Covid Vaccine Exemption

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

@Zin-Zin I recently came across an applicant from Canada ( @Flowergirl 737 ) who got vaccine exemption for herself and her kids (not Covid, but others). 
 

I remember her saying that having a history of requesting for exemptions in the past helps to support your case. You have to demonstrate that you have consistently held those beliefs and practiced them in the past, that the refusal to get vaccinated is not on a one-off whim.

 

@Flowergirl 737 had exemption requests in the past for her work and from multiple schools for her kids.

Edited September 1, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[JeanneAdil 6,510]

1 hour ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

There is a new requirement in effect from October 1 2021, for Covid vaccination:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/covid-19-technical-instructions.html

so,  you have your answer 

and it was not on the USCIS site as it is not yet October1st

[Daisy.Chain 317]

6 hours ago, mari04 said:

I would not do it now. By the time you are ready to get out n I am sure you will be required to have COVID vaccination. You will simply not be able to board the plane to US. 

This is not accurate. The upcoming 10/1 vaccine requirement from the CDC allows religious exemptions. It will likely make the process more complicated but religious exemptions ARE allowed. I imagine anyone who needs a religious exemption will have paperwork to fill out showing their legitimate concern.

[Zin-Zin 21]

3 hours ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

@Zin-Zin I recently came across an applicant from Canada ( @Flowergirl 737 ) who got vaccine exemption for herself and her kids (not Covid, but others). 
 

I remember her saying that having a history of requesting for exemptions in the past helps to support your case. You have to demonstrate that you have consistently held those beliefs and practiced them in the past, that the refusal to get vaccinated is not on a one-off whim.

 

@Flowergirl 737 had exemption requests in the past for her work and from multiple schools for her kids.

Thank you very much! 

Do you have any other suggestions or insights? 

We vaccinated our first child, but stopped vaccinating our second child b/c of our changing beliefs. We have lived outside the USA for years so we have no paper trail of exemptions in the US to show. 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

15 hours ago, Zin-Zin said:

I've had a look at the process to apply for a vaccine exemption. 

My understanding is that in order to qualify for a religious exemption, one must provide support for a sincere religious belief. What kind of evidence is best to support that claim? What evidence is necessary for a moral exemption? 

We are currently at NVC, but have not filed the paperwork. When do we submit the request for exemption? Before we submit the rest? Along with? 

What happens if the exemption is denied? Is the entire case closed? Any possibility of appeal? 

I appreciate that this is a charged issue, and I would appreciate it if we can keep personal opinions out of the conversation. I am looking for reliable information about the legal and above board process of requesting a valid exemption for the covid vaccination. 

Have not read all the responses but a sincere religious etc conviction would be against all vaccines, not just those against a particular virus. If you have had or will have other vaccines the argument becomes very difficult.
 

And yes, if the exemption is not approved and you refuse to have it you are deemed class A -inadmissible.  https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/civil-surgeons/covid-19-technical-instructions.html
“Applicant refuses a COVID-19 vaccine series in part or entirety
If an applicant refuses one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine series that is medically appropriate for the applicant, it should be documented that the vaccine requirements are not complete and that the applicant refuses vaccination. This applicant is Class A and is inadmissible to the United States.”

Edited September 1, 2021 by SusieQQQ

[Zin-Zin 21]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

Have not read all the responses but a sincere religious etc conviction would be against all vaccines, not just those against a particular virus.

Yes, she hasn't had any vaccines since she was a child. 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

5 minutes ago, Zin-Zin said:

Yes, she hasn't had any vaccines since she was a child. 

I have now gone back and read your posts, It doesn’t seem to be from a religious basis from what you have said, or you would know from your church (or whatever institution) teachings the reasons etc. I don’t know what counts as moral conviction or how you justify that to USCIS.  But presumably you know the reasons why your beliefs have changed and that is what you will need to describe for the waiver.

(It is a little curious that the heading of your thread just mentioned the Covid vaccine for immigration, I presume you know that there are a number of required vaccines.)

 

[Zin-Zin 21]

1 minute ago, SusieQQQ said:

I have now gone back and read your posts, It doesn’t seem to be from a religious basis from what you have said, or you would know from your church (or whatever institution) teachings the reasons etc. I don’t know what counts as moral conviction or how you justify that to USCIS.  But presumably you know the reasons why your beliefs have changed and that is what you will need to describe for the waiver.

