My K-1 visa medical exam in Ankara: about $650, three vaccines, and why I did not need another exam for the green card
· 3 min read
Before a K-1 visa interview, you must have a medical exam. Not with any doctor you choose, but with a doctor approved by the US Embassy, called a panel physician.
Here is how mine went in Ankara, what it cost, and how it helped me later with the green card.
My timeline
- June 8, 2026: Medical exam in Ankara, with three vaccines
- Early June 2026: K-1 visa interview in Ankara, approved. My K-1 timeline
- September 1, 2026: My vaccination record went into my green card package. How I filed it
Only one doctor in Ankara
When I did my exam, there was only one approved doctor in Ankara. So there was no choice to make, and no price to compare. You go where the embassy sends you.
Check the embassy's current instructions for your interview. They tell you which doctor to use and what to bring.
The cost: close to $650
I paid close to $650, vaccines included. This is not a USCIS fee, and it is not part of the visa fee. You pay it to the doctor. Plan for it in your budget. What my first months in the US cost
Three vaccines
The US asks immigrants to have certain vaccines. The doctor checks your records and gives you what is missing. I got three vaccines that day. My vaccination form shows them as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), polio and chickenpox (varicella).
If you have your childhood vaccination records, bring them. A vaccine you can prove you already had is one you may not need again.
A way to skip the vaccines at the exam
This is something I learned in Ankara: the clinic accepted vaccination cards older than six months. So if you get the needed vaccines in Turkey about seven months before your visa appointment and get an official vaccination card, you may not have to be vaccinated again at the exam. The decision is the doctor's, so it is not guaranteed. But it can save you part of the cost, and a lot of stress on exam day.
The form that matters later: DS-3025
The doctor records your vaccines on a State Department form called DS-3025, the vaccination documentation worksheet. Keep a copy. I did not know how important it would be.
Why I did not need a new exam for the green card
Most green card applicants in the US need a medical exam on Form I-693, with a US doctor. That costs money too.
But for a K-1 visa holder, the medical exam done abroad can count. If you file for the green card within about one year of that exam, you usually only need to send your vaccination record, not a new full exam. I filed less than three months after my exam, so I sent a copy of my DS-3025. No new doctor, no new bill.
This is one more reason to file early after the wedding. Getting married after a K-1 visa
Tips
- Book the exam early. It must be done before your interview.
- Bring your vaccination records and your passport. If you can, get the vaccines about seven months early and bring the official card.
- Plan close to $650 for the doctor, but check the current price.
- Keep a copy of your DS-3025. You may need it for the green card.
- File the green card within a year of the exam if you can. It can save you a second medical exam.
- Always check the official USCIS rules for the medical exam before you file.
Summary
- The K-1 medical exam must be done with an embassy approved doctor. In Ankara, there was only one.
- It cost me close to $650, with three vaccines.
- In Ankara, vaccination cards older than six months were accepted, if the doctor agreed.
- The vaccination record (DS-3025) later went into my green card package.
- Because I filed within a year, I did not need a new medical exam in the US.
This is my own experience, not legal or medical advice. Rules and prices can change.
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I am not a lawyer or an accountant. This is my own experience, written down as it happened. Rules change and every case is different, so check with the official source or a professional.