How long is Form I-693 valid, and when do you file it?
File Form I-693 together with your Form I-485. Since December 2, 2024, USCIS may reject an I-485 filed without it. A Form I-693 signed on or after November 1, 2023 stays valid for as long as that I-485 is pending, but only for that application: if the I-485 is denied or withdrawn, a future application needs a new exam.
When do I file Form I-693?
With the I-485, in the same package. Until December 2, 2024 you could send the medical later, at the interview or in response to a request for evidence. That is no longer allowed. If you file your I-485 without a signed Form I-693, USCIS may reject the whole application.
In practice, the medical exam has to be finished before you file. Leave time for any vaccine doses and lab results the civil surgeon needs.
How long is Form I-693 valid?
| Civil surgeon signed it | How long USCIS accepts it |
|---|---|
| On or after November 1, 2023 | For as long as the application it was filed with is pending. It is generally valid only for that one application. |
| Before November 1, 2023 | Two years from the civil surgeon's signature. Every form in this group has now expired. |
Is there still a 60-day rule?
No. USCIS used to require the civil surgeon to sign no more than 60 days before you filed. That rule was permanently removed on March 31, 2023.
Can I reuse my Form I-693 for another application?
Generally not. Since a June 2025 policy update, a Form I-693 counts only for the immigration benefit application it was submitted with. If that I-485 is denied or withdrawn, you need a newly completed and signed Form I-693 for any later application that requires one. Advice written before mid-2025 that says a form "never expires" is out of date.
What if USCIS asks for more evidence?
If something on the form is missing or unclear, USCIS can send a request for evidence (RFE). The usual causes are an incomplete vaccination record and a form that was not in a sealed envelope. Both are avoidable: know which vaccines your age group needs and which of your records cover them before the exam, and keep the envelope sealed if you file by mail.
A timeline that works
- Find out what your age group requires, and gather the vaccine records you already have.
- Have the gaps identified so you know which vaccines or tests are still missing.
- Complete the exam with a civil surgeon and receive the sealed Form I-693.
- File the I-693 with your I-485, in the same package.
Steps 1 and 2 are what I-693 ReadyCheck does, free of charge. See also which vaccine records count.
Sources: USCIS, Form I-693; USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 4.
General information about USCIS Form I-693, not medical or legal advice. Requirements are set by USCIS and the CDC and can change.