Request for Form I-693 COURTESY EMAIL

[EatBulaga 315]

Greetings all, K1-to-AOS filer here.

We got the infamous Request for I-693 courtesy email although I'm not sure if this is an official RFE? Yes, like most others who got this notice, we submitted the DS-3025 and vaccination record from the K1 medical in the I-485 within 6-months of the medical (see our Timeline or Profile). When we got this email, there were no updates to our case from "Being Actively Reviewed". A couple of other threads with the similar I-693 courtesy mail were interpreted from "ignore" to "follow the instruction" are at:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/796868-i-693-courtesy-letter-request/

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/794622-courtesy-letter-re-i-693/

Courtesy mails in some cases in the past seem to be more suggestions than actual must do? But we got the courtesy EMAIL. I am showing the email below in its entirety so that I don't misinterpret anything. I like to ask for any expert opinion who read this to kindly reply how you would interpret this email? And did I read it correctly that I need to drop off the sealed I-693 at the Atlanta Field Office location at the specific dates below because I obviously can't scan a sealed document and upload to the myUSCIS account?

Thanks in advance for any response.

 

 

March 24, 2023

***PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL*** PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL***PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL***

COURTESY EMAIL 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status does not include a completed and signed Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.

 

Please submit a completed Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.

 

Civil Surgeons and the Form I-693

 

A USCIS civil surgeon must complete and sign the form, and you must also sign the form. If the civil surgeon refers you to a specialist, the specialist must include his or her medical exam results and complete the proper sections of the Form I-693 before the civil surgeon may sign the form.

 

Important: Only a designated civil surgeon authorized by USCIS to conduct medical examinations is qualified to complete the Form I-693. The civil surgeon must sign and date the Form I-693. Signatures by a nurse, physician’s assistant, or a doctor not designated as a civil surgeon are not acceptable. You must sign and date the Form I-693 when instructed to do so by the civil surgeon. The original completed Form I-693 must be sealed in a separate envelope by the civil surgeon. The sealed envelope must be returned, unopened, to this office.

 

A list of designated civil surgeons can be obtained by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283, or via the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov and using the MyUSCIS Find a Doctor tool at my.uscis.gov/findadoctor. You will need to provide your zip code or address. If you are hearing impaired, please call the USCIS Contact Center TDD at 1-800-767-1833.

 

Important: All Forms I-693 signed by civil surgeons on or after October 5, 2022, must use the 07/19/2022 edition of Form I-693. USCIS will not accept the 09/13/2021 version (or any previous editions) if the civil surgeon signed the Form I-693 after October 4, 2022.

 

Reminder: Effective October 1, 2021, applicants subject to the immigration medical examination must complete the COVID-19 vaccine series before the civil surgeon can complete an immigration medical examination and sign Form I-693. This applies to Form I-693 signed by civil surgeon on or after October 1, 2021.

 

Additional: If your application is based on your marriage to a United States Citizen (USC) or a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), and you or your spouse have not yet submitted evidence of the bona fides of your marriage, you may submit this evidence at this time to accelerate the processing of the decision on your case.

 

If you wish to submit supplemental documentation, you may do so by bringing the documentation to the Atlanta Field Office. You may drop the documents off on Saturday, April 15, 2023, or Saturday April 22, 2023, from 09:00 am to 01:00 pm. Our address is as follows:

 

USCIS Atlanta Field Office 

2150 Parklake Dr. NE

Atlanta, GA 30345

 

Please include a copy of this e-mail with your Form I-693 to help us identify your case.

 

If your application is based on your marriage to a USC or an LPR and you would like to submit evidence of the bona fides of your marriage, please submit that evidence, with a copy of this notice, either:

 

• To the field office address above, or,
•  If available, online by uploading the evidence through your USCIS account.

 

Sincerely,

 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Atlanta Field Office

 

Ref: 5120

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

I would call costumer service and ask for a Tier 2.

 

Whoever sent this email got a little "confused".

[EatBulaga 315]

1 minute ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

I would call costumer service and ask for a Tier 2.

 

Whoever sent this email got a little "confused".

What do you mean by a little confused?

What should I ask the Tier2 customer service to elaborate?

Thanks.

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

Just now, EatBulaga said:

What do you mean by a little confused?

What should I ask the Tier2 customer service to elaborate?

Thanks.

As you know, you don't need to send the medical because they already have it. Therefore, whoever sent the email got confused regarding requirements to adjust status from a K1.

 

And you can call and talk to an agent to make sure they know it is a mistake.

[BPCW 17]

I received the same email on Friday. Did you call them? 

[EatBulaga 315]

3 hours ago, BPCW said:

I received the same email on Friday. Did you call them? 

I did not call USCIS.

Since a lot of K1-to-AOS are getting this courtesy mail or RFE, the path of least resistance is to just go thru with the I-693 medical to avoid any unknowns later on.

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/798160-how-likely-will-i-get-a-rfe-ds-3025/?do=findComment&comment=10822068

The only thing that I'm worried about since the doctor will provide the sealed envelope for us to drop-off at USCIS, we won't have any receipt or assurance that the form is correct or USCIS can just say again we don't have all the medical requirements again?

But if we can ignore the courtesy email, then it shouldn't really matter if we go thru another medical or not?

Edited March 28, 2023 by EatBulaga

[BPCW 17]

8 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

I did not call USCIS.

Since a lot of K1-to-AOS are getting this courtesy mail or RFE, the path of least resistance is to just go thru with the I-693 medical to avoid any unknowns later on.

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/798160-how-likely-will-i-get-a-rfe-ds-3025/?do=findComment&comment=10822068

The only thing that I'm worried about since the doctor will provide the sealed envelope for us to drop-off at USCIS, we won't have any receipt or assurance that the form is correct or USCIS can just say again we don't have all the medical requirements again?

