MUMBAI: As of October 1, 2021, green card applicants must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to clear their immigration medical exam and obtain permanent residency (a card green). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has approved this order, in the context of the growing number of Covid-19s in the US.
This requirement applies both to status adjustment cases (for those already in the United States) and to applicants applying to U.S. embassies and consulates.
As for the Indian diaspora, most of the green card applications relate to status adjustment. Applications are submitted by those already in the country, for example, in H-1B extensions.
A complete vaccination test against Covid-19 must be submitted with a vaccine authorized for the United States or listed by the World Health Organization for emergency use when attending the medical examination. Applicants must receive the vaccine regardless of evidence of immunity or previous infection with Covid-19.
This vaccination requirement does not cover applicants who are not eligible due to the age limit for vaccines in their jurisdiction or those who may document a medical contraindication. If an applicant opposes the vaccine for religious or moral reasons, a waiver must be requested from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
This requirement applies both to status adjustment cases (for those already in the United States) and to applicants applying to U.S. embassies and consulates.
As for the Indian diaspora, most of the green card applications relate to status adjustment. Applications are submitted by those already in the country, for example, in H-1B extensions.
A complete vaccination test against Covid-19 must be submitted with a vaccine authorized for the United States or listed by the World Health Organization for emergency use when attending the medical examination. Applicants must receive the vaccine regardless of evidence of immunity or previous infection with Covid-19.
This vaccination requirement does not cover applicants who are not eligible due to the age limit for vaccines in their jurisdiction or those who may document a medical contraindication. If an applicant opposes the vaccine for religious or moral reasons, a waiver must be requested from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).