U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the extension of the temporary waiver concerning the 60-day rule for civil surgeon signatures on Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Originally set to expire on September 30, 2022, this waiver has now been prolonged until March 31, 2023, aiming to alleviate processing delays and challenges associated with timely completion of immigration medical examinations.
The waiver pertains to the requirement that civil surgeons must sign Form I-693 within 60 days before an individual applies for the underlying immigration benefit, such as Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Notably, this extension applies to all Forms I-693 linked to applications for underlying immigration benefits that are still pending adjudication, regardless of the submission date to USCIS or the date of the civil surgeon's signature on Form I-693.
This extension is particularly beneficial for applicants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting processing delays that have impacted the timely completion of immigration medical examinations. Additionally, it provides relief for applicants, including Afghan nationals evacuated under Operation Allies Welcome, who underwent immigration medical examinations but were unable to apply for adjustment of status within the initial 60-day period following the civil surgeon's signature on their Form I-693.
For further details, the policy alert is available for reference (PDF, 355.58 KB). USCIS encourages feedback on this update through the Policy Manual Feedback page.
Leave a comment!