Oakton Health Center

The Trump administration has announced significant changes to United States immigration policy. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made it clear on June 11 that, effective immediately, all applications for permanent residency will require a renewed medical examination form. The existing rule that Form I-693s are valid indefinitely has been reversed. Instead, these forms will only remain valid if a person’s application to become a permanent resident is not withdrawn or denied.

In addition to this, everyone applying for a green card will now need a medical exam. This effectively replaces the previous rule from December 2024, which only required a medical exam for those needing to prove they were not inadmissible on medical grounds. The stipulations for the medical exam include checks for specific conditions or diseases that could potentially bar an individual from being admitted to the U.S., alongside vaccination records. It has been noted that such medical exams could cost hundreds of dollars.

President Trump also announced the introduction of a “gold card” option, where interested parties can register to potentially purchase a green card for $5 million. Despite claims from Trump that this program could raise $50 trillion to retire the national debt, data suggest it would only raise approximately $25 billion to $40 billion. Legal experts also argue that Trump can’t amend or abolish the existing EB-5 visa program without congressional approval.

us green card seekers will no longer be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. The USCIS has confirmed that it won’t issue any Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny based on the proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and will not deny adjustment-of-status applications because of this. However, the new process for adjustment of status involves several steps, including determining eligibility, filing an immigrant petition, checking visa availability, and scheduling an interview.

The consequences of these changes are likely to remain under contention and various interpretations by the applicants especially for the need of undergoing a medical examination and the skyrocketing prices of such medical exams. These complexities with the process compel the green card seekers to stay updated with the latest revisions and be prepared with all necessary documentation to avoid any rejections or denials of their applications.

Starting from December, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that permanent residence or green card applicants will be required to include their medical and vaccination reports with their Form I-485 for the adjustment of status. This rule aims to streamline the immigration process and reduce the amount of additional evidence requested before adjudicating a Form I-485.

Another initiative, the Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Campaign, aims to support lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and immigrant-serving organizations by promoting the rights, responsibilities, and importance of U.S. citizenship. It provides a wealth of material to assist community organizations and immigrant educators in their outreach programs.

However, it’s been reported that the federal program for vetting the health of green card applicants uses physicians who have previously been disciplined for professional misconduct or have faced criminal charges, potentially posing a risk to foreign applicants. There have also been reports of inappropriate behavior by USCIS-designated doctors, which have resulted in obstacles for permanent residency applicants.

Reforms are expected in the system, but until implemented, it is advised that individuals consult with an immigration attorney or an organization accredited by Immigration to provide immigration services before submitting any applications to USCIS.

President Biden’s Keeping Families Together program, which allows certain undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to remain in the U.S. as they pursue legal status, is now open to applications, after being announced in June. However, a recent federal court order temporarily stalled the implementation of the policy, although previously approved applications are unaffected. The program targets those who have been in the country continuously for ten years and were married before June 17, 2024. It operates under the ‘parole in place’ (PIP) policy, which facilitates the adjustment of status for immigrants who entered the U.S. without inspection, thereby circumventing the need for consular processing abroad which often results in a three to ten-year re-entry ban. Successful applicants can also apply for work permits. There are strict criteria to qualify for PIP, including continuous presence in the U.S. for at least 10 years, a valid marriage to a US citizen, no criminal history or threat to national or public security, and a favorable exercise of discretion.

The program also includes stepchildren under 21 and unmarried as of the date of application, and widows and widowers of U.S. citizens who haven’t remarried. Applications opened on August 19, 2024, via the online submission of form I-131F accompanied by a $580 processing fee. Necessary evidence includes proof of a valid marriage to a U.S. citizen, proof that the applicant has lived in the U.S. for the past ten years, proof of the applicant’s identity and residency, and proof of their spouse’s U.S. citizenship. Supporting documentation also must be gathered for eligible noncitizen children to prove their relationship to the noncitizen parent, the parent’s marriage to a U.S. citizen, and the child’s residence in the U.S. USCIS cautions applicants to be aware of scams and urges them to seek legal assistance from accredited immigration lawyers.