USCIS Removes 60-Day Rule for Medical Exam for Green Card Applicants

On March 31, 2023, USCIS announced they are removing the requirement that a civil surgeon sign Form I-693 Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record no more than 60 days before an individual applies for their legal permanent resident status.

Under the former requirements, individuals who were seeking to apply for permanent residence were required to submit their Medical Exam within 60 days of submitting their residency application or risk having it rejected by USCIS. This led to some logistical hurdles such as the availability of medical exams within the necessary time frame or medical exams expiring before the application could be sent or processed by USCIS. To combat these issues, many applicants would submit residency applications and wait for USCIS to request the medical record through a Request for Evidence (“RFE”).

Under the new requirements, the civil surgeon’s signature will remain valid for a period of two (2) years after signing. The longer time frame is good news for residency applicants because it gives applicants time and flexibility on when to schedule their medical exams. In addition, it will help make the process more efficient as applicants will not have to wait for USCIS to request their Medical Exam through a Request for Evidence in order to ensure the exam will still be valid for their application.

For the most current information on the I-693 Form, please click here. If you have any questions regarding how this new requirement could affect your application or would like assistance in filing an application for residency, you can contact our office.