covid vaccination requirements for immigrant visa applicants 2023

DTP=pediatric formulation diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine; DTaP=pediatric formulation diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine; DT=pediatric formulation diphtheria and tetanus toxoids; Td=adult formulation tetanus and diphtheria toxoids; Tdap=adolescent and adult formulation tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (*Children 7-10 years old sometimes need a dose of Tdap depending on their vaccine history. Whenever possible, use bivalent vaccine formulations according to the current. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The applicant does not need to apply for a Blanket Waiver. Q. Why do immigrants (including adjustment of status applicants) have to show proof they have received certain vaccinations? In addition to standard vaccination recommendations for children and adults, the ACIP provides recommendations that are specific for medical conditions or other situations, such as pregnancy or travel. You should ask about the price of the vaccinations before the immigration medical examination or the administration of the vaccinations. What medical requirements apply to me so that I can maintain the conditions of my parole status? The flu vaccination is only available during the flu season. 8 USCIS-PM B.1 - Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background, 8 USCIS-PM B.6 - Chapter 6 - Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance, 8 USCIS-PM B.8 - Chapter 8 - Drug Abuse or Drug Addiction. Under the immigration laws of the United States, a noncitizen who applies for an immigrant visa abroad, or who seeks to adjust status to that of a lawful permanent resident while in the United States, is required to receive vaccinations to prevent the following diseases: The ACIP is an advisory committee to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that recommends immunizations for the general U.S. population. As long as the vaccination assessment was properly completed at the time of the examination by the civil surgeon, the vaccination assessment can be accepted. To verify a history of varicella, panel physicians should inquire about: 1. an epidemiologic link to another typical varicellacase or to a laboratory-confirmed case or 2. evidence of laboratory confirmation, if testing was performed at the time of acute disease. My civil surgeon says that a vaccine is currently not available. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Vaccinations that are administered as a series in intervals, but there is insufficient time to complete the entire vaccination series at the time of the medical examination (insufficient time interval);[7]or. Now, 233 years later, the writ of mandamus offers foreign nationals, employers, and counsel an option, when other avenues fail, to push back on processing timelines that border on excessive. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Looking for U.S. government information and services? The Pink Book and additional information involving vaccine storage and handling and how to administer vaccines, including dosage and site can be found on CDCs website. [4], The term not medically appropriate applies to:[5], Vaccinations that are not required based on the applicants age at the time of the medical exam (not age appropriate);[6]. The panel physician should identify any past or present conditions that might be a contraindication to, or precaution for, the administration of a vaccine. The panel physician must review all vaccination records presented by the applicant and, if documentation appears valid, record the vaccination history and vaccines given during the medical exam on the US Department of State Vaccination Documentation Worksheet (DS-3025). The reason for the contraindication may be annotated by the civil surgeon on theForm I-693; however, if it is omitted, the officer does not need to issue a Request for Evidence(RFE)solely for that omission as long as the contraindication is marked in the vaccine chart. A. 1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures, 7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status, 9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief, 10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization, 11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents, 12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Schedules and Updates. Guidance on the storage and handling of vaccines is available in the Pink Book chapter on Vaccine Storage and Handling, CDCs Vaccine Storage and Handling website, and the vaccine package inserts are available on the Immunization Action Coalition site. Thursday, June 29, 2023. A pre-departure COVID-19 test is also not required. If the civil surgeon cannot safely administer a required vaccine, they will annotate the Form I-693 by marking the vaccine as contraindicated. However, the COVID-19 vaccination (required as of October 1, 2021) differs in that the applicant must complete the entire vaccine series (one or two doses depending on formulation). The requirement was eliminated on December 14, 2009, and affects any admissibility determination underINA 212(a)(1)(A)(ii)on that date or thereafter. Applicants should be provided with information about the vaccines they are using. This guidance became effective October 1, 2021. Generally, all age appropriate vaccine rows of the vaccination assessment must have at least one entry before the assessment can be considered to have been properly completed. This accounts for the fact that the flu vaccine is strain-specific and only available for a limited time each year. Some of the vaccines that are required are specifically listed in INA section 212(a)(1)(A)(ii). Assess for contraindications and precautions that might apply to the applicant. