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Are you about to file for your green card? Congratulations if so, but there is some very important information you need to know based on changes the U.S. government has recently announced!

Any person applying to become a permanent resident of the United States has to have a medical exam done called an I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. The exam's purpose is to establish that you are not inadmissible to the United States on public health grounds. The exam has resulted in frustration for many applicants, as it is not covered by insurance, can only be done by USCIS certified physicians (called civil surgeons), and previously had an expiration date that meant many applicants had to pay to have the exam done twice. 

But this year USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) has changed its policy and made a welcome announcement that I-693 forms that have been properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon can now be used indefinitely, meaning they have no expiration date. USCIS has made this change based on consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and because of advances in public health electronic notification. 

I Submitted My I-693 Form Before the Policy Announcement, Can My Form Still Expire?

It may. USCIS stated that the new policy only applies to Form I-693s that were signed by a U.S. civil surgeon after November 1, 2023. That means if you submitted an I-693 with your adjustment of status (I-485) application that was signed before that date, your medical exam is only valid for two years. If USCIS processes your green card application during that time, great, but if not, you will likely have to pay for a new I-693 medical examination. If you haven't done your I-693 medical exam yet, your exam will be valid indefinitely.

Remember that a regular doctor cannot perform an I-693 medical examination. You must have the exam done by a USCIS civil surgeon because they are registered with USCIS and have to fill out specific paperwork for your examination. You can find registered U.S. civil surgeons by checking the USCIS link here. 

If you would like assistance with filing for permanent residence or any other immigration petition, you can reach us at (757) 422-8472, or send us a message on our website. You can also schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys by clicking on this link.