FAQ: How long is the Form I-693 medical examination valid? When does my form I-693 expire?
Image by Louis from Pixabay. Effective April 4, 2024, any Form I-693 that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire, and can be used indefinitely as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds. Find out more in our News Alert.
On April 4, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a policy alert clarifying the validity of Form I-693 that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon.
What is the Form I-693?
Form I-693 reports results of an immigration medical examination to USCIS which requires the examination to establish that applicants who are seeking immigration benefits are not inadmissible to the United States on health-related grounds.
What was the previous policy?
Since December 9, 2021, USCIS has considered a properly completed Form I-693 to retain its evidentiary value (in other words, how long a Form I-693 can be used as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible under the health-related grounds) for 2 years after the date the civil surgeon signed the form, regardless of when the underlying application was submitted.
What is the new policy?
Effective November 1, 2023, new requirements by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) instructed Civil Surgeons to share certain medical data from Form I-693 directly with CDC electronically. Additionally, CDC and USCIS have collaborated to improve the reporting of public health information collected on Form I-693 by civil surgeons to local U.S. health departments.
Based on these developments and in consultation with CDC, USCIS has determined that a properly completed Form I-693 that is signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023, does not expire and can be used as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible under the health-related grounds indefinitely.
What else should I know?
Before November 1, 2023, civil surgeons were not required to share or report certain information to CDC electronically. Therefore, USCIS, in consultation with CDC, has determined that, a properly completed Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon before November 1, 2023 continues to retain evidentiary value for 2 years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature.
USCIS officers retain the discretion to request further evidence or a new or updated Form I-693, even if the original Form I-693 submitted is otherwise valid, if they have reason to believe the Form I-693 submitted does not accurately reflect the applicant’s medical condition.
If you are affected by this development and need help with your adjustment of status application, please contact us. We are here to help. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Tumblr, for up-to-date immigration news.
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