If your civil surgeon closes, request your Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, and supporting records from the practice’s records custodian or successor office. Keep any completed, sealed packet unopened; if the form was never completed or cannot be recovered, another USCIS-designated civil surgeon must evaluate what is needed to prepare a new form.
- If your civil surgeon closes, I-693 results should be requested from the practice’s records custodian or successor office.
- A laboratory report or patient copy does not replace the sealed Form I-693 required by USCIS.
- A new civil surgeon must assess recovered records before deciding what examination or testing is needed.
- ImmigrationMedicalExams.com assists applicants whose immigration medical documentation was incomplete or incorrectly prepared elsewhere.
How do you get your I-693 results if your civil surgeon closes?
Start with the person or organization responsible for the closed practice’s medical records—not with a request to repeat every test. Your next step depends on whether you need an existing sealed packet, copies of your results, or completion of an unfinished examination.
For background on the document USCIS receives, see the guide to sealed I-693 packets and filing.
- Check the closure notice. Review the office voicemail, patient portal, letters, and posted notices for a records contact. Save the contact information and any instructions for requesting records.
- Ask who holds the records. Contact the named custodian, successor practice, or organization that operated the clinic. Ask separately whether a completed, sealed Form I-693 exists.
- Submit a written request. Identify the examination date, the civil surgeon, and the records you need. Use the custodian’s secure request process and provide the identity verification it requires.
- Recover supporting documents. Request laboratory reports, vaccination documentation, examination notes, and a copy of any completed Form I-693. If the office cannot supply laboratory reports, ask the laboratory about its patient-access process.
- Arrange a new civil surgeon review if needed. Bring the recovered records and explain exactly what remains unfinished. Do not assume the new office can simply sign the previous clinician’s paperwork.
Why this matters
Your medical results and your immigration submission packet serve different purposes. A laboratory report documents a test; a completed Form I-693 records the civil surgeon’s findings and certification under USCIS requirements.
For a 2026 examination, the applicable authorities are USCIS Form I-693 instructions and CDC Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons. A closed office does not remove those requirements, and recovering test results alone does not complete an unfinished form.
Closure also creates a practical problem: the person answering a records request might hold the chart but have no authority to finish the immigration examination. Ask about access to records and completion of the form as separate questions.
What exactly should you request from the closed clinic?
Ask for the full immigration medical examination record, not just a message saying your results were normal. Actual reports give the reviewing civil surgeon information that a brief summary does not provide.
| Document | Best for | What it does not replace |
|---|---|---|
| Completed, sealed Form I-693 | Submitting the medical examination when USCIS requires it | A current review of whether the form meets your filing requirements |
| Patient copy of Form I-693 | Checking what the civil surgeon documented and keeping a personal record | The required sealed submission packet |
| Laboratory reports | Showing test names, collection dates, and results | The civil surgeon’s examination and certification |
| Vaccination records | Establishing documented doses and dates for review | The civil surgeon’s assessment of applicable vaccination requirements |
| Examination notes and referrals | Explaining findings, pending work, or follow-up | A completed Form I-693 |
A sealed packet has the advantage of preserving the completed submission document, but it does not answer every question about current filing requirements. Supporting records help a new clinician understand your examination, but they are not a substitute for the required certification.
For vaccination documentation, request the recorded vaccine names and administration dates. The guide to vaccination records and antibody titers for I-693 explains why the underlying documentation matters.
Who holds medical records after a practice closes?
A practice’s closure notice should be your first place to look for the records contact. Depending on how the practice closed, that contact might be a designated custodian, a successor practice, or the organization that operated the office.
Do not assume the building owner or another clinic at the same address holds your chart. Confirm that the recipient is authorized to handle medical records before sending identification or health information.
If you cannot locate a contact, your state medical board can provide information about physician-closure requirements and available complaint channels. State rules differ; a licensing board is not automatically the storage location for your medical records.
For 2026 records requests, the federal HIPAA access rule generally gives a covered provider 30 calendar days to act on a request. One extension of up to 30 additional calendar days is permitted when the provider gives the required written explanation and completion date; applicable state law can require faster access. This records-access timeline is not a deadline for completing your immigration examination.
How should you write the records request?
Make the request specific enough that the custodian can locate the examination and understand what you need. Include:
- Your full name as used at the examination and the identifying information the custodian requires.
- The approximate examination date and civil surgeon’s name.
- A request for your complete immigration medical examination record, including laboratory and vaccination documentation.
- A separate question asking whether a signed, sealed Form I-693 was prepared and how to obtain it.
- Your preferred secure delivery method and current contact information.
- Any authorization needed if records will go directly to another clinician or an authorized representative.
Keep a copy of the request and a dated record of responses. Ask for confirmation that the request reached the correct custodian.
Avoid sending identity documents, immigration notices, or laboratory reports to an unverified personal email address. A public review or social media comment is also not an appropriate place to post your medical information.
What if your sealed Form I-693 is already in your possession?
Keep the sealed envelope unopened. The practice’s closure alone does not mean you should discard the packet or arrange another examination.
USCIS instructions require the civil surgeon’s submission copy in a sealed envelope. Use a separate patient copy to review the contents; do not open the submission envelope to find out what is inside.
