Submit Medical Report with Your Green Card Application for Faster Processing, USCIS Advises

USCIS recommends including Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, with your Form I-485 application for adjustment of status. This simplifies the process by reducing the need for USCIS to request additional documents, potentially leading to faster green card decisions.

The Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record remains valid for two years from the Civil Surgeon’s signature date. However, if a decision on your green card application isn’t made within this period, you’ll need to submit a new report.

Importantly, USCIS no longer requires submitting the report within 60 days of the Civil Surgeon’s signature. Previously, exceeding this limit rendered the report invalid. A temporary exemption was granted on December 9, 2021, and a permanent one has been in effect since March 31, 2023.

#FilingTipFriday: If you’re applying for adjustment of status, file Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, together with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Doing so may eliminate the need for us to issue an RFE. pic.twitter.com/9MrwUKrE8x

— USCIS (@USCIS) February 16, 2024

While submitting Form I-693 with your I-485 isn’t mandatory, USCIS highly suggests it to expedite the process, especially for interview-waived applicants. USCIS reviews applications for interview waivers individually.

USCIS advises, “If you’re applying for adjustment of status, file Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, together with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Doing so may eliminate the need for us to issue an RFE.”

The USCIS website states, “Save time by submitting Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.  You are not required to submit your Form I-693 at the same time you file Form I-485. While some applicants intend to bring their completed Form I-693 to their interview, some applications may not require an interview. We make decisions to waive interviews on a case-by-case basis. Filing Form I-485 and Form I-693 at the same time may eliminate the need for us to issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) to obtain your Form I-693. This may also help avoid adjudication delays if we decide that you do not need to be interviewed.”

As of March 31, 2023, USCIS considers Form I-693 valid for two years from the Civil Surgeon’s signature, regardless of when the underlying benefit application was submitted. This change establishes a standardized validity period for the report’s evidentiary value in immigration benefit adjudication.