But if we can ignore the courtesy email, then it shouldn't really matter if we go thru another medical or not?

You can always ask for a copy. That’s what I’m going to do. I don’t know what would be the best thing to do - to ignore it or actually do another medical. I think I might call them tomorrow.

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

10 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

I did not call USCIS.

Since a lot of K1-to-AOS are getting this courtesy mail or RFE, the path of least resistance is to just go thru with the I-693 medical to avoid any unknowns later on.

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/798160-how-likely-will-i-get-a-rfe-ds-3025/?do=findComment&comment=10822068

The only thing that I'm worried about since the doctor will provide the sealed envelope for us to drop-off at USCIS, we won't have any receipt or assurance that the form is correct or USCIS can just say again we don't have all the medical requirements again?

But if we can ignore the courtesy email, then it shouldn't really matter if we go thru another medical or not?

You could actually wait for the interview, and if needed, they'll issue an RFE.

 

I think that courtesy email was sent by mistake. 

[EatBulaga 315]

22 minutes ago, BPCW said:

You can always ask for a copy. That’s what I’m going to do. I don’t know what would be the best thing to do - to ignore it or actually do another medical. I think I might call them tomorrow.

To get a copy of the I-693 from this doctor is like another 250, and USCIS wants a sealed copy of the original. So paying for 250 for an unsealed copy seems like a waste of money.

Do keep everyone posted of your call tomorrow and the number you called. If it is positive, then I might try as well?

[EatBulaga 315]

25 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

You could actually wait for the interview, and if needed, they'll issue an RFE.

 

I think that courtesy email was sent by mistake. 

The problem is that the I-693 medical is dated, so not sure how long it is good for?

Since the email gave us specific dates to drop-off, I'm assuming they will look at it in the timely manner.

If we miss the drop-off date and just assume to wait for the next USCIS action or interview, no telling how long that would be?

 

For this to be a mistake, it seems too coincidental that so many have gotten similar courtesy mail or RFE? If anything, I think this courtesy email is just Atlanta FO way to notify that they got the case now from the National Benefit Center since our receipt number starts with IOE*?

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

39 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

The problem is that the I-693 medical is dated, so not sure how long it is good for?

Since the email gave us specific dates to drop-off, I'm assuming they will look at it in the timely manner.

If we miss the drop-off date and just assume to wait for the next USCIS action or interview, no telling how long that would be?

 

For this to be a mistake, it seems too coincidental that so many have gotten similar courtesy mail or RFE? If anything, I think this courtesy email is just Atlanta FO way to notify that they got the case now from the National Benefit Center since our receipt number starts with IOE*?

"We generally consider a completed Form I-693 to remain valid for two years after the date the civil surgeon signed Form I-693."

 

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/i-693

[EatBulaga 315]

24 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

"We generally consider a completed Form I-693 to remain valid for two years after the date the civil surgeon signed Form I-693."

 

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/i-693

Thanks.

Keep in mind the Atlanta Field Office wait time is 35 months.

So if we do the I-693 medical and not submit and wait for the interview, the wait could be beyond the valid two year and USCIS could blame us and the I-693 is invalid anyways? 

If we do submit I-693 at their specified instruction date, then any delays is their fault?

Edited March 29, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

10 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

Thanks.

Keep in mind the Atlanta Field Office wait time is 35 months.

So if we do the I-693 medical and not submit and wait for the interview, the wait could be beyond the valid two year and USCIS could blame us and the I-693 is invalid anyways? 

If we do submit I-693 at their specified instruction date, then any delays is their fault?

From the I-693 instructions: 

 

That email does not apply to people adjusting from a K-1.

It must have been a mistake from a rookie agent at the Atlanta office. 

Edited March 29, 2023 by Allaboutwaiting

[EatBulaga 315]

34 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

From the I-693 instructions: 

Yes. Thanks. I understand where you are coming from.

3.C.2 says "...you must still show proof that you complied with the vaccination record".

Without going into specifics, most of the assumption of those getting the I-693 courtesy mail or RFE is that the DS-3025 was properly completed by the overseas medical.

With all due respect, whether the DS-3025 was or was not complete is not determined by us or the overseas medical, USCIS reserves the right to determine that or determine that with a US Civil Surgeon if necessary.

US CBP probably doesn't have a doctor at the airport either to determine that when the foreigner enters the US.

I consider the courtesy email less strict than a RFE.

We all can choose how to play the hands that we are dealt with.

I consider the courtesy email a small raise by USCIS that I can easily call and stay in the game. 😂

Edited March 29, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

15 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

Yes. Thanks. I understand where you are coming from.

3.C.2 says "...you must still show proof that you complied with the vaccination record".

Without going into specifics, most of the assumption of those getting the I-693 courtesy mail or RFE is that the DS-3025 was properly completed by the overseas medical.

With all due respect, whether the DS-3025 was or was not complete is not determined by us or the overseas medical, USCIS reserves the right to determine that with a US Civil Surgeon.

US CBP probably doesn't have a doctor at the airport either to determine that when the foreigner enters the US.

I consider the courtesy email less strict than a RFE.

We all can choose how to play the hands that we are dealt with.

I consider the courtesy email a small raise by USCIS that I can easily call and stay in the game. 😂

I don't want to convince you of anything, you will do what you think is better for you. 

 

But, I seriously doubt someone went through a good amount of cases and checked the DS-3025 to see if the proper boxes were checked and then sent a courtesy email. 

 

If it was not a mistake it was definitely an en masse email aimed at those who actually might need to send the completed I-693.

 

Personally, I would dismiss it and then worry every night wondering if I should have sent a new medical. 😜 

Edited March 29, 2023 by Allaboutwaiting