Policy Update: “60-day rule” abolished on Form I-693 Vaccine Record
A requirement has changed for the USCIS form known as the Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693). This form is commonly required for noncitizens to prove they have no health-related issues before accessing certain benefits.
Previously, the I-693 required applicants to secure the signature of a civil surgeon no more than 60 days before they filed the application for their desired immigration benefit. This was known as the “60-day rule.”
USCIS has officially removed this rule in an attempt to streamline processing. The “60-day rule” has been deemed inefficient, as it created too many Requests for Evidence (RFEs) that did not enhance the discretion of USCIS officers.
Now, instead of the “60-day rule,” USCIS officers will review any given I-693 by looking at the date of the civil surgeon’s signature on the form, and then verifying that the applicant in question met the requirements that were in effect on that given date.
According to USCIS, “This policy update will allow USCIS to adjudicate cases with immigration medical examinations that would previously have been considered invalid.”