COVID-19 Vaccination Required for Immigration Medical Examinations
Gabriela Ungo • September 14, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination will be required for all immigrants as of October 1, 2021 before Civil Surgeon can complete medical exam on Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
The U.S. Immigration Service announced today that, effective October 1, 2021, all immigrants applying for adjustment of status (green card) will need be vaccinated against COVID-19 (one or two doses, depending on the vaccine) and provide documentation of vaccination to the civil surgeon before completion of the immigration medical examination. This requirement applies prospectively to all Forms I-693 signed by the civil surgeons on or after October 1, 2021.
NOTE: The U.S. Center for Desease Control (CDC) has announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will also be required for all Immigrant Visa applicants, including K-1 visa applicants when completing the medical exam after October 1st, 2021. It is anticipated that the Biden Administration will expand this requirement to all non-immigrant visa applicants as well. Some U.S. Consulates have already updated their websites (e.i., London) with information regarding which COVID-19 vaccines will be accepted. For example, according to the World Health Organization
to following are approved vaccines: Janssen Biotech, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, Johnson and Johnson, Sinopharm, Sinovac.
The COVID-19 vaccination requirement was recommended by the Center of Disease Control (CDC) last August 2021 and includes the following
blanket waivers which the civil surgeon must document (reasons why an applicant did not receive the required vaccination):
- Not age-appropriate (for example, if the applicant is younger than the lowest age limit for the formulations in use)
- Contraindicated due to a medical condition;
- Not routinely available where the civil surgeon practices; or
- Limited in supply and would cause significant delay for the applicant to receive the vaccination.
All applicants for immigrant visas or green cars, regardless of age, are required to complete a medical examination. Under U.S. Immigration Law INA § INA 212(a)(1)(A)(ii), the following vaccines are expressly required:
- Mumps, measles, rubella;
- Polio;
- Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids;
- Pertussis;
- Haemophilius influenza type B; and
- Hepatitis B
The CDC required additional vaccines for immigration purposes:
- Varicella;
- Influenza;
- Pneumococcal pneumonia;
- Rotavirus;
- Hepatitis A; and
- Meningococcal.
An applicant for adjustment of status who refuses one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
(or any other required vaccine) is inadmissible to become a lawful permanent resident. The applicant however, may file a waiver on Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, if vaccination is opposed based on religious beliefs or moral convictions.
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