New Vaccinations and Revised Medical Form for Green Cards
Posted Aug 01, 2008
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the USCIS recently announced new vaccinations that are required as part of the permanent residence (green card) medical examination. These requirements changed as of July 1, 2008, however, there was a grace period authorized until August 1, 2008. The USCIS summary of requirements, issued July 24, 2008, is available on the USCIS WebSite.
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History of Vaccination Requirements
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Vaccinations have been required for green card applicants since the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRAIRA) became effective. A lengthy discussion of these original vaccination requirements was included in the archived MurthyDotCom NewsBrief entitled U.S. Department of State on Vaccination Requirements. Green card applicants have been required to have vaccinations for one or more of the following diseases: mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, pertussis, influenzae Type B (HIB), hepatitis B, varicella, pneumococcal, and influenza.
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Five New Vaccinations Added
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The Center for Disease Control (CDC)'s May 8, 2008 memorandum (PDF 39KB) adds rotavirus, hepatitis A, meningococcal, human papillomavirus (HPV) and zoster vaccines to the list of vaccinations that can be required for approval of an I-485 application. Not all vaccines are required for each applicant, as the rotavirus and hepatitis A vaccinations are only required in young children, zoster vaccine (for shingles) need only be administered to those over 60 years of age and HPV vaccines are recommended for females between 11 and 26 years of age. Three other vaccinations, hepatitis B, influenza and acellular pertussis containing vaccines are also listed in the revised instructions, with specifications as to frequency and appropriate age-ranges for administration. The USCIS has provided answers to FAQs about these changes, as well as prior changes related to tuberculosis testing.
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Updated Instructions to Civil Surgeons Issued
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The CDC has issued revised Vaccination Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons (PDF 268KB). General information on immunizations can be found at the vaccines page of the CDC WebSite. Information on these technical instructions and related updates can be found on the Global Migration and Quarantine page of the CDC's website.
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Timeframes : Revised Medical Form as of August 1, 2008
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The Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, has been revised to reflect the new vaccination requirements. The revised June 5, 2008 edition of Form I-693 for medical examinations, to be completed by the physician, must be used for medical exams completed on or after August 1, 2008.
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Conclusion
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Vaccinations have long been required as part of the green card process, both through adjustment of status in the U.S. or when a person obtains the immigrant visa abroad through consular processing. Any needed vaccines are normally administered as part of the required physical examination. These updates reflect efforts from the USCIS and DHHS to protect both foreign nationals and the U.S. public from vaccine-preventable diseases and to update the requirements as appropriate. The Murthy Law Firm will continue to track changes in USCIS vaccination requirements to inform MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers of significant changes that might affect individuals applying for their green cards.