USCIS Issues Updated Guidelines Regarding Form I-693 Validity Period

HI INDIA NEWS DESK
WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has made an announcement regarding the validity of Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. As of November 1, 2023, any Form I-693 properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon will not expire and can be used indefinitely to demonstrate that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds.

This decision, made in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is based on advancements in public health electronic notification. Consequently, the evidentiary value of Form I-693 is no longer restricted to a specific timeframe if it meets the criteria of proper completion and signature by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023. However, USCIS officers retain the discretion to request additional evidence or a new Form I-693 if they suspect changes in the applicant’s medical condition since the form’s signing, or if they believe the submitted form does not accurately reflect the applicant’s health status, potentially rendering them inadmissible on health-related grounds.

For individuals who underwent immigration medical examinations prior to November 1, 2023, the previous policy remains applicable. Before this date, civil surgeons were not required to electronically share or report certain information to the CDC. USCIS, in consultation with the CDC, has determined that a Form I-693 properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon before November 1, 2023, remains valid for two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature. However, it’s important to note that this provision does not extend to Forms I-693 filed by Operation Allies Welcome parolees, as their forms retain evidentiary value for three years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature, as outlined in policy and consultation with the CDC.

For further details, refer to the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 4.