U.S. Department of State on Vaccination Requirements
Prior to May 1998

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRAIRA)imposed vaccination requirements on all immigrants and those seeking adjustment of status. The State Dept. issued a letter in April 1997 to all panel physicians regarding the new requirements and any exemptions of the vaccination requirements.

A new subsection in the IIRAIRA requires any applicant who seeks an immigrant visa to show proof of having received vaccination against certain vaccine-preventable diseases.

Panel physicians who conduct medical examination on behalf of immigrant visa applicants are now required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the new vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations:

Mumps, Measles, Rubella, Polio, Tetanus And Diphtheria Toxoids, Pertussis, Influenzae Type B (HIB), Hepatitis B, Varicella, Pneumococcal, and Influenza.

In order to assist the panel physician, and to avoid delays in the processing of an immigrant visa, all immigrant visa applicants should have their vaccination records available for the panel physicians review at the time of the immigrant medical examination. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record. If one is available, if you do not have a vaccination record, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet the requirement. Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physician.

Only a physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate, given the age, medical history and current medical condition of the applicant.

Congress also amended IIRAIRA to allow the alien to apply for a waiver if:

(1) the alien receives the vaccines that were initially missing; (2) the vaccine(s) would not be medically appropriate; or (3) compliance with the vaccination requirement would be contrary to the prospective immigrant's religious beliefs or moral convictions.