Friday, June 17, 2011

USCIS I-693 form and Vaccination Supplement

After getting married in the USA (Florida), I now had to file an I-485 Green Card application for permanent residency.  This is also called seeking an adjustment of status (AOS).  If all went well with that, then I would be issued with a USCIS Green Card.  Before I could do that, however, I needed to get certification to show that all my vaccinations and health checks etc. were in order.  This was to be done with a USCIS I-693 form, I discovered, which I had to get filled out and then include when I sent in the I-485 Green Card application package. 

As I had had a K1 Fiance Visa Medical Exam back in London only a few months prior and had brought my copy of the vaccinations sheet with me to the USA, that made things a little easier when sorting out the USCIS I-693 form.  Essentially, because I had had my K1Fiance Visa Medical Exam within 12 months previous to putting in my I-485 Green Card application, I didn’t need to undergo another medical (phew!) and I only needed the USCIS i-693 supplemental form filling out, not the entire I-693 form.

The I-693 supplemental form relates only to the vaccination supplement part of the form and has to be filled out by a designated civil surgeon, which basically means a USCIS approved doctor.  There is a list of practices on the USCIS website that I used to help me find a designated civil surgeon.  Apparently, prices vary considerably, so you are supposed to shop around.  In my small city, however, there were only two practices with a designated civil surgeon and one of them never answered my calls, so I didn’t have a great deal of choice.  The price wasn’t bad, however.  I forget what the fee was but it was somewhere in the region of $35.  I had to keep telling them that I only needed the I-693 supplemental form doing, however, and did not require the entire medical (which would have cost considerably more and was completely unnecessary in my case).

Anyway, I booked an appointment and it was all very straightforward.  As it had already been determined that I met the US vaccination requirements for the medical exam back in London, I just took along my passport as ID and my copy of the vaccine worksheet that I had been given to me after my London medical and they copied my details from the vaccine worksheet over onto the USCIS I-693 supplement.   I didn’t need any extra vaccinations.  The I-693 supplement was then stamped and signed by the designated civil surgeon and I was given a sealed envelope that I was told under no circumstances should I open. 

Now that I had sorted out my USCIS i-693 supplemental form, I was ready to put together my I-485 Green Card application package.

8 comments:

  1. so i-163 form its not included when you are going to send the i-485 ...because it makes me confused about it coz i already have my vaccinations record which i have done in manila philippines....so do i need to send my vaccines copy togther with i-485?

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  2. In my experience, the doctor filled out the I-693 supplemental form using my vaccination worksheet for guidance on what shots I had. I was then given a sealed envelope with the filled out I-693 supplement which I wasn't allowed to open. I included this sealed envelope with the I-485 when I sent off for my green card. I intend to blog about my experience of filing my I-485 next, when I've got time.

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  3. So you do still need to see a civil surgeon to have him/her sign off your vaccination record from the UK medical?

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  4. @Eve - as far as I'm aware, yes, you do. You'll find detailed instructions on the USCIS website. I found this there: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-693instr.pdf

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  5. Hi how are you doing can you please give me the dr phone number please I have to make a check up for my case .

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  6. Hello there. I've been going through this whole process recently and a few things have changed. it might not be the sane for everyone but here's my two cents. With the medical recently I was asked for my x-ray and supporting documents. I did not have any supporting documents from the Knightsbridge doctors; if you are reading this before you go to the UK medical be sure to keep in mind to ask for a documentation print out. because of this I needed to have more bloodwork done. This cost me considerably more. It simply checked me out to make sure I wasn't carrying any illness to infect everyone and having my blood taken wipes out the need for having an x-ray done. (Strange but whatever). I do what I'm told, I had to go back twice but I got it done. However if you can get a x-ray supporting document you cab save yourself some time. I believe this has only changed recently in fact in between me flying over and getting married. Ask about it at he UK doc's that's for sure.

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  7. Im going through this process now with my english wife. apparently were missing some info on the 485 and it was rejected. we didnt go to the civil surgeon which we will do monday. She says all her paperwork was taken when she entered the US and has no medical paperwork. WIll she have to have another full exam?

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  8. Unless the process/form has changed I can not find the I-693 Supplemental Vaccination Form. I only can find the regular long form of I-693. Could you post a link of the form you used? Thanks.

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