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The History tab was added to the USCIS Policy Manual on June 11, 2021, and provides historical versions on and after that date. * Children 7-10 years old sometimes need a dose of Tdap depending on their vaccine history. Tell the civil surgeon if you do not wish to receive the required vaccines or a particular vaccine. U.S. U.S. citizens traveling to a country outside the U.S. HHS/CDC monitors which vaccines are not available in the United States, or which vaccines may experience a shortage. What will happen if I refuse to receive one or all of the required vaccines? Some applicants who have previously completed an immigration medical examination abroad, including applicants applying for adjustment of status as refugees, are not required to repeat the entire immigration medical examination when they apply for adjustment. However, the applicant can still be considered to have completed the US immigration vaccination requirements by means of a Blanket Waiver. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Updated on 01/04/2023) We share your concerns for everyone's health, safety, and welfare and the situation regarding COVID-19 as it continues to evolve. [^ 7] In these cases, the civil surgeon will administer the dose due at the time of the medical examination and mark on the form that there is not sufficient time to complete the entire vaccination series (insufficient time interval). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The panel physician should counsel the applicant about the importance of completing the series of vaccines after arrival in the United States. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from receiving a vaccine that is appropriate for your age, the civil surgeon will annotate the Form I-693 accordingly and mark the vaccine as contraindicated. [^ 18] The applicant needs to demonstrate opposition to vaccinations in all forms, not just certain vaccinations. This chapter also gives detailed, concise information about vaccinating pregnant women, people with immunosuppression, and general considerations about giving multiple vaccines at one time. Applicants must complete the vaccine series and provide documentation to the panel physician in person before completion of the medical examination. USCIS is also updating how USCIS submits a request to CDC for advisory opinion and removing the outdated vaccination chart. For example, Hib vaccine doses are recommended for adults with sickle cell disease. U.S. The Pink Books chapter on General Recommendations on Immunizationgives a helpful summary of ACIPs contraindications, precautions, misconceptions about contraindications, and a list of screening questions that panel physicians can use. This is a CDC requirement that applies to all immigrant visa applicants, including adoptees. This technical update replaces all instances of the term alien with noncitizen or other appropriate terms throughout the Policy Manual where possible, as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [any person not a citizen or national of the United States]. U.S. This page was not helpful because the content: Chapter 2 - Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, Chapter 3 - Applicability of Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirement, Chapter 4 - Review of Medical Examination Documentation, Chapter 7 - Physical or Mental Disorder with Associated Harmful Behavior, Chapter 11 - Inadmissibility Determination, Part C - Civil Surgeon Designation and Revocation, Part F - National Security and Related Grounds of Inadmissibility, Part G - Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility, Part I - Illegal Entrants and Other Immigration Violators, Part J - Fraud and Willful Misrepresentation, Part P - Noncitizens Present After Previous Immigration Violation, CDC Requirements for Immigrant Medical Examinations: COVID-19 Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons, cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/vaccination-civil-technical-instructions.html, How to Use the USCIS Policy Manual Website. Department of State/AILA Liaison Committee Meeting April 26, 2023. . We are updating our policy guidance in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Aug. 17, 2021 update to the Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons. Update on Change to U.S. Travel Policy Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for nonimmigrant travel, Department of State/AILA Liaison Committee Meeting April 26, 2023, Changes to Vaccination Requirements for Immigrant Visa Applicants, Safely Resuming Travel by Vaccine Requirement and Rescission of Travel Restrictions on Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, U.S. Embassy in Tunis Begins Processing Libyan Immigrant Visas, U.S. Embassy in Bogota Begins Processing Venezuelan Immigrant Visas, Routine Visa Services Suspended in Caracas, Rescission of Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983, Update on Visa Processing at U.S. Embassy Kabul, Waiver of Personal Appearance and Interview Requirements for Certain Immigrant Visa Applicants Issued Visas On or After August 4, 2019, Important Announcement on Waivers of the Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas, Immigrant Visa Fee Exemption for Applicants Previously Refused under Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983, Announcement of F/M/J Processing Posts for Applicants Resident in Russia, The Department of State Meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement for Enrollees at the University of Northern New Jersey (UNNJ), Announcement of Processing Posts for Visa Applicants from Ukraine, Local Filing of Form I-130 Petitions Filed by U.S. Citizens on Behalf of Afghan, Ethiopian, and Ukrainian Immediate Relatives Fleeing Conflict, Limited Resumption of Immigrant Visa Processing in Havana, Announcement on Resumption of Processing of EB-5 Visas Associated with the Regional Center Program, National Visa Center Public Inquiry Telephone Line Suspension, Continued Expansion of Immigrant Visa Processing in Havana to Include All Immediate Relative Categories, Department of State/AILA Liaison Committee Meeting June 9, 2022, New STEM Resources Available on USCIS website, Treatment of Full and Unconditional Pardons From the Connecticut State Board of Pardons and Paroles under 22 C.F.R. You are only required to receive a single dose of each vaccine when you visit the civil surgeon. [^ 6] SeeSection D, Vaccination Chart[8 USCIS-PMB.9(D)] for more information. Q. Skip to navigation; . 