Recently, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a significant policy change for medical exams that affects immigrants who submitted their medical exam more than one year ago and have I-485 application still pending.

Starting June 1, 2014, USCIS will limit the validity period for all Forms I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS. Applicants must also submit Form I-693 to USCIS within one year of the immigration medical examination. USCIS outlines in policy alert PA-2014-005 that this new medical exam policy applies to any Form I-693 supporting a benefit application that USCIS adjudicates on or after June 1, 2014.

This means that immigrants who submitted their medical exam more than one year ago and have I-485 still pending are likely to receive Request for Evidence (RFE) for an updated medical exam conducted by a designated civil surgeon.

For more information regarding I-693 from USCIS, please click here .