On August 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) published an alert that temporarily extends the validity period of a report of Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (“Form I-693”) from two years to four years. The decision was made in an effort to expedite the adjudication of employment-based Form I-485, Application to Register to Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, by the last day of the government’s fiscal year which is September 30, 2021. It will not apply to cases adjudicated after September 30, 2021, unless the Service extends the validity of the medicals again.

As noted in the announcement, USCIS may consider a completed Form I-693 valid if all of the following circumstances are met:

The civil surgeon’s signature is dated no more than 60 days before the applicant filed Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status;
No more than four years have passed since the date of the civil surgeon’s signature; and
A decision on the applicant’s Form I-485 is issued on or before September 30, 2021.

USCIS also noted that they recommend that foreign nationals concurrently file Form I-693 when filing form I-485 application to adjust status in an effort to avoid delays in adjudication brought about by the issuance of requests for evidence (RFE) for submission of form I-693.

In an effort to clear the massive backlogs, “USCIS is on track to approve more employment-based adjustment of status applications than it has since FY 2005.”