HIPAA and Medical Privacy

Your medical information is protected by HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). A civil surgeon cannot share your medical information with your immigration attorney — or anyone else — without your written authorization.

To authorize communication between your civil surgeon and your attorney, you must sign a HIPAA authorization form that specifies what information can be shared and with whom. Most civil surgeon offices have a standard authorization form for this purpose.

What Information Attorneys Need

Your immigration attorney typically needs the following information from your civil surgeon to effectively manage your case.

• Confirmation that your exam appointment has been scheduled
• Confirmation that your exam has been completed
• Notification when your Form I-693 is ready for pickup or delivery
• Notification of any abnormal findings that may affect your case
• Confirmation of the form edition used and the date of completion
• Documentation of any follow-up appointments or additional testing required

How to Set Up Attorney Communication

When scheduling your immigration medical exam, inform the clinic that you are working with an immigration attorney and would like to authorize communication between the clinic and your attorney.

Ask the clinic for their HIPAA authorization form and complete it before or at your appointment. Provide your attorney's name, firm, address, phone number, and email address so the clinic can contact them directly.

What a Good Communication Protocol Looks Like

A civil surgeon who works regularly with immigration attorneys will have a clear communication protocol. They will notify your attorney when your exam is complete, when your form is ready, and if any issues arise that may affect your case.

They will also be responsive to attorney inquiries about case status and will provide documentation that attorneys need for their case files.

When Communication Is Especially Important

Effective civil surgeon-attorney communication is particularly important in certain situations.

• When your case has an upcoming USCIS interview date
• When abnormal findings require follow-up testing or treatment
• When a USCIS Request for Evidence (RFE) has been received
• When expedited processing has been requested
• When your case involves complex medical history that may affect admissibility