Vaccination Requirements USCIS
Now that we are all living through a global pandemic, we finally know how scary diseases can be. Before this, we had heard of outbreaks, but we couldn’t imagine the severity of the situation. Even now, we can’t fully comprehend the way our ancestors struggled during the black plague because the medical industry was not as advanced back then. Today, we have better resources to keep ourselves safe. Even if we don’t have a cure for a disease, we can follow the safety protocols to save lives. There are various ways in which countries keep themselves safe from disease outbreaks; one way is asking for proof of vaccination from all immigration applicants.
Vaccination Requirements USCIS:
USCIS creates all the immigration requirements that applicants have to follow if they wish to become American citizens. Every applicant has to make sure that they fulfill all the requirements, or their case will be rejected. One important requirement of USCIS is submitting proof of vaccination. These requirements help the authorities in keeping American citizens safe. If America has eliminated a disease, then no one can be allowed to bring it back to the country. In case a person has not received their vaccinations already, they will have to get in touch with a civil surgeon and begin the process of receiving vaccines for various diseases. The civil surgeon will check the boxes on Form I-693 so that the applicant can show it to USCIS to get approval for their application.
Here are the basic vaccination requirements by USCIS:
- The applicant must have had received or receive a vaccination to prevent:
- Mumps
- Polio
- Rubella
- Measles
- Hepatitis B
- Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids
- Haemophilus influenzae type B
- Pertussis
- The applicant should only get the age-appropriate vaccines.
- If the applicant is pregnant or has an auto-immune disease, they should discuss their condition with the civil surgeon so the Form I-693 can be annotated to indicate the situation.
- The civil surgeon will sign and certify the Form I-693 after administering a single dose appropriate at a time.
- If the immigration medical examination occurs during the flu season, then the applicant will have to get vaccinated against seasonal flu.
- If the applicant has already received a vaccine against a disease, they don’t have to get it again.
- If the applicant has completed their vaccination course in their homeland, they must show proof of that.
- If the document containing the proof is not in English, it must be accompanied by its certified translation.
Common Questions:
Here are some common questions people have about the process and their answers:
Who decides the lists of vaccines?
Some diseases are mentioned in the statute, but more names get added to the list by various committees. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Immigration and Nationality Act determine which vaccines are necessary.
What if I refuse to go through the process?
If you refuse to go through the process without any valid reason (pregnancy or a health condition), your immigration application will be denied. And if you reapply, you will have to go through the medical examination process.
What is a blanket waiver?
If there is a nation-wide shortage of a vaccine, the CDC will recommend USCIS to put a banner on their website. This will inform the applicants and the civil surgeon that they don’t have to worry about fulfilling this requirement.
Can I submit an incomplete chart?
Although you can go ahead with this idea and send your incomplete chart to USCIS, they will send it back to you with instructions to complete it. If you do not want to receive a certain vaccine due to religious reasons, you will have to inform the civil surgeon so they can mark it on your Form I-693.
Vaccination Translation:
If you have undergone a medical check in your homeland already and you wish to present its results to USCIS, then you can do that. But there are a few requirements here that you will have to fulfill. Your records should show that you have received vaccination to prevent all the diseases listed in USCIS’s requirements. And your document, which is not in English, must come with a certified translation.
A certified translation is one in which a linguistic expert provides their client with a signed statement. Their statement adds value to their work and gives the document a legal status. Without the signed statement, translations aren’t accepted by USCIS. If you don’t submit your medical report and its translation, you will have to undergo the examination in the US. You will have to pay for the process again, and it will also slow down your immigration case. The best way to avoid that is by attaching the certified translation of your medical record to your application. It will satisfy USCIS and save your time and money. Your application will also be processed quickly, and you will get closer to becoming an immigrant in the US.
Diseases are pretty scary already, but they get more dangerous when they are not controlled. We have the power to keep ourselves and everyone around us safe by following the safety protocols. By staying safe, we make sure that everyone associated with it also does not get affected by any disease. Once you show proof that you won’t be causing an outbreak, the authorities will feel relaxed and would be willing to accept your application. So, hire a good translator and get linguistic assistance at affordable rates.
