Vaccinations
USCIS vaccination requirements, and what happens if records are missing
There is no single list that applies to everyone. What you need depends on your age and your immunization history, and two of the requirements changed recently.
How the requirements are set
USCIS does not publish one flat list of vaccines that every applicant needs. Requirements follow the CDC immunization schedule, and which ones apply to you depends on your age and your existing immunization history. A four-year-old and a forty-five-year-old are assessed against different parts of the same schedule.
This is the part most applicants find hardest to work out on their own, and it is the part a civil surgeon does for you at the visit.
The vaccinations that commonly apply
Depending on your age and history, these are the ones that come up:
- MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
- Tdap / Td
- Polio (IPV)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Haemophilus influenzae type b
- Rotavirus
- Meningococcal
- Pneumococcal
- Seasonal influenza
Not all of these will apply to you. Several are specific to infants and young children.
Two changes worth knowing about
Polio (IPV) was added to the CDC technical instructions for civil surgeons in May 2024. If you are working from older guidance or an older checklist, it may not appear there.
The COVID-19 vaccination requirement was removed by USCIS effective 22 January 2025. You no longer need to document it on Form I-693. Applicants who prepared their paperwork before that change are often still carrying documentation they do not need.
If you have lost your vaccination records
This is one of the most common situations we see, and it is not a dead end. Depending on your age and history there are two routes:
- Repeat the vaccines. For several vaccines, simply receiving the doses again is safe and straightforward, and it documents the requirement cleanly.
- Order blood titers. A titer is a blood test that measures whether you are already immune. If it shows immunity, that satisfies the requirement without repeating the vaccine.
Either route completes the vaccination section of your form. Which one makes sense is a clinical judgement made at your visit, not something you need to decide in advance.
Records from another country
Bring them, however old they are and whatever language they are in. Childhood records from your country of origin are frequently usable, and they can save you both doses and money. If they turn out to be incomplete, titers remain available as a fallback.
Where the prescriptions come from
At your appointment the civil surgeon identifies exactly which vaccinations are outstanding for your age and writes the prescriptions, so you can complete them at your own pharmacy rather than making a second clinical visit.
Questions we get about this
Do I still need to document a COVID-19 vaccination?
No. USCIS removed the COVID-19 vaccination requirement effective 22 January 2025, so it no longer needs to be recorded on Form I-693.
Are vaccination records in another language acceptable?
Bring them. Childhood records from your country of origin are frequently usable, whatever language they are in and however old they are. If they turn out to be incomplete, blood titers remain available as a fallback.
How long do titer results take?
Titers are processed by the same outside laboratory as the rest of your required testing, so expect the same 3 to 5 business day turnaround.
This page is general information about a USCIS form, published by a medical practice. It is not legal advice, and NY MedCare is not affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Requirements and guidance change, so verify anything date-specific against uscis.gov or with your immigration attorney before you file.