Guidance for Civil Surgeons Related to the
COVID-19 Vaccine
As of Jan. 22, 2025, USCIS has waived any and all requirements that applicants for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident present documentation on their Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that they received the COVID-19 vaccination. USCIS will not issue any Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny related to proving a COVID-19 vaccination. USCIS will not deny any adjustment of status application based on the applicant’s failure to present documentation that they received the COVID-19 vaccination.
As a civil surgeon, you should continue to follow the form instructions and Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons. Please see the following instructions for clarification on how to fill out the Vaccination Record on Form I-693 for applicants who decline to receive or present documentation of having received the COVID-19 vaccination.
As of Jan. 22, 2025, if the applicant is only missing documentation of having received the COVID-19 vaccination, you should:
- Indicate in the results portion of Part 10, Vaccination Record, of Form I-693, “Applicant does not meet immunization requirements”; and
- Write in the remarks section of Part 10, “Applicant refuses COVID-19 vaccination, but meets all other vaccination requirements.”
If the applicant is missing documentation of having received any required vaccinations other than the COVID-19 vaccination, you should:
- Indicate in the results portion of Part 10, “Applicant does not meet immunization requirements,” or “Applicant will request an individual waiver based on religious or moral convictions” as appropriate; and
- In the remarks section of Part 10, indicate if the applicant is missing all vaccines or list the missing vaccine(s).
NOTE: Applicants are not required to provide you with evidence that they obtained a waiver of the vaccination requirements for you to conduct the immigration medical examination or complete any portion of Form I-693. An applicant’s refusal to receive or present documentation of having received any of the required vaccines may affect the applicant’s eligibility for the immigration benefit sought, but does not change the requirement that you follow the Form I-693 instructions and the Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons and does not prevent you from providing the applicant with a completed and signed Form I-693.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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