A TB test form is a document a healthcare provider signs after screening you for tuberculosis, and you then hand it to the employer, school, or government agency that asked for proof you are not infectious. Most of your work happens before the visit: gathering records so the clinician picks the right test, reads it correctly, and signs off without a second appointment. Expect to pay $40 to $75 for a skin test or $100 to $350 for a blood test, and expect results in 48 to 72 hours.
What the Form Documents
Whichever test your clinician uses, the form records the method, the dates, the result, and the clinician’s interpretation. There are two methods, and the right one depends on your history.
Tuberculin Skin Test
The skin test, also called the Mantoux test or TST, is a small injection of purified protein derivative just under the skin of your forearm. You have to return 48 to 72 hours later so the provider can measure any raised, firm swelling in millimeters. Miss the second visit and the test is void; you start over. The form records the induration measurement, the date the test was placed, and the date it was read.
A past Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, common in many countries outside the U.S., can produce a false-positive skin test. There is no reliable way to tell a BCG reaction apart from a real infection, so providers interpret the result against your risk factors regardless of vaccination history.
TB Blood Test
The interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) is a single blood draw processed in a lab, with results back in 24 hours to a few days. The CDC encourages providers to use blood tests for TB screening and specifically recommends them for anyone who received the BCG vaccine, because the blood test is not affected by prior vaccination. Blood tests are also the better choice if you are unlikely to make it back for a skin-test reading.
For children under five, the CDC recommends the skin test, though some clinicians use blood tests in younger children too. For immigration, the blood test is mandatory for anyone two or older; the skin test is not accepted.
What to Bring So the Form Gets Finished in One Visit
The clinician fills in most of the form, but the information comes from you. A missing record is the usual reason people walk out with an incomplete form.
- Photo ID and your full legal name, date of birth, current mailing address, and phone number. A misspelled name or wrong birth date can force you to redo the process.
- BCG vaccination documentation if you received the vaccine. It tells the provider to lean toward a blood test.
- Any prior TB test results, with dates and outcomes. If you have ever tested positive, bring the chest X-ray report and any treatment records too.
- Travel history: dates and locations of time spent in countries with high TB rates. This helps the clinician read borderline results.
- Your insurance card, or payment if you are covering the visit yourself.
The Symptom and Exposure Questions
Most TB forms include a short yes-or-no symptom screen covering the hallmark signs of active TB:
- A cough lasting three weeks or longer
- Unexplained weight loss
- Night sweats
- Persistent fever
- Loss of appetite
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Weakness or fatigue
Answer honestly. A yes does not mean you have TB; it tells the provider to investigate before signing. Downplaying a symptom to speed up a clearance can backfire if an active infection surfaces later and gets traced back to the screening.
The form also captures exposure history: close contact with anyone diagnosed with active TB, and whether you live or work in a congregate setting such as a shelter, nursing home, or correctional facility. The provider combines that information with your test result to decide whether you are cleared or need follow-up.
What a Positive Result Means for the Form
A positive skin or blood test does not mean you have active, contagious TB. It means you have been infected at some point. Before the form can be completed, the provider needs to distinguish latent TB infection (bacteria present but dormant and not contagious) from active TB disease.
After a positive test, you need a chest X-ray. If the X-ray is normal and you have no symptoms, the diagnosis is latent TB infection, and the provider can complete your clearance form noting latent infection with a normal chest X-ray. Treatment is typically a three-to-four-month course of antibiotics that is about 90 percent effective at preventing latent infection from progressing.
If the X-ray shows abnormalities or you have symptoms, the provider will order sputum tests. Active TB requires a treatment course of at least six months, and the provider cannot sign a clearance form until treatment is complete and you are no longer infectious.
Once you have a documented positive test with a normal chest X-ray and clearance on file, future screenings generally require only a symptom check. Repeat skin tests are usually unnecessary after that point.
Where to Send the Completed Form
How you submit the signed form depends on who asked for it. Sending it the wrong way can mean starting over.
Employment
Your employer’s HR or occupational health office will tell you which form they accept and how to deliver it. Many take a physical copy by hand or certified mail; some use an online portal. The CDC recommends TB screening for all healthcare personnel at hire, but routine annual retesting is not recommended unless there has been a known exposure or ongoing transmission at the facility. State and local rules can be stricter, and CDC recommendations do not override them, so your employer’s policy is the one that controls.
School and University Enrollment
Most schools and universities want the signed form uploaded through a student health portal. Accepted file formats and deadlines vary, and some schools require the form before you can register for classes or move into housing. Many accept results only from within the past 12 months. Check the registrar or student health office before you assume an older result will clear.
Immigration Medical Exam (Form I-693)
For immigration, TB screening is part of the broader medical exam documented on Form I-693, completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. The rules here are stricter than for employment or school.
Everyone two or older must have an IGRA blood test. The two FDA-approved options are the QuantiFERON and the T-SPOT.TB. If the blood test is positive, the civil surgeon must order a chest X-ray using digital radiography. If the X-ray suggests active TB or you have symptoms, the civil surgeon will refer you to your local health department for sputum testing. The form cannot be signed until all follow-up is complete and you are medically cleared.
When the civil surgeon signs Form I-693, they must give it to you in a sealed envelope. Do not accept it if the envelope is not sealed, and do not open it yourself. USCIS will return any Form I-693 that arrives opened or altered. Once signed, the form is valid for two years.
How Long the Completed Form Stays Valid
There is no single nationwide expiration date. It depends on who is reviewing the form.
- Healthcare employment: baseline screening at hire, with routine retesting not recommended after that unless there is a known exposure or ongoing transmission. Individual states and facilities may require more frequent screening.
- Schools and universities: many accept results from within the past year, but policies vary.
- Immigration (Form I-693): valid for two years from the civil surgeon’s signature date.
If you have a documented positive test followed by a normal chest X-ray and clearance, most employers and schools will accept a provider’s clearance letter going forward instead of a fresh test. The letter should include the provider’s signature, the date of the original positive test, the chest X-ray result, and confirmation that you have no symptoms of active TB.
Penalties for Falsifying the Form
Submitting a falsified TB form to an employer or school can lead to termination or removal from campus. For federal documents like Form I-693, the stakes are higher: making false statements on a government form is punishable by up to five years in prison, with fines set under the federal sentencing guidelines rather than a fixed amount. Falsifying immigration medical records can also jeopardize your adjustment-of-status application entirely.