October 10, 2019
New USCIS Policy Extends Green Card Medical Exam Validity to Two Years
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) has issued a policy memorandum regarding changes in the validity period of a Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, when filed in support of a Form I-485 Adjustment of Status Application for Green Card applicants.
Green card applicants are required to undergo a medical examination and obtain a signed Form I-693 from a USCIS-certified civil surgeon to submit in support of their green card application. The purpose behind the examination is to ensure that they are not inadmissible into the United States on public health grounds.
Effective November 1,2018 Form I-693 must be signed by a USCIS designated civil surgeon no later than 60 days before filing for the Adjustment of Status Application.
Additionally, the I-693 medical report will remain valid for a two-year-period that will begin to count from the date it was signed by the civil surgeon.
Previously, the civil surgeon was not required to sign the I-693 medical report so close to the filing date of the application. This created a problem for many applicants because by the time their green card was adjudicated, the Form I-693 was no longer valid. To overcome this hurdle, the applicant was required to obtain an updated medical report.
The goal behind this policy change is to minimize the number of I-485 RFEs which are being issued only due to expiring I-693 medicals.
Amit Solanki, Immigration Executive
