USCIS Announces New Guidance on Form I-693 Validity Period

On April 4, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual stating that immigration medical examinations properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, on Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, do not expire and retain their evidentiary value indefinitely. Before we issued this updated policy guidance, all properly completed Forms I-693 retained their evidentiary value for two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature.    

In consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and based on advances in public health electronic notification since Nov. 1, 2023, USCIS has determined that a properly completed Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire and can be used as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds indefinitely.

If an applicant’s Form I-693 was completed before Nov. 1, 2023, the prior policy still applies. Before Nov. 1, 2023, civil surgeons did not need to share or report certain information to the CDC electronically. USCIS has consulted with the CDC and determined that a properly completed Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon before Nov. 1, 2023, continues to retain evidentiary value for two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature. This does not apply to Forms I-693 filed by Operation Allies Welcome parolees. Their Forms I-693 retain their evidentiary value for three years from the date of the civil surgeon signature, through policy and in consultation with CDC. For more information see the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 4. 

Even in cases in which an applicant’s Form I-693 is valid as outlined above, USCIS officers have discretion to request more evidence or a new or updated Form I-693 if they have reason to believe the applicant’s medical condition has changed since the civil surgeon signed the Form I-693, or that the Form I-693 submitted does not accurately reflect the applicant’s medical condition.   

More Information
For more information, see the policy alert and visit the Policy Manual Feedback page.  

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