Adjustment of Status

The USCIS has issued a revised Form I-693 Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination. The new form is dated June 5, 2008. The previous edition will be accepted through July 14, 2008.

On April 29th, the USCIS announced that it had revised Form I-693. Form I-693 is the medical examination form which is completed by a civil surgeon for various immigrant visas. All adjustment of status applicants are required to have a medical examination and Form I-693 is completed by the civil surgeon.

The USCIS seems to be rejecting more cases recently. Its common knowledge that the USCIS uses highly critical and some times arbitrary standards of review to reject as many cases as it can as a tactic to reduce its case load. I believe that these tactics have been ramped up in response to the overwhelming case load the USCIS experienced after the significant filing fee increase that took effect after July 31, 2007. It is not uncommon for the USCIS to reject a case that should be approved for reasons that seem arbitrary at best. Dealing with a USCIS rejection is frustrating and costly.

The change in USCIS policy about criminal background checks for adjustment of status applicant's raised many questions. Today the USCIS released some answers to common questions about this new policy.

All applicants for adjustment of status are required to have their fingerprints taking which USCIS refers to as biometrics. In many cases, adjustment of status applicants will file a petition for employment authorization at the same time.