Immigration Medical Form I-693 Validity Period Changes

On June 11, 2025, USCIS updated its policy on the validity of Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, for forms signed on or after November 1, 2023. The new policy clarifies that such forms are only valid while the associated application is pending. If the application is withdrawn or denied, the form becomes invalid. This change applies to all applications filed on or after June 11, 2025.

If an applicant submits Form I-693 with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and the I-485 is withdrawn or denied, the I-693 is no longer valid. If the applicant re-applies with a new I-485, a new Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon will be required.  USCIS had previously announced that a properly completed I-693 signed on or after November 1, 2023, would be valid indefinitely. This previous policy has been rescinded.

This updated policy is effective immediately and applies to all pending or newly filed applications from June 11, 2025, onward.  It is important to note that, despite the new policy, the I-693 report will continue to be valid during the pendency of the original I-485 application.  

Note: The requirement published on Dec. 2, 2024 that applicants must submit Form I-693 together with the Form I-485 remains valid.  

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)  

Immigration Medical Report 60-Day Waiver Extended

 

All U.S. green card applicants must provide a properly completed Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, signed and sealed by an authorized doctor.  The regulation requires that the report must be submitted to USCIS within 60 days of the doctor's signature.  Due to COVID-19 and USCIS intention to ease case processing delays, the 60-day rule was waived temporarily until 09/30/2022.  Today, USCIS announced that the waiver will be extended to March 31, 2023.  It means that, from now until March 31, 2023, applicants may submit medical reports with a doctor's signature older than 60 days.  All other requirements must still be met. 

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)  

Updates on the October Dual Charts Phenomenon

By now many green card applicants have heard about the all new and improved October Visa Bulletin  - one with two charts for both Family and Employment visa categories.  It is almost like two parallel universes with one representing the reality while the other one our fantasy world. Regardless of our perception of the new bulletin, intending immigrants must take timely and appropriate actions to seize the opportunity before it goes away. Although information is still sketchy and a scheduled stakeholders' conference was rescheduled by USCIS, we can at least confirm the following points: 

-- Starting October, the Visa Bulletin will provide two charts for both employment-based and family-based immigrant visa categories.  The first chart called the "Final Action Chart" (existing chart) is for determining when visa numbers actually become available so that applicants with current priority date will be eligible to receive a green card. The other chart ("Filing Dates" Chart) is new and determines when a visa applicant may file his or her I-485 and related applications (or start National Visa Center processing for overseas applicants).

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-- Applicants who are eligible to file the I-485 applications under the Filing Dates Chart are also allowed to file the related I-765 EAD application and the I-131 Advance Parole Travel Document.
Principal applicants' foreign-born spouses and dependent children may also file their own I-485 and related applications at the same time.

-- For overseas applicants with priority dates earlier than the date listed on the "Filing Date" chart under their preference category, National Visa Center will notify them to collect and submit their civil documents and affidavits of support documents, and begin the immigrant visa application process. 

-- It is important to note that, although the "Filing Date" chart is always effective for overseas applicants (consular processing), it may not be effective every month for adjustment applicants living in the United States.  Adjustment applicants within the United States may rely on the "Filing Date" chart to file their I-485 applications only if USCIS determines there are sufficient immigrant visas available to support the filing of additional adjustment applications.  And USCIS will make that decision on a month-to-month basis.  

-- It is also important to note that these changes only allow green card applicants to file their applications earlier.  Their immigrant visas and green cards cannot be issued unless and until their priority dates are current based on the Final Action Chart.

-- Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division at DOS also provided some insight through AILA on the new charts:  (1) The new Filing Date Charts are not new to DOS, which has been using a similar concept called "qualifying dates" to notify visa applicants to start the visa application processes about 8-12 months before visa numbers are expected to be current.  (2) The new charts should not have any negative impact on the movement of the regular cutoff dates.  In fact, if anything, the goal of these changes are to reduce volatility in cutoff dates and provide predictability to both government agencies and visa applicants.  (3) Actual impact of the new charts will become clear in about six months when pre-adjudication of the newly filed I-485s is expected to be complete. 

-- Medical Examination Reports:  Many applicants ask about whether they should submit a medical examination report with their I-485 application.  Under the current USCIS policy, the medical exam report I-693 is only valid for one year.  Therefore, it is very likely that the current batch of applicants would have to submit new reports by the time their priority dates become current eventually. If peace of mind is important to you and you don't mind paying extra for another medical exam, it wouldn't hurt to submit one now.

New policy: Immigration Medical Examination report (I-693) will be valid for one year only

USCIS announced the following new policy on the Immigration Medical Examination today as follows:

1) Starting June 1, 2014, USCIS will limit the validity period for all Forms I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS.

2) Applicants must also submit Form I-693 to USCIS within one year of the immigration medical examination.

3) According to the USCIS Policy Manual, applicants should wait for an official Request for Evidence (RFE) or interview notice before submitting an updated I-693 medical examination report.

New Medical Examination Form I-693 must be used beginning January 1, 2012

On Nov. 1, 2011, USCIS will introduce a new, more user-friendly version of the form used to report results of medical examinations for those seeking certain immigration benefits, Report of a Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, Form I-693. Civil surgeons completing medical examinations between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2011, should use the new form dated 10/11/11. However, USCIS will continue to accept the previous version, dated 7/20/10, for examinations completed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2011. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, civil surgeons must use the new version of the form.

Source: USCIS website, 10/28/2011