Two credentials matter for an I-693 exam: an active Nevada physician license and a current USCIS civil surgeon designation. Here is how to verify both.
Updated on: 2026-08-19
If you need an immigration medical exam in Las Vegas, the doctor who signs your Form I-693 must hold two separate things: an active, unrestricted Nevada physician license and an individual USCIS civil surgeon designation tied to that specific practice location. A nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or lab tech cannot stand in for that physician. Neither credential replaces the other, and a clinic advertising "immigration physicals" is not proof that the right person is designated.
That is the whole answer. The rest of this piece explains why people get tripped up, what the words actually mean, and how to check both credentials in about ten minutes before you book.
Why "the clinic does immigration exams" is not the credential
I have seen the same confusion over and over. Someone books an immigration exam because a website says the office handles I-693 forms, then finds out later that the person listed on USCIS's directory has moved, retired, or was never designated for that address.
USCIS designates individuals, not buildings. The credential attaches to a named M.D. or D.O. and to the location where that doctor practices. A doctor cannot get designation for a place where they only plan to work in the future or no longer work. So the question you care about is narrow and specific:
Is this particular M.D. or D.O. currently listed by USCIS as a civil surgeon for this Las Vegas location?
A staff member's medical license, a general clinic authorization, or a claim that "we have USCIS doctors" does not answer that question. Only the USCIS Find a Civil Surgeon directory does.
The Nevada license: the state-level piece
For ordinary Las Vegas practice, the doctor needs an active, unrestricted Nevada license to practice medicine. USCIS specifically requires the license to be valid in the state where the exam happens, so a doctor licensed only in California or Arizona does not qualify to examine you in Las Vegas.
Nevada handles M.D.s and D.O.s through different boards. The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners covers allopathic physicians (M.D.s) and points osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) to the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. If your immigration doctor is a D.O., you verify through the osteopathic board, not the allopathic one. People sometimes search the wrong board, come up empty, and assume the worst when the license is perfectly valid somewhere else.
There is no separate "immigration doctor" license in Nevada. No immigration-physical certificate, no civil-surgeon state credential, nothing like that. Nevada licensure lets a physician practice medicine in the state. The federal designation is what authorizes I-693 exams. You need to confirm both, from two different sources.
When you look up the Nevada license, check three things: that the physician's name appears, that the license is active, and that it is not restricted, suspended, or under disciplinary action.
USCIS civil surgeon designation: the federal piece
This is the credential most people have never heard of before they need one. USCIS sets minimum professional qualifications, and they are not vague.
| Requirement | What it means for a Las Vegas immigration doctor |
|---|---|
| Medical degree | Must be an M.D. or D.O. |
| State license | Active, unrestricted Nevada license for exams performed in Las Vegas |
| Experience | At least four years of professional physician practice in the U.S. |
| Work authorization | Authorized to work in the United States |
| Active practice location | An active medical practice at the exact location requested |
| USCIS designation | Individually designated before completing and signing Form I-693 |
The physician applies through Form I-910, Application for Civil Surgeon Designation, and submits proof of status or work authorization, a copy of the current state license, a copy of the medical degree showing M.D. or D.O., and evidence of the four years of qualifying experience. USCIS reviews all of it before granting designation.
The four-year rule catches people off guard
Here is the part that surprises even medically literate readers. The four-year requirement means four years of professional practice after postgraduate training. Internship does not count. Residency does not count. Training that is part of the physician's education does not count. Post-residency fellowship practice generally may count when it is genuine professional practice rather than required training.
So a doctor who graduated eight years ago but spent four of those in residency does not automatically meet the standard. USCIS wants documentation of the qualifying period, usually through employment-verification letters. This is a real filter, and it is one reason the designation carries more weight than a casual reader might assume.
Civil surgeon vs panel physician: not the same job
These two terms get swapped constantly, and the difference matters.
- A civil surgeon is designated by USCIS to perform immigration medical exams inside the United States, including exams supporting adjustment of status. This is the person who completes your Form I-693 in Las Vegas.
- A panel physician is designated by the Department of State to perform visa-related exams abroad, at U.S. embassies and consulates.
A Las Vegas doctor doing domestic I-693 work needs civil surgeon designation. A State Department panel-physician credential is a different designation for a different setting. If a provider describes themselves with the wrong term, ask which one they actually hold.
What a designated civil surgeon is responsible for
Designation is not a line on a résumé. The doctor takes on real obligations under federal rules, and how those obligations get handled tells you a lot about whether you are dealing with a competent immigration practice.
A designated civil surgeon must follow CDC's Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons, which cover medical history and physical exam, tuberculosis, vaccinations, mental health, gonorrhea, syphilis, Hansen's disease, and other relevant conditions. The doctor is responsible for the exam itself, any required radiographs, lab work, consultations, and reporting on the prescribed forms.
