Quick Hits

• New procedural requirements mandate that certain applicants seeking to adjust their status to permanent residency in the United States must submit Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, along with Form I-485.
• This change aims to ensure health-related admissibility and reduce the number of RFEs issued during the adjudication process, thereby streamlining the application process and reducing delays.

Effective December 2, 2024, certain applicants submitting Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, are required to include Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of the Form I-485 application.

To ensure eligibility for adjustment of status, applicants are generally required to undergo an immigration medical examination and receive all necessary vaccinations. A civil surgeon must complete and sign Form I-693 to confirm that the applicant does not have any health conditions that would make him or her inadmissible based on health-related grounds.

Applicants who are required to submit Form I-693 or a partial Form I-693 (such as the Vaccination Record) are required to include it with their Form I-485. Noncompliance may lead to the rejection of their Form I-485. The instructions for Form I-485 have been updated to reflect this new requirement.

This procedural change aims to minimize the number of RFEs issued before a Form I-485 can be adjudicated. A properly completed Form I-693, signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023, is valid indefinitely.

Next Steps

Applicants must schedule a medical exam with a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, who will complete and sign Form I-693. Proper submission of these forms, I-693 and I-485, together is essential to avoid application rejection.