Medical exam expires before visa issued

[Deejee 5]

Good morning all, 

 

Does anyone know what happens if our medical exam expires before the CR1 visa is issued please ? I’m still waiting for the visa (had my interview 1 month ago on April 5th 2024 and submitted the document CO requested one day after the interview. I had an email advising me the embassy confirmed they had all the documents they needed, my case is pending review. A rather long wait considering CO told me on April 5th it would take 1-2 weeks. 
 

Thank you everyone. 

[Dashinka 24,483]

When was your medical exam?

[Boiler 45,451]

It would not be issued

[Vickys_Mom 225]

24 minutes ago, Deejee said:

Does anyone know what happens if our medical exam expires before the CR1 visa is issued please ?

 

I have seen people on here say that after six months they had to do a new medical.  I've also seen people say that they had to be in the United States before the six month period is up...that's from the date of the medical, not the date of issue for your visa.  I made sure my mother-in-law entered the U.S. within six months of the date of her physical and had no issues.  (Her interview and visa issuance went quickly.)

 

An immigration attorney mentioned this last week on social media, and I went to look up the USCIS statement:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-announces-new-guidance-on-form-i-693-validity-period

 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced (PDF, 317.28 KB) that any Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire and can be used indefinitely as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds.

 

This policy was published at the start of April 2024, so it may be that not every IO is up to date on it.  That same article mentions that previous policy used a two-year or a three-year expiration date for I-693s.

 

My own experience is that if you're in the U.S. before your medical is more than six months old you're fine.

 

Regards,
Vicky's Mom

[Deejee 5]

@Dashinka medical exam was February 5th 2024 

Thank you @Boiler @Vickys_Mom I will have a read

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

1 hour ago, Vickys_Mom said:

I have seen people on here say that after six months they had to do a new medical.  I've also seen people say that they had to be in the United States before the six month period is up...that's from the date of the medical

Both of those are correct.

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

1 hour ago, Vickys_Mom said:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced (PDF, 317.28 KB) that any Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire and can be used indefinitely as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds.

That is a USCIS policy. USCIS does not issue visas.  To my knowledge, the DOS policy of 6 months has not changed. 

Edited May 6 by Crazy Cat

[Vickys_Mom 225]

22 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

That is a USCIS policy. USCIS does not issue visas.  To my knowledge, the DOS policy of 6 months has not changed. 

I knew it was too good to be true.  (smile)

 

Regards,

Vicky's Mom

[JeanneAdil 6,489]

Following the list of USCIS sites

 

1 refers to AOS 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-693

ALERT: Effective April 4, 2024, any Form I-693 that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire, and can be used indefinitely as evidence to show that

and further states its for AOS 

 

If you are applying for adjustment status to become a lawful permanent resident, use this form to establish that you are not inadmissible to the United States on public health grounds.

 

that site refers to https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-b-chapter-4  which says:

 

Applicants who have already been examined abroad and are not required to repeat the immigration medical examination in the United States may still have to show proof of compliance with the vaccination requirement.^[2]

 

 An applicant is not subject to any additional requirements that do not apply to them on the day the civil surgeon signed Form I-693 unless otherwise specified by the CDC. Therefore, officers should not issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) for the applicant to submit a new or updated Form I-693 to meet requirements that did not apply to the applicant on the date the civil surgeon signed the Form I-693.