State Department Seeks Comments on Extending Visa Medical Exam Collections
Published Date: 12/23/2025
Notice
Summary
The Department of State wants to keep collecting medical exam info from doctors for people applying for U.S. visas or immigration benefits, with no changes to the current process. This affects visa applicants, refugees, and parole seekers, who’ll still spend about an hour on these exams. You’ve got until January 22, 2026, to share your thoughts—no extra fees or surprises, just a smooth extension!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
Refugees’ Exam Fees Covered
Refugees are not required to pay medical examination fees; those fees are covered as part of the refugee admittance process. The notice explicitly states refugees are not responsible for these costs.
HIV Fields Stay, Testing Not Required
The DS-3026 and DS-3030 forms contain HIV-related fields and will remain on visa medical forms; CDC instructions state HIV testing is recommended only for those with signs or symptoms and is not required, and HIV is not a ground of inadmissibility. Applicants who disclose HIV will be subject to additional tuberculosis testing per CDC Technical Instructions.
Medical Data Sharing and Retention
Medical information collected on visa applicants is retained by the Bureau of Consular Affairs and provided to CDC and DHS upon arrival at the port of entry; visa records including personal health information are protected under INA Section 222(f) but may be disclosed to other federal agencies as needed. The Department notes applicants consent to record retention by choosing to apply.
Visa Medical Exam Continues
The Department of State will continue collecting medical-exam information for U.S. visa and immigration benefits with no changes. The notice estimates 146,000 responses with an average time of 1 hour per medical examination and lists the obligation to respond as mandatory.
Limited Access to Visa Medical Forms
Completed DS medical forms are designated visa records and are confidential under INA 222(f) and generally may not be shared with the applicant. Panel physicians may, however, share their own lab reports or underlying test results with applicants upon request.
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Key Dates
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