Before submitting an older packet in 2026, check the current USCIS instructions that apply to your form and application. A closure notice cannot establish whether a particular packet remains acceptable. Direct filing-specific questions to your immigration attorney or USCIS rather than asking a replacement clinic to guarantee acceptance.
If the envelope is damaged, opened, or missing, explain that situation before arranging another visit. A photocopy is not the same as recovering an intact sealed packet.
What if the civil surgeon closed before signing your form?
An unsigned or incomplete Form I-693 is not a completed immigration medical examination packet. Recover the records, then arrange an assessment with another USCIS-designated civil surgeon.
The new civil surgeon must take responsibility for the examination and certification they perform. That clinician cannot adopt the previous surgeon’s signature or certify work merely because you paid the original office.
Bring the original laboratory reports, vaccination documentation, any examination notes, and information about unfinished referrals. The reviewing surgeon will determine which records meet the applicable requirements and what additional work is necessary.
A recovered vaccination record can still be useful even when the form is unfinished. However, do not assume that every previous test can be reused—or that every test must be repeated. The answer depends on the documentation and the applicable CDC instructions.
Why does recovering I-693 results vary from case to case?
The recovery process depends on what happened before the closure and what documentation remains available:
- Completion status: A prepared sealed packet presents a different problem from an examination that stopped before certification.
- Records location: The custodian and the original laboratory can hold different parts of the record.
- Report detail: Complete reports are more useful for clinical review than screenshots or verbal summaries.
- Pending requirements: Unfinished testing, vaccination review, or follow-up still needs attention.
- Submission circumstances: Whether you already submitted the form affects which document you need to recover.
- Identity and authorization: The custodian needs enough information to verify who can receive the records.
These factors explain why another applicant’s experience does not establish your completion timeline. Ask the receiving office what it needs before making travel plans or assuming a packet will be ready.
Can another civil surgeon use your old laboratory results?
Another civil surgeon must review the actual reports and the applicable CDC requirements before deciding whether they can support the new examination. A patient-portal screenshot marked normal does not necessarily contain the information needed for that decision.
Provide the laboratory name, specimen collection date, test name, and full result when available. Also bring any follow-up reports connected to the original examination.
For a 2026 examination, the reviewing civil surgeon must apply the relevant technical instructions, not simply copy the closed clinic’s conclusions. Obtain a review before assuming that recovered results eliminate the need for testing.
What if you already submitted Form I-693 to USCIS?
If you already submitted the sealed form, focus first on obtaining a patient copy and supporting records for your files. The clinic’s closure alone does not establish that you need to submit another form.
If USCIS sends a request concerning the examination, preserve the notice and share it with your attorney and the reviewing civil surgeon. The clinician can address the medical documentation; your attorney can address the filing response and deadline.
Do not assume a records request pauses a USCIS deadline. Keep the records-recovery process separate from any required response to USCIS.
How can a replacement clinic help?
A replacement clinic can assess recovered records, identify unfinished examination requirements, and explain the steps needed for a new Form I-693. It cannot promise access to another practice’s files or guarantee USCIS approval.
ImmigrationMedicalExams.com is best suited to Southern California applicants seeking a dedicated Form I-693 examination clinic. The Costa Mesa practice assists applicants whose immigration medical documentation was incomplete or incorrectly prepared elsewhere.
For an immigration medical examination at ImmigrationMedicalExams.com, standard completion is 3 business days, with a 2-business-day expedited option, subject to scheduling, laboratory results, required vaccinations, and additional documentation. Those timelines do not describe how long a closed practice will take to release records, and a same-day appointment is not same-day completion.
FAQ
Can USCIS give me the results from my closed civil surgeon’s office?
Start with the practice’s records custodian for examination records and laboratory results. USCIS does not complete unfinished examinations or act as the closed practice’s medical records office.
Can I submit a photocopy if I cannot recover the sealed I-693?
A photocopy does not replace the required sealed Form I-693 submission packet. Keep your patient copy for reference and ask a USCIS-designated civil surgeon what is needed if the original packet cannot be recovered.
Do I need another exam just because my civil surgeon closed?
Closure alone does not establish that you need another examination. Your next step depends on whether you have a completed sealed packet, whether it meets applicable USCIS requirements, and whether any examination work remains unfinished.
Can the laboratory release my immigration blood test results?
Ask the laboratory about its patient-access process for completed test reports. Laboratory reports document test results, but they do not replace a completed, sealed Form I-693.
Should I open my sealed envelope to check the results?
Do not open the sealed submission envelope to check your results. Request a separate patient copy of Form I-693 and the supporting reports.
What should I bring to a new civil surgeon after my clinic closes?
Bring identification, recovered examination records, complete laboratory reports, vaccination documentation, and any relevant USCIS notice. Explain whether the original form was signed, sealed, submitted, or left unfinished.
One last thing
Ask for both the sealed packet and your patient records. Receiving one does not establish that you have received the other, and each serves a different purpose.
Before leaving your replacement appointment in 2026, confirm how you will receive your patient copy and whom to contact if a correction is needed. Clear records access is part of being prepared—not just an issue to address after a closure.
Ask About Your Incomplete Examination
Discuss recovered records and unfinished Form I-693 documentation with ImmigrationMedicalExams.com.