I-693, why wait?

[Skyman 289]

I often see on this and other immigration forums where people are having difficulty getting ready for their interview and having to get their I-693 done in time. I can understand wanting to get the I-485 into the system ASAP so not waiting for the I-693. But after the I-485 is mailed, you have (many) months before the interview to get the I-693 done. Mine sat in the glove box of my car for 8 months before the interview.

[Letspaintcookies 2,207]

Because it's usually recommended to not do it until you have an appointment. It can easily 'age out' if it takes longer than expected to get an interview and then one would have to spend the money again.

[Skyman 289]

1 hour ago, Letspaintcookies said:

Because it's usually recommended to not do it until you have an appointment. It can easily 'age out' if it takes longer than expected to get an interview and then one would have to spend the money again.

They're good for 2 years and currently 4 years.

[chancecody 123]

32 minutes ago, Skyman said:

They're good for 2 years and currently 4 years.

Yes, I never understood why people wait instead of sending all in one filing to avoid any RFEs when the validity is at least 2 years. The way I see it is the more you wait to get it done, the higher the chances of changes in your health or changes in USCIS requirements. For example, when I concurrently filed in July, there was no requirement to get COVID-19 vaccine on June 15th when I did the I-693 (although I got COVID vaccine back in April). My opinion is people may be taking a risk by waiting as your health conditions may change. You may be healthy now when you file but your health could change 1 year later etc when interview comes (you could get Class A conditions between now and then etc). 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-b-chapter-4#S-C-4

[chancecody 123]

4 hours ago, Skyman said:

I often see on this and other immigration forums where people are having difficulty getting ready for their interview and having to get their I-693 done in time. I can understand wanting to get the I-485 into the system ASAP so not waiting for the I-693. But after the I-485 is mailed, you have (many) months before the interview to get the I-693 done. Mine sat in the glove box of my car for 8 months before the interview.

Just to clarify, the validity of I-693 can be seen in the USCIS policy manual below. Are you saying that you sent your AOS packet and after it was mailed, your I-693 sat in your glove box for 8 months?

 

An officer may determine that the applicant has met the burden of proof required to establish that he or she is free from a medical condition that would render the applicant inadmissible on health-related grounds if all of the following criteria are met:

A USCIS-designated civil surgeon performed the immigration medical examination in accordance with HHS regulations;

The civil surgeon and the applicant properly completed the current version of Form I-693;[21]

The Form I-693 that the applicant submitted is signed by a civil surgeon no more than 60 days before the date the applicant filed an application for the underlying immigration benefit;[22]

The Form I-693 establishes that the applicant does not have a Class A medical condition and has complied with the vaccination requirements or is granted a waiver;[23] and

USCIS issues a decision on the underlying immigration benefit application no more than 2 years after the date the civil surgeon signed Form I-693.[24]

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-b-chapter-4#S-C-4

 

[Skyman 289]

8 hours ago, chancecody said:

Just to clarify, the validity of I-693 can be seen in the USCIS policy manual below. Are you saying that you sent your AOS packet and after it was mailed, your I-693 sat in your glove box for 8 months?

Yes and yes. It's valid at least 2 years.  Filed AOS last December, finished the I-693 in February. Interview was 29 September when the I-693 was turned in. GC arrived last week. 

[Ayrton 965]

7 hours ago, Skyman said:

Yes and yes. It's valid at least 2 years.  Filed AOS last December, finished the I-693 in February. Interview was 29 September when the I-693 was turned in. GC arrived last week. 

Because not all Local field offices has the same wait time. Seattle for example has a wait time of more than 2 years to get an interview. There's also the case where they don't approve the GC on the spot, and then it takes months to do so, making the medical age out.

 

Not everyone's situation is the same.

[Mike E 11,723]

21 hours ago, Skyman said:

I often see on this and other immigration forums where people are having difficulty getting ready for their interview and having to get their I-693 done in time. I can understand wanting to get the I-485 into the system ASAP so not waiting for the I-693. But after the I-485 is mailed, you have (many) months before the interview to get the I-693 done. Mine sat in the glove box of my car for 8 months before the interview.

If money is no object I say include the I-693 because  sometimes interviews are waived.  

[chancecody 123]

10 hours ago, Skyman said:

Yes and yes. It's valid at least 2 years.  Filed AOS last December, finished the I-693 in February. Interview was 29 September when the I-693 was turned in. GC arrived last week. 

Congratulations! If you don’t mind, please share how the interview went from start to finish. I rarely see posts on recent successful interviews. I only see posts when things went sour.

[Skyman 289]

10 hours ago, chancecody said:

Congratulations! If you don’t mind, please share how the interview went from start to finish. I rarely see posts on recent successful interviews. I only see posts when things went sour.

There's a few comments at the bottom of my timeline. For some reason it came up as embassy review but it's for the AOS interview. 

[HRQX 4,145]

On 10/16/2021 at 12:05 PM, Skyman said:

and currently 4 years.

It's only 2 years now: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-b-chapter-4

Technical Update - End of Temporary Extension of Validity Period of Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693)

October 01, 2021

This technical update to Volume 8 removes the temporary extension of the validity period of the Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693) announced August 12, 2021. This temporary extension expires October 1, 2021.

 

The "4 year" thing was only temporary: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-temporarily-extending-validity-period-of-form-i-693 "if... A decision on the applicant’s Form I-485 is issued on or before Sept. 30, 2021."

 

 

For example, the I-693 that I submitted is now expired because it was signed on November 25, 2017 by the CS and my I-485 is still currently pending. Thus why USCIS issued a RFE for a new I-693 last month:

[Skyman 289]

@HRQXHRQX Sorry to hear you AOS is taking so long.I think the vast majority are done under 2 years. I'm guessing you sent your 693 in with your 485 so it's not right they make you do another.