9 USCIS-PM D - Part D - Health-Related Grounds of Inadmissibility. However, noncompliance with the vaccination requirements following the child's admission to the United States is not a ground for removal. For more information see USCIS Policy Manual Applicability of Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirement. This availability differs by location, but the vaccine is usually available from October until March. If another physician or department or pharmacy carries the vaccine and can administer the vaccine, you should get the vaccine and request documentation that you have received the vaccine. People seeking to . The influenza vaccine if it is not the flu season, or if the vaccine for the specific flu strain missing is no longer available (not flu season). [^ 12] See CDCs Vaccination Technical Instructions for a list of the specific vaccines not medically appropriate for immuno-compromised persons, available atcdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/vaccination-civil-technical-instructions.html. Vaccination Record: Explanation of Results, Applicant may be eligible for blanket waiver(s) as indicated above. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a news release on Tuesday. The Department of State encouragesall immigrant visa applicantsto get vaccinated against COVID-19as soon as possibletonotexperience delays in theirvisa processing. Only those records of vaccine doses that include the dates of receipt (month, day, and year) are acceptable. In this case, a waiver may be available to you, but only under the following circumstances: The form used to apply for a waiver depends on the adjustment category under which you are seeking legal permanent residence status. USCIS officers should consult the chart in the Vaccination Technical Instructions to determine inadmissibility based on failure to meet the vaccination requirements. It is important that you take any written vaccination documentation you may have to the civil surgeon when you have your immigration medical examination. For more information on how to obtain a good faith estimate prior to your appointment, please visit: Understanding costs in advance. USCIS will then waive that vaccine(s). If the required (age appropriate) vaccinations were not received or not marked as not medically appropriate as of the date the medical exam was completed, determine whether the missing vaccinations would still be required as of the date of adjudication. Blanket waivers for the COVID vaccination will beappliedin countries where the vaccine is not routinely availableorwhenthe vaccine is not age appropriate. Visas. Pink Book chapter on Vaccine Storage and Handling, CDCs Vaccine Storage and Handling website, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis-Containing Vaccines Catch-Up Guidanc, Addendum to Technical Instructions for Panel Physicians for Vaccinations, Tetanus and Pertussis-Containing Vaccines Catch-Up Guidance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ), About Immigrant, Refugee, and Migrant Health, Considerations for Health Screening at Points of Entry, Tool to Prioritize Points of Entry and Points of Control, Population Connectivity Across Borders (PopCAB) Toolkit, COVID-19 Testing Point of Entry Considerations , COVID-19 Rapid Assessment of Point of Entry Capacity (RAPC), COVID-19 Individual-Level Risk in Mobile Populations, Other Physical or Mental Abnormality, Disease, or Disability, Addendum Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance, Additional Instructions for Panel Sites Performing the Overseas Medical Examination for Refugees, Refugee Immunization Information Systems Exchange Project, Final Rule: Revisions to Medical Screening Process, Revised Vaccination Criteria for U.S. Immigration, Technical Instructions for Panel Physicians and Civil Surgeons, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, YES, substitute 1-time dose of Tdap for Td booster; then boost with Td or Tdap every 10 years, YES, 2 through 59 months old (administer PCV), One dose PCV15 followed by PPSV23 or one dose PCV20, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine, Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine, Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, The vaccine must be an age-appropriate vaccine, as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the general US population. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Certain vaccine series can only be completed with multiple visits to the civil surgeon. Vaccine history complete for each vaccine, all requirements met. Q. ** Please see posted Addendum to Technical Instructions for Panel Physicians for Vaccinations on CDCs website for changing guidance about polio vaccine. [8] A separate waiver application is not required for an officer to grant a waiver of the vaccination requirement as not medically appropriate.. If the applicant had no religious or moral reason for refusal, the applicant is inadmissible. A civil surgeon is required to follow the Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons,. [^ 23] SeeINA 212(g)(2)(B). For purposes ofForm I-693, the flu season commences annually on October 1 and runs through March 31. CDCs announcement can be found at the followinglink:https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/covid-19-technical-instructions.html. 3058, 3058 (November 30, 2010). The officer should not issue an RFE if the applicant will not be able to obtain the strain-specific flu vaccine that had been required at the time of the medical examination because: The following vaccines were NOT required prior to August 1, 2008: Hepatitis A, meningococcal, rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV), and zoster.