Many Employment-Based (EB) Adjustment of Status applicants are receiving messages from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Generally, the message is a call to action for applicants to complete their Form I-693 as soon as possible.

USCIS previously used a similar approach in August 2021, confirmed by American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). This year, USCIS is again reaching out to applicants who have employment-based adjustment of status petitions as fiscal year 2023 comes to a close. USCIS is urging applicants to promptly submit their medical exams before September 30, 2023. Given a medical examination and available appointments can take several weeks or longer to obtain, USCIS is actively giving applicants a heads-up.

It is important to know the importance of Form I-693. Applicants should not ignore these messages because they have previously submitted a medical with initial filing or in response to a previous request for evidence (RFE). A completed and sealed Form I-693 is valid for two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature, regardless of when the form is submitted to USCIS. For this reason and to ensure the form is completely filled out, it is important to ask for a copy of the signed medical form that is being submitted to USCIS.

An applicant has met the requirement to illustrate they are free from a medical condition that renders them inadmissible or ineligible on health grounds to receive their green card if all of the following criteria are met:

  • A USCIS-designated civil surgeon, a USCIS-approved doctor, performs the immigration medical examination according to the law. Make sure to verify through the USCIS website.
  • The civil surgeon and the applicant properly completed the current edition of Form I-693 as of the date of the civil surgeon’s signature.
  • The sealed medical is submitted to USCIS.
  • The Form shows the applicant met the vaccination requirement and is free from Class A medical conditions. Class A medical conditions include drug abuse or addiction, present or past physical or mental disorders with associated harmful behavior or harmful behavior that is likely to recur, and communicable diseases of public health significance.
  • USCIS issues a decision on the pending Adjustment of Status no more than two years after the date of the civil surgeon signed Form I-693.

It is important if you have a pending Adjustment of Status application and you previously submitted a medical to check when the civil surgeon signed off on your Form I-693. If it is more than two years and your case is still pending, you may be required to submit a new medical. If it has been more than two years and you have received a text, call, or email from USCIS, we recommend taking the steps to get a new medical.

Lastly, it is extremely rare for USCIS to connect with applicants by text message, phone, or email. We do not expect this process to continue. We encourage applicants always check with their immigration attorney as to the validity of any messages received. Always remain vigilant to avoid becoming a victim of scams.
If you have questions about your employment-based visa or any other immigration-related issue, contact us at ILBSG.

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