What are the vaccination requirements for the green card? Filing for a U.S. green card can be a complex process with lots of moving parts, including one that may be unexpected: the medical exam. The medical exam is a formal step of the process to ensure a foreign national doesn't have health conditions that make them ineligible for U.S. immigration benefits. One requirement of the medical exam, whether you're applying for the green card from within the U.S. or from overseas, is showing that you have had all required vaccinations.

VACCINATIONS/WAIVERS:

U.S. immigration law has certain vaccination requirements for the green card filing. Current vaccination requirements are available here. This link also has helpful FAQs. You are required to document receipt of vaccines that are age appropriate for you. The civil surgeon will annotate the medical exam form to indicate that you were not required to receive a particular vaccine because it was not age appropriate at the time of the immigration medical examination. Keep in mind that both the flu booster and the Covid vaccination are required, if applicable (the flu vaccination is typically available from October to March).

There may be reasons that you cannot or do not receive (certain) vaccinations:

• Not all vaccinations are required for all ages.
• You may have already received the vaccinations or you may be immune:
  • Bring your vaccination records to the medical exam appointment, if they are available.
  • If you chose to have your own healthcare provider administer any missing vaccines, make sure you have proof of having received them.
  • If you have written evidence of immunity against a certain disease, also bring that to the doctor.
• You may have a contraindication, which is a condition that prevents you from receiving a particular vaccine. If that happens, the civil surgeon will annotate your medical exam form to indicate that.
  • This may include certain vaccines for pregnant women. If you are pregnant, make sure that the civil surgeon knows that.

If you refuse to obtain the vaccination requirements for the green card, your green card application may be denied. It is possible to request a waiver of the vaccination requirement in limited circumstances:

• You are opposed to all vaccinations in any form– a waiver may not be granted if you only object to specific vaccinations;
• Your objection must be based on religious beliefs or moral convictions; and
• The religious or moral beliefs must be sincere.

If you are filing the green card through our office, we are happy to assist with the waiver application, if applicable. There is an additional fee for this as it is outside the scope of the green card application services. In addition, it's possible that the waiver would not be approved, and in that case, USCIS would deny the entire green card filing.

Do you have more questions? We're here to help! We have this blog post to address many FAQs we've received about the immigration medical exam process and requirements. You can also peruse the CDC's website for additional general information about the medical exam, including the purpose, a brief overview of what's involved, vaccinations required, etc.

The doctor's office will also be able to answer any specific questions pertaining to the exam, what's involved, costs, etc. Please note the medical exam will be valid for 2 years once you receive it, and you should not open the sealed exam.

If you are not yet a Sumner Immigration Law client and you’re looking for an experienced, empathetic, and efficient team to help you navigate the process with confidence, please contact us today and set up your initial consultation to get the process started! You can set an appointment online. You can also call us at 804-396-3412 or send us an email at info@sumnerimmigration.com. We are immigration lawyers in Richmond, VA but we serve clients throughout the U.S. and around the world. For more information on our firm visit Who We Are and What Makes Us Different! We look forward to hearing from you!

As always, the above information is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Please speak with a qualified immigration lawyer before taking action.