The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented a new policy requiring certain applicants to submit their medical examination report along with their Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status).
Previously, applicants could submit their medical report at a later stage of the process. However, under the updated guidelines, the medical report, documented in Form I-693 (Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record), must now accompany the initial application. USCIS warns that applications submitted without the medical report risk being denied.
To comply with this updated policy, applicants must ensure their Form I-693 is completed and signed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. The report must confirm that the applicant does not have any medical conditions that would render them inadmissible on health grounds.
Additionally, USCIS clarified, “If you are required to submit Form I-693, or a partial Form I-693 (such as the Vaccination Record), you must submit it with your Form I-485. Otherwise, we may reject your Form I-485. We have revised the Form I-485 instructions to make filing the two forms together a requirement. We have made this change to reduce the number of Requests for Evidence we issue before adjudicating a Form I-485.”
In April 2023, USCIS announced that medical reports prepared and signed on or after November 1, 2023, would no longer expire. These reports are now valid indefinitely.
However, for reports signed before November 1, 2023, the previous rule remains in effect, allowing validity for only two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature. This distinction arises from differences in CDC reporting protocols, which have since been updated to facilitate electronic data sharing and improve public health record-keeping.
Despite these changes, USCIS retains the authority to request additional evidence or a new medical report if there is reason to believe an applicant’s medical condition has changed, the initial report is incomplete, or it does not accurately reflect the applicant’s health status.
Applicants submitting older medical reports must also note that reports signed before November 1, 2023, remain subject to the two-year validity rule.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