[17]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has specific criteria to determine which vaccines people applying for adjustment of status for US permanent residence (hereafter referred to as applicants) are required to show proof of having received. An outbreak is defined as the occurrence of more cases of disease than expected in a given area or among a specific group of people, over a given period of time. The grant of this blanket waiver does not differ from the grant of other blanket waivers. Straight Facts on U.S. U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS, https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/covid-19-technical-instructions.html. In this case, you are inadmissible and will have to apply for a waiver of inadmissibility. ACIP immunization schedules for children and adults are updated annually. The application fee for visitor visas for business . [^ 4] For more information, including current dosage requirements for the immigration medical examination, see the CDC Requirements for Immigrant Medical Examinations: COVID-19 Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons webpage. Visa Waiver Program Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physician. The civil surgeon annotates the medical examination form in compliance with any additional requirements specified by CDC or USCIS. If the decision is made to defer a vaccine, the contraindication reason for a Blanket Waiver (see below) should be documented for the vaccine dose not given, and the specific type of contraindication or precaution should be documented on the DS-3025 Form. Applicant will request an individual waiver based on religious or moral convictions, If an applicant objects to vaccines based on religious or moral convictions, the "Applicant will request an individual waiver based on religious or moral convictions" box must be checked.[18]. U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country. If the civil surgeon did not check any result boxes, the officer should only return the form for corrective action if he or she is unable to ascertain whether the applicant is admissible. No. For more info, see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#covid-vaccines . Do I still have to get them to be able to obtain permanent resident status in the United States? Somevaccines are, in general, not medically appropriate during pregnancy. Contraindicated due to a medical condition; Not routinely available where the civil surgeon practices; or. A. Since the seasonal flu vaccine is required, do I have to get the seasonal flu vaccine if it is not the flu season? As indicated in the previous section, generally all age appropriate vaccine rows of the vaccination assessment must have at least one entry before the assessment can be considered to have been properly completed. The vaccine must protect against a disease eliminated in the United States,or is in the process of being eliminated in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has specific criteria to determine which vaccines applicants for a United States Immigrant Visa (hereafter referred to as applicants) are required to show proof of having received. Seethe CDC Guidelines for Vaccinating Pregnant Women pagefor information on pregnancy and vaccinations in general. In the case of an immuno-compromised person, the officer should never issue an RFE for additional vaccines even if, at the time of the adjudication of adjustment of status, the applicant is no longer immuno-compromised. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS U.S. The instructions in this document supersede all previous vaccination-related Technical Instructions, Updates to the Technical Instructions, and memoranda or letters to panel physicians. [^ 1] Effective December 14, 2009, CDC changed its methods on how to assess which vaccines should be required for immigration purposes. A. The civil surgeon will annotate Form I-693 to indicate that you were not required to receive a particular vaccine because it was not age appropriate at the time of the immigration medical examination. National. The zoster vaccine, however, was not available in the United States due to a nationwide shortage from the time it became mandatory. If the last dose was received more than 10 years ago, the applicant is required to have the booster shot, otherwise the applicant is inadmissible underINA 212(a)(1)(A)(ii). This guidance becomes effective October 1, 2021. General An applicant seeking an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate or an applicant seeking adjustment of status in the United States who is found inadmissible for not being vaccinated [1] may be eligible for the following waivers: Looking for U.S. government information and services? The CDC requires the COVID-19 vaccine to be approved through either the World Health Organization (WHO) or the U.S. Food and Drug . The civil surgeon will review your vaccination records at the time of your immigration medical examination to see whether you have proof of required vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases that are appropriate for your age category. Update on Change to U.S. Travel Policy Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for nonimmigrant travel. USCIS employees should not rely on the historical versions for current laws, precedent decisions, policies, directives, guidance, and procedures. If you have an immigration medical examination completed when the flu vaccine is not available to your civil surgeon, then you are not required to document that you have received the seasonal flu vaccine for immigration purposes. There are six acceptable reasons why a vaccine should be considered Not Medically Appropriate that qualify for Blanket Waivers. Review our. Official websites use .gov The civil surgeon records the results of the immigration medical examination, including the results of the vaccination assessment, on USCIS Form I-693. If the adopting parent(s) prefers that the child meet the vaccination requirement as part of the visa application process, the child may benefit from the waiver(s) for those vaccinations which the panel physician determines are medically inappropriate. Generally, national vaccination shortage principles do not apply overseas. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that, effective Oct. 1, 2021, applicants subject to the immigration medical examination must complete the COVID-19 vaccine series before the civil surgeon can complete an immigration medical examination and sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record . The same is true for a finding that a vaccine is not medically appropriate because it is not flu season; the officer should be able to clearly see whether the finding is correct based on the date of the medical examination. When does the flu season start for purposes of the seasonal flu vaccine requirement?

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