copy of the completed Form I-601 (Application for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability) and a copy of the Form OF-157 to the Director, Division of Quarantine, Center for Prevention Services, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333.
(iii) If an alien who if found to be mentally retarded or to have had one or more previous attacks of insanity, applies for a waiver of excludability under section 212(g) of the Act, the immigration office will submit to the Director, Division of Quarantine, Center for Prevention Services, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333, the completed Form I-601, including a copy of the medical report specified in the instructions attached to that form, and a copy of Form OF-157. This official shall review the medical report and advise the Service whether it is acceptable, in accordance with § 212.7(b)(4)(ii) of this chapter.
(iv) In any other case where the applicant has been found to be afflicted with active or inactive tuberculosis or an infectious or noninfectious leprosy condition, the immigration office will forward a copy of Form OF-157 with the applicant's address endorsed on the reverse to the Director, Division of Quarantine, Center for Prevention Services, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333.
(2) Other aliens. The results of the examination of an alien who is not an applicant for status as a permanent resident shall be entered on Form I-141, Medical Certificate, in duplicate. This form shall be returned to the Service office by which the alien was referred.
(d) U.S. Public Health Service hospital and outpatient clinic reports. When an applicant for a benefit under the immigration laws, other than an applicant for status as a permanent resident, is examined by a medical officer of the U.S. Public Health Service, the results of the examination shall be entered on Form I-141, Medical Certificate, in duplicate. The form shall be returned to the Service office by which the alien was referred.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-8.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026