The physician must also verify your identity using government-issued ID, complete the current acceptable edition of Form I-693, and sign only after the entire exam and any required treatment or referral is finished. USCIS treats the civil surgeon's signature date as the exam-completion date. If the doctor cannot perform a required assessment, they must refer you out and review the referral physician's report before signing, per USCIS's policy manual on medical exam documentation.
The signature usually has to be an original, not a stamp. And the finished form goes to you in a sealed envelope. The Find a Civil Surgeon tool warns that an opened or altered envelope will not be accepted. Get your personal copy, but do not open the official packet.
Where Partida Corona Medical Center fits
Partida Corona Medical Center publicly identifies Dr. Jose Maria Partida Corona as a USCIS civil surgeon for its Las Vegas immigration-exam service, at its office on East Flamingo Road. The clinic completes Form I-693 and describes the standard exam components: medical history, physical exam, infectious-disease testing, vaccination review, and form completion.
That description lines up with CDC's required exam categories, though the exact testing depends on your age, medical findings, and the current Technical Instructions, so treat any single clinic's workflow as their process rather than a universal rule.
The reason I would point immigration applicants and families toward a practice like this one comes down to how it handles the parts that cause stress. Pricing is published up front. The adult immigration exam runs a flat one-time fee with initial TB and STD lab testing and all required documentation included, and children under 14 are priced lower. Vaccinations are add-ons, and you only pay for the ones you still need, completed after the exam and before you pick up your documents. That transparency is a real differentiator in a category where hidden fees are a common complaint, and the clinic's bilingual English-Spanish staff and walk-in availability remove two more friction points for the people who most often need these exams.
None of that replaces your own verification. Even with a clinic that says all the right things, you still confirm the two credentials yourself.
A verification checklist before you book
Run through this list. It takes a few minutes and saves you from a rejected packet.
- Get the doctor's name. Ask for the full name of the M.D. or D.O. who will conduct and sign your exam.
- Search USCIS. Look that specific doctor up in the Find a Civil Surgeon directory using the Las Vegas address or ZIP. The tool lets you filter by languages spoken.
- Check the Nevada license. Confirm an active, unrestricted physician license through the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners for an M.D., or the osteopathic board for a D.O.
- Confirm who signs. Make sure the designated physician, not only a nurse practitioner or lab worker, reviews and signs your Form I-693.
- Ask about the form edition. Confirm the office uses the current USCIS-accepted Form I-693.
- Clarify testing and referrals. Ask what is included, what goes to outside labs, and how referrals get handled.
- Bring vaccination records. Missing vaccines add cost and delay completion.
- Protect the sealed packet. Keep your personal copy, submit the sealed envelope with your I-485, and never open or alter it.
Credentials that help but are not required
A lot of good qualities are worth having in an immigration doctor without being federal requirements. Board certification in family or internal medicine, professional-organization membership, bilingual service, years of experience beyond the required four, high I-693 volume, in-house labs, on-site vaccinations, transparent pricing, and same-day or walk-in access all make a provider easier to work with.
Treat those as selection factors, not eligibility rules. USCIS does not list board certification or specialty among its minimum civil-surgeon requirements. A doctor can be an excellent choice on convenience and communication while the two things that legally matter remain the active Nevada license and the current USCIS designation.
One more note on wording. "USCIS-certified" shows up in a lot of marketing. The precise official term is "USCIS-designated civil surgeon." It is a small distinction, but if a provider gets the terminology wrong, it is a reasonable prompt to double-check the directory listing yourself.
FAQ
Can a nurse practitioner or physician assistant do my immigration exam?
No. USCIS limits civil surgeon designation to M.D.s and D.O.s who meet its licensing and experience requirements. An NP, PA, RN, chiropractor, or podiatrist cannot substitute for the designated physician who signs Form I-693. Support staff can assist with parts of the visit, but the designated doctor carries responsibility for the exam and the signature.
Does the four-year experience requirement count my residency?
No, and this trips up a lot of people. The four years must be professional practice after postgraduate training. Internship and residency do not count. A post-residency fellowship may count when it represents genuine practice rather than required training. The physician documents the qualifying period for USCIS, typically with employment-verification letters.
Is a doctor licensed in another state allowed to examine me in Las Vegas?
Generally no. For ordinary Las Vegas practice, USCIS requires an active, unrestricted Nevada license because the exam happens in Nevada. A narrow military-physician exception allows licensure in any state for eligible service members and dependents examined at a military treatment facility, but that does not cover a typical civilian clinic.
How do I know the clinic's doctor is really designated, not just the clinic?
Search the individual physician by name in the USCIS Find a Civil Surgeon directory using the Las Vegas address or ZIP code. Designation attaches to a specific doctor at a specific location, not to the clinic as an entity. If the name and address match a current listing, that is your confirmation.
What happens if I open the sealed I-693 envelope?
USCIS will not accept an opened or altered envelope. The civil surgeon seals the completed form, and you submit it that way, usually together with your Form I-485. Ask for a personal copy for your records at the appointment so you never have a reason to open the official packet.