Starting October 1 All AOS Applicants Must Provide Proof of COVID Vaccine

August 25, 2021

The Department of Health & Human Services has announced that proof of a complete COVID-19 vaccination will be required of all green card (Adjustment of Status) applicants who receive their medical examination from a U.S. Civil Surgeon or Panel Physician on or after October 1, 2021. These applicants are encouraged to complete a COVID-19 vaccination series as soon as possible.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccine will also be required for those applying for immigrant visas from abroad assuming the vaccine is “available to the applicant in the country where the medical examination is conducted.”

The announcement states that applicants “who are too young to receive the vaccine, have a medical contraindication to the vaccine, or who do not have access to one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines in their country will not be required to receive the vaccine. Individuals may apply for an individual waiver based on religious or moral convictions with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).”