Immigration Physical (US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand)

While each country has its own medical guidelines, the purpose behind most immigration physicals is to ensure that you’re mentally and physically fit for residency. For example, to gain residency in the US, you need to have a physical performed by a doctor who’s cleared by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). During this physical, Dr. McElya checks for the following:

• The presence of communicable diseases
• Vaccinations
• The existence of a mental disorder
• Substance abuse problems

Any disease that requires you to be quarantined or that poses a public health risk to others would make you inadmissible. The requirements for Australia, New Zealand, and Canada may differ slightly, but the basic idea is the same: to ensure that you’re not a public health liability in any way.