Oakton Health Center

1. The MR #25.20 Medical PM/WAG has implemented updates to Asylum Applicants and Torture Victims (AATV) and Victims of Trafficking, Torture or Other Serious Crimes (VTTC). New updates include clarification of state-funded medical services and federally funded Medicaid, and the introduction of new processing procedures for AATV/VTTC cases within IES. There have been recent changes to the eligibility criteria for state-funded VTTC benefits. As of June 5, 2024, single adult applicants without children or dependents are no longer eligible for VTTC benefits. Asylum applicants now need to have a pending application, an appeal, or be receiving treatment from a federally funded torture treatment center to qualify for AATV assistance. In addition, there are revised guidelines for applicants claiming to be preparing to file for T Visa, U Visa, or Asylum, including the provision of a signed statement attesting to their status as a foreign-born victim of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes.

2. The USCIS has reversed its policy regarding medical examination forms for green card applicants. From June 11, 2025, every green card application must include a new medical examination form. This replaces the past policy that allowed applicants to reuse the medical Form I-693 indefinitely. If the green card application is withdrawn or denied, the accompanying medical form becomes invalid and cannot be reused – a new examination and an updated I-693 form will be required for any succeeding application.

3. The October 2025 Visa Bulletin has just been released, bringing significant advancement in green card processing. According to the new bulletin, employment-based green card applicants whose priority dates are current under the bulletin’s Dates for Filing chart can now file their Adjustment of Status. Those who already have a pending I-485 application and whose priority date is current under the Final Action Dates chart stand a chance of getting their case approved since a visa number is now available. The bulletin advises applicants to assemble key evidence and supplementary forms, file in good time, and respond quickly to any communication from the USCIS.

Employment-based applicants whose I-485 cases had stalled while their priority date was current were encouraged to consider litigation to compel a decision. Additionally, applicants of EB → F2A Visa were advised that they could transfer to another category for a faster approval if they met specific requirements.

The Trump administration made an immediate change to the United States green card application process, requiring renewed medical examination forms