All applicants undergoing an interview for an immigration medical exam are asked about a history of illegal drug use, using legal drugs in an illegal manner, and alcohol abuse and DUI arrests. A history of harmful behavior will be sought. Examples of harmful behavior include DUI, violence towards oneself or others, and a history of criminal behavior to support a drug or alcohol habit. The latter may include anything from robbery to prostitution.
If there is a positive history of alcohol or drug abuse, applicants will be asked detailed questions about the frequency and intensity of use. If the applicant is no longer using, the date of the last use will be sought.
The latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used to determine if a substance use disorder is ongoing or in remission. In general, a disorder is considered to be in remission if at least one year has passed since the last episode of abuse; if there is also no history of harmful behavior, or if the Civil Surgeon determines that harmful behavior is unlikely to recur, the applicant will be found to be Class B, Medically Qualified, and the application can proceed. Applicants who are found to be current or recent drug or alcohol addicts or abusers will be found to be Class A, Medically Disqualified.
The immigration medical examination is only one part of a lengthy application process. Applicants usually, but not always, must pass their medicals in order to adjust their immigration status. If the medical is failed for reasons of substance abuse, applicants are usually given an opportunity to be reexamined at a later date. The applicant and Civil Surgeon can work out a rehabilitation plan. Such plans usually take a year to complete and involve periodic random testing for the substance in question.
If you want to know more about the immigration medical exam and need help with the process, Contact Steven Wittenberg Gordon today. Here, Dr. Gordon has dedicated 80% of his practice to immigration medical exams and has done thousands of them over the past two decades.
Also Read: USCIS Allows Use of the Current Edition of Form I-693 Until the Updated Form Is Published!