(It is a little curious that the heading of your thread just mentioned the Covid vaccine for immigration, I presume you know that there are a number of required vaccines.)

 

She's had those since childhood. And has proof of them. She has had a green card before, but we surrendered it years ago when we decided to continue living abroad. So it hasn't been an issue with the US gov until this new requirement. 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

19 minutes ago, Zin-Zin said:

She's had those since childhood. And has proof of them. She has had a green card before, but we surrendered it years ago when we decided to continue living abroad. So it hasn't been an issue with the US gov until this new requirement. 

 

How old is she? She’s probably missed some required boosters anyway if she only had in childhood and you’ve been gone for “years”, specifically TdaP,  so it’s unlikely to only be this vaccine that’s an issue.  In any case it’s moot what she had so far, she either needs a waiver or she needs to be vaccinated.  What about your second child who hasn’t had any?

 

[Zin-Zin 21]

1 minute ago, SusieQQQ said:

How old is she? She’s probably missed some required boosters anyway if she only had in childhood and you’ve been gone for “years”, specifically TdaP,  so it’s unlikely to only be this vaccine that’s an issue.  In any case it’s moot what she had so far, she either needs a waiver or she needs to be vaccinated.  What about your second child who hasn’t had any?

 

Good point about the boosters. 

What about my child? She's a US citizen. 

[From_CAN_2_US 1,106]

8 hours ago, Zin-Zin said:

Thank you very much! 

Do you have any other suggestions or insights? 

We vaccinated our first child, but stopped vaccinating our second child b/c of our changing beliefs. We have lived outside the USA for years so we have no paper trail of exemptions in the US to show. 

I have to qualify I do not have any personal experience in this, but basing my advice off of what I read from people who have been successful in getting vaccine waivers (not for Covid 19 ofcourse, as there is no precedent for that yet, being a new requirement, but presumably the same basis for exemption applies as for the other vaccines.)

 

The exemptions in the past to substantiate your claim of the beliefs do not need to be in the US. They can be from the schools your kids attended or your place of work in NZ or wherever you lived.

 

I would think it is understandable that you didn’t always have these beliefs as Anti-vax is a relatively new movement. So the fact that you and your first child had vaccines before, but you stopped taking boosters at some point and also did not vaccinate your second child only aligns with this. What you need to demonstrate is that since you adopted the anti-vax views you have been consistent with it. The best way to show that is by showing the exemptions you applied for for accessing public services and places such as schools, places of work, day care etc.

Edited September 1, 2021 by From_CAN_2_US

[Zin-Zin 21]

50 minutes ago, From_CAN_2_US said:

I have to qualify I do not have any personal experience in this, but basing my advice off of what I read from people who have been successful in getting vaccine waivers (not for Covid 19 ofcourse, as there is no precedent for that yet, being a new requirement, but presumably the same basis for exemption applies as for the other vaccines.)

 

The exemptions in the past to substantiate your claim of the beliefs do not need to be in the US. They can be from the schools your kids attended or your place of work in NZ or wherever you lived.

 

I would think it is understandable that you didn’t always have these beliefs as Anti-vax is a relatively new movement. So the fact that you and your first child had vaccines before, but you stopped taking boosters at some point and also did not vaccinate your second child only aligns with this. What you need to demonstrate is that since you adopted the anti-vax views you have been consistent with it. The best way to show that is by showing the exemptions you applied for for accessing public services and places such as schools, places of work, day care etc.

thank you! 

We are in Taiwan and have not had to exempt from anything. We homeschool. A paper trail is non-existent. 

Is there a difference between a religious exemption and a moral exemption? Or are they the same thing? 

She's posted on social media about her views. I wonder if that will count as evidence? 

Thanks so much for your time and attention!

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

5 hours ago, Zin-Zin said:

Is there a difference between a religious exemption and a moral exemption? Or are they the same thing? 

You, or your daughter, needs to be able to cogently explain your sincerely held beliefs about why you believe vaccines are wrong. Yes, there is very likely to be a difference between religious and moral standpoints in terms of why you believe vaccines are wrong, but not in how they are assessed by Uscis for a waiver. If you go looking for reasons elsewhere that you believe “sound” good you will probably torpedo your case as it will not be a sincerely held belief. Tbh I’m not really sure why you seem to be battling so much with this part of it. You clearly know for yourself why you think they are wrong, all you need to do is explain that in the waiver application. 

 

 

[Boiler 45,525]

Sounds like there are 2 waivers to file and I can see they may well be slightly different.