Going to the Doctor as an Undocumented Immigrant: What to Expect at a Non-Hospital Medical Office

Taking care of your health is important—whether you're feeling unwell or just due for preventive screenings. But for undocumented immigrants, going to a doctor’s office can come with added worries:

• Will I be judged?

• What if they ask for a Social Security number?

• Am I even allowed to be here?

This post aims to provide a behind-the-scenes look at what actually happens when you visit a non-hospital medical office (like a primary care or specialist clinic), offering transparency and hopefully easing some of those concerns.

Important Note: The information in this post applies for majorities medical offices, and experiences may vary slightly from one clinic to another. However, no medical office is allowed to deny care based on your citizenship status or documentation.

Making an Appointment (or Walking In)

It’s usually best to call ahead and schedule an appointment to reduce your wait time. However, if your situation is urgent or you just happen to have time, many clinics also accept walk-ins. If you know you will be self-paying for the visit, it is a good idea to ask the staff for the general cost for doctor visits and examinations you will be performing before during a phone call. This allows you to have an expectation of how much you will be paying and compare costs across multiple offices. 

Filling Out the Sign-In Form

When you're visiting a clinic for the first time, you’ll be asked to fill out a new patient form. This typically asks for basic information like:

• Your name, date of birth, and contact details

• Some background on your medical history

• Your insurance info (if any)

You might see a space asking for your Social Security number (SSN). You are not required to fill this in—you can simply leave it blank and hand the form back to the staff without saying anything related to it. Many patients skip this section, and in most cases, staff won’t even notice it.

Although the sign in form asks for a social security number, social security number is not a required information that needs to be entered to create your patient profile. So, the staff is unlikely to chase you down for your SSN because they do not manually enter any of their patients’ SSN into the system. Your patient profile is created using your name and date of birth (which they need to manually enter)—not your SSN. 

Also, your information is protected. Nothing you share in your medical forms will be shared without your permission. 

ID and Medical Insurance

The staff will likely ask for two things when checking you in:

1. A form of ID

2. Your insurance card, if you have one

This is just to ensure that your name on the ID and the insurance card is the same. If you don’t have a state-issued ID, you can show a passport, sometimes a school ID. If you claim that you do not have an ID on you, the office will likely still allow you to see the doctor since medical offices are not allowed to refuse to see patients.

You’ll also be asked for your medical insurance card. It’s completely fine if you only have a photo of the card—as long as you can provide the insurance account number, the clinic can use that to verify your coverage.

Understanding Deductibles and Copays

Even if you have insurance, you may still be responsible for some out-of-pocket costs. Two common terms you’ll hear are:

• Deductible: This is the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket each year before your insurance starts to cover certain services. For example, if your deductible is $500, you may need to pay that amount first before your insurance helps with costs.

• Copay: This is a fixed amount you pay each time you visit a doctor or get a specific service (like a lab test or prescription). For example, your copay might be $20 for a regular visit.

If You Have Medi-Cal/Medicare/Medicaid

If you're covered by Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program), Medicare (patients older than 65), and medicaid (Low income patients), they often cover your copays and reduce or eliminate other out-of-pocket costs. If you have either of these, be sure to provide those cards as well when checking in.

If you don’t have insurance, let them know you'd like to self-pay. This is common, and staff are used to it. People self-pay for many reasons, such as:

• Not wanting insurance records connected to the visit

• Visiting a clinic outside their regular provider network

So, telling them you would like to self-pay will not induce any suspicion.

Here’s a general idea of self-pay costs (which may vary by office):

• Doctor visit: $100–$120

• Lab work or exams without seeing a doctor: Often free, but if it’s your first visit, you’ll need to speak with a doctor first so they can understand your condition

  • However, the follow-up visit to review test results will charged separately (usually the same price as a doctor visit)

• Lab tests or imaging: Prices vary by test

Again, your ID and insurance details stay private and won’t be shared without your consent.

During Your Visit

Once you're in the exam room, your focus should be on your health.There is no reason for any medical staff or doctors to ask about your citizenship status —and they likely won’t even notice the blank SSN field.

Doctors and medical staff are trained to care for all patients with professionalism and respect. Their priority is your health, not your documentation.

Final Thoughts

You deserve quality healthcare, and there are systems in place to make that possible. Don’t let fear keep you from getting the care you need.

If you’re still unsure or anxious, consider calling the office ahead of time to ask about their policies—anonymously if you prefer. Many clinics, especially community health centers, are accustomed to working with diverse patient populations and will do their best to help you feel comfortable and respected.