Ann Lee
by Ann Lee
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently announced a significant update regarding Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Effective immediately, any Form I-693 that has been properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023, will no longer have an expiration date. This means that such forms can now be used indefinitely as evidence to demonstrate that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds.
This decision by USCIS follows careful consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and takes into account advancements in public health electronic notification systems. However, USCIS officers have reserved discretion to request more evidence or a new or updated Form I-693 if they have reason to believe the applicant’s medical condition has changed since the civil surgeon signed the Form I-693, or that the Form I-693 submitted does not accurately reflect the applicant’s medical condition and the applicant may be inadmissible on health-related grounds.
This change in procedure should have several positive impacts to immigration processing, including streamlining the immigration process by eliminating the need for applicants to repeatedly undergo medical vaccinations when they have expired or a new version is issued, reducing administrative burden and saving costs, and improving efficiency to minimize Request for Evidence (RFE) issued due to expired medical examinations.
The experienced immigration attorneys at Holland & Hart LLP constantly monitor the changing immigration landscape.
