Group Scheduling for Couples and Families

Group scheduling means that two or more applicants — whether spouses, a fiancé(e) couple, or a family with multiple members — can all be seen at our Costa Mesa clinic on the same day. Rather than making separate trips on different days, everyone in the group arrives together, completes their individual examination, and leaves with their own sealed Form I-693 in hand.

For couples going through the immigration process together, same-day scheduling is more than a convenience — it can directly affect your immigration timeline. USCIS requires that Form I-693 be submitted while it is still valid, and having both partners complete their exams on the same day ensures that both forms carry the same civil surgeon signature date. This alignment simplifies planning and reduces the risk of one partner's form expiring before the other's case is ready to move forward.

Families with multiple applicants benefit in the same way. Whether you have two children, a parent and adult child, or an entire household applying together, coordinating everyone into a single visit eliminates the logistical burden of multiple separate appointments. Our scheduling team is experienced in managing multi-person visits and will ensure that adequate time is reserved for each member of your group.

Couples Applying Together: Marriage-Based and K-1

Two of the most common situations where couples need immigration medical exams at the same time are marriage-based adjustment of status and the K-1 fiancé(e) visa process.

For marriage-based green card applicants filing Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), the petitioning U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident does not need a medical exam — but the foreign national spouse does. In some cases, both partners may be foreign nationals adjusting status simultaneously, and both will need their own Form I-693. Even when only one spouse requires the exam, scheduling together means the couple can attend the appointment as a unit, which many find less stressful.

K-1 fiancé(e) visa holders present a slightly different situation. The K-1 visa itself requires a medical exam conducted at a U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad before the visa is issued. However, once the K-1 holder enters the United States and files Form I-485 to adjust status after marrying the petitioner, a second immigration medical exam — this time with a USCIS-designated civil surgeon in the United States — is required. At that stage, the couple may wish to schedule together if both partners need exams.

Regardless of the visa category, each person receives their own independent Form I-693. The forms are not combined or linked. Each sealed envelope is addressed to USCIS separately and submitted with the corresponding applicant's I-485 package. The fact that two people schedule together does not create any shared or joint medical record.

What Happens During a Couples Appointment

When a couple arrives for a group appointment, each person is examined individually by our civil surgeon in a private exam room. The examinations are conducted separately — one partner waits while the other is seen, and then they switch. This ensures that each person's exam is thorough, unhurried, and completely private.

Medical privacy is strictly maintained. The results of one partner's examination are not shared with the other partner, with the couple together, or with anyone other than the applicant and USCIS. Each person's Form I-693 is sealed in its own envelope before leaving the exam room. Neither partner has access to the other's medical findings, vaccination records as documented on the form, or any notes made by the civil surgeon.

At the end of the appointment, each person receives their own sealed envelope containing their completed Form I-693. The couple shares the scheduling convenience — the same day, the same clinic, the same civil surgeon — but the exam itself is entirely individual from start to finish.

Coordinating Documentation for Two Applicants

Each person in a couples or group appointment must bring their own complete set of documents. There is no shared documentation — USCIS requires that each applicant's identity and vaccination history be verified independently.

Each person should bring a valid government-issued photo ID (such as a passport or state ID), all available vaccination records (including childhood immunization records if available), and any relevant medical records such as records of prior tuberculosis testing, treatment for communicable diseases, or documentation of medical conditions that may be relevant to the exam.

It is common for one partner to have more complete vaccination records than the other. If one person has thorough documentation and the other has gaps or missing records, that is not a problem — our civil surgeon will assess each person individually. Missing vaccination records may mean that some vaccines need to be administered or titers drawn to verify immunity, but this is handled on a case-by-case basis for each applicant. One partner's incomplete records do not affect the other partner's exam.

We recommend that each person organize their documents separately before the appointment — ideally in separate folders or envelopes — so that there is no confusion at check-in. Our team can advise you on what to gather when you call to schedule.

Timing Considerations for Couples

Form I-693 has a validity period that couples should understand before scheduling. Under current USCIS policy, Form I-693 is valid for two years from the date of the civil surgeon's signature. USCIS will accept the form if it is submitted within that two-year window and if the applicant's case is adjudicated within a certain period after submission.

For couples, the key timing consideration is this: if both partners complete their exams on the same day, both forms carry the same signature date and both expire at the same time. This is usually the ideal scenario. However, if one partner's case moves significantly faster than the other's — for example, if one I-485 is approved while the other is still pending — the partner whose case is slower may find that their Form I-693 expires before their case is adjudicated. In that situation, a new exam would be required.

Scheduling both exams on the same day, as close as possible to when you plan to file your I-485 packages, gives both partners the maximum amount of time before their forms expire. If you are uncertain about your filing timeline, our team can help you think through the scheduling strategy when you call.

How to Book a Group Appointment

To book a couples or group appointment, call our office at 714-760-4538. When you call, let us know how many people need exams, the general immigration category (for example, marriage-based adjustment of status or K-1 adjustment), and your preferred dates. We will check availability and reserve a block of time sufficient for the entire group.

We recommend calling at least a few days in advance for couples and group appointments so that we can ensure the schedule accommodates everyone without long waits. That said, same-day availability for couples is often possible — call us as early in the day as possible if you need an appointment on short notice.

When you arrive, each person should check in separately and present their own ID and documents. Our front desk staff will guide each person through the check-in process. The civil surgeon will see each person in turn, and the entire visit for a couple typically takes one to two hours depending on vaccination needs and the completeness of each person's records.