Travel Health
How Vaxy helps with US green card vaccination requirements
How Vaxy helps with US green card vaccination requirements
A US green card is not a vaccination booklet. It is a residence permit: lawful permanent residence.
If you apply for that status, you must be able to show certain vaccinations. US immigration law says you can be found inadmissible without that proof. USCIS is clear: take any written vaccination documentation to the civil surgeon.
That is where Vaxy helps. Vaxy is not a green card and not an official USCIS form. It is your vaccination record, always on your phone, ready for the exam.
Who this applies to
This applies if you:
- apply for an immigrant visa from abroad, or
- apply to adjust status to permanent resident while in the United States, often with Form I-485
An ordinary holiday or short visit does not need this exam. The rules below are for green card applicants.
Why proof of vaccinations matters
Under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 212(a)(1)(A)(ii), a person who cannot show proof of the required vaccinations can be refused admission or adjustment of status.
In the United States, a designated civil surgeon does the exam. Abroad, a panel physician designated by the US Department of State does it. The results go on Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.
USCIS says you do not have to get shots again if you already have proof. Take your records with you.
Which vaccines are required
Immigration law lists, among others:
- Mumps
- Measles
- Rubella
- Polio
- Tetanus and diphtheria
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
- Hepatitis B
- Other vaccines recommended by ACIP and required by CDC for immigration
CDC also requires, when they match your age, protection against:
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Hepatitis A
- Meningococcal disease
- Pneumococcal disease
- Rotavirus, for young infants
- Seasonal influenza, during flu season
You do not need every vaccine on the list. Only the ones that are age-appropriate for you. The civil surgeon follows CDC's Technical Instructions, including a table by age.
COVID-19: As of 20 January 2025, a COVID-19 vaccine is no longer required for adjustment of status.
Polio: From 1 May 2024, anyone 2 months and older who is not up to date should get one dose of IPV. That includes adults without proof of the childhood series.
Flu: For the immigration exam, the flu vaccine is required from 1 September to 31 March, if it is available.
What to bring to the exam
USCIS says it is important to take any written vaccination documentation. If a doctor has tested you for immunity, bring that proof too.
If something is missing, the civil surgeon can give the vaccine. You can also get missing shots from your own doctor, then return with proof. Only a civil surgeon can complete the vaccination part of Form I-693.
You usually only need one dose of each required vaccine at the time of the exam. You do not have to finish a long series before the form can be signed.
How Vaxy helps
Paper booklets get lost. Shots sit in different countries, languages and files.
With Vaxy you can:
- Keep every vaccination in one place, with dates
- Add family members who also apply for a green card
- Open your record on your phone at the appointment
- See what you already have before you book, so you repeat fewer shots
Show the civil surgeon your Vaxy record, together with any paper proof you still have. The civil surgeon decides what counts.
What Vaxy is not
Vaxy is not a green card, not Form I-693, and not a substitute for the immigration medical examination. USCIS will not accept an incomplete vaccination chart. Only a designated civil surgeon or panel physician can certify the form.
This article is information, not legal or medical advice. Rules can change. Check USCIS and CDC before your appointment.
Quick answers
Is Vaxy a green card? No. It is a digital vaccination record you take to the exam.
Does this apply to tourists? No. This applies to people applying for a green card.
Can Vaxy replace Form I-693? No. Only a civil surgeon or panel physician can complete that form.
Is COVID-19 still required? No, not since 20 January 2025.
