COVID-19 and Immigration
Vaccination against COVID-19 is required for the U.S. Immigrant visa applicants.
On May 12, 2023 CDC updated COVID-19 Vaccinations Requirements
The applicant must receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if a dose is due at the time of the exam according to current CDC guidance. Now, like other vaccine requirements, additional doses are no longer required, and applicants do not have to postpone completion of the exam to complete the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Applicants who have completed any approved* primary COVID-19 series prior to the exam require no additional COVID-19 doses for immigration. Those who have not should receive a bivalent vaccine according to current CDC guidance.
For applicants who have received one or more doses but have not completed the primary series and are not yet due for the next dose in the series at the time of the exam, use the “Insufficient time interval between doses” blanket waiver.
As with other vaccinations, additional doses recommended for older age groups, health conditions or immunocompromise are not required for completion of this exam. Although booster doses are not currently required, please refer to this page frequently for future guidance regarding a COVID-19 boosting schedule.
https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/civil-surgeons/vaccinations.html#covid-19-vaccination
All U.S. immigrant visa applicants are required to undergo a medical examination. Effective October 1, 2021, as a part of the U.S. immigrant visa medical examination, a completed COVID-19 vaccination is required. Although an immigrant visa applicant may request a waiver based on religious or moral convictions, such waiver application needs to be submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS will determine if a waiver is granted, not the medical panel or CDC. If the applicant refuses vaccination that is medically appropriate and available to the applicant, such applicant will be inadmissible to the U.S. More information about COVID-19 vaccination requirements can be found athttps://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/covid-19-technical-instructions.html.