USCIS announced last week that the Form I-693 Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record will no longer expire and can be used indefinitely so long as it was properly competed and signed by a U.S. civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023. Woo!

Getting the medical exam completed can be expensive and time-consuming. Previously, long processing timelines resulted in applicants for lawful permanent residence needing to re-do their medical exams before their green card could be issued. Now, thanks to updates to public health electronic notification and recommendations from the CDC, USCIS has determined that a Form I-693’s evidentiary value should no longer be limited to a certain period if it is properly completed and was signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023. Of course, USCIS officers always have 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, that the Form I-693 submitted does not accurately reflect the applicant’s medical condition, or the applicant may be inadmissible on other health-related grounds.

If an applicant’s immigration medical examination was completed before Nov. 1, 2023, the prior policy still applies and the medical exam results will be valid for two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature.

The I-693 is filed when someone applies to get lawful permanent residence in the United States as a way of showing that they are not subject to any of the medical grounds of inadmissibility. Four general medical conditions can arise to make someone ineligible for permanent residence in the U.S. based on medical grounds. Those include:

1. Drug abuse or addition;
2. Failure to show proof of required vaccinations;
3. A communicable disease of public health significance; and/or
4. A physical or mental disorder with associated harmful behavior.

Public health concerns have been reflected in U.S. immigration law since the Immigration Act of 1882. Among other concerns, “persons suffering from a loathsome or a dangerous contagious disease” were not allowed to enter the United States. In 1990, Congress narrowed health-related grounds of inadmissibility to include only noncitizens with communicable diseases, physical or mental disorders with associated harmful behavior, or those with drug abuse or addiction problems. As of 1996, Congress began to require that all immigrant visa and adjustment of status applicants establish that they have been vaccinated against certain vaccine-preventable diseases.

If you’re looking to become a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. and have questions about health-related grounds of inadmissibility, reach out for a consultation.