New TB Testing and Vaccination Requirements for Adjustment of Status Applicants

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised its list of vaccines required for applicants seeking to adjust status to become legal permanent residents and changed its Tuberculosis (TB) testing and treatment requirements. See the USCIS Q&A at:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/FAQ_TB_Vaccination_Requirements_072408.pdf.

The requirements for new vaccines for Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, Meningococcal, Human papillomavirus, and Zoster went into effect on August 1, 2008. These new vaccinations must be administered in order for USCIS to approve the applicant for adjustment of status.  USCIS's new Tuberculosis (TB) testing and treatment requirements, effective June 1, 2008, now include a requirement for chest x-rays for applicants with a skin test reaction (TST) and the completion of a full course of TB treatment before receiving medical clearance for adjustment of status.

USCIS advises that, generally, adjustment applicants who have had their medical exam before the new TB or vaccination requirements went into effect will not be required to have a new medical exam.  All new medical examinations completed on or after August 1, 2008, however, must comply and must be recorded by civil surgeons on USCIS's revised, June 5, 2008 edition of Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.