Green Card Medical Validity Extended
Posted Jan 27, 2006
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The USCIS extended its policy regarding the length of time a green card medical examination remains valid. Under this extension, the civil surgeon's certification on the examination will be considered valid for the time that it takes to adjudicate the I-485, Application for Adjustment of Status. This applies only to persons whose medical examination does not reveal medical conditions classified as either Class A or Class B. The medical form, I-693, including the list of conditions, is available on the USCIS website. [Note that all USCIS forms are available through MurthyDotCom's forms page.]
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Beneficial in Cases Delayed by Retrogression
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This policy was initially issued in December 2004, and was effective until January 1, 2006. The extension of the policy is valid until January 1, 2007. This benefits many of those with pending I-485 Applications. As regular MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers know, many of the pending I-485 applications in the employment-based categories cannot be approved due to lack of visa numbers. These cases could remain pending for several years. Extending the validity of the medical certification avoids the need for multiple examinations, and saves the USCIS the time involved in requesting new medical reports from these applicants.
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Applies to Persons with no Listed Medical Conditions
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This policy was developed after consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The medical examination is primarily aimed at identifying individuals with contagious diseases of public health consequence and in preventing them from being admitted as permanent residents of the U.S. Thus, the exception for extending the medical reports is limited to those who do not have conditions of this type.
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Conclusion
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This policy for extending the validity of the medical reports is beneficial both for the applicant and the USCIS. It saves time and money for all concerned and has been determined to be appropriate by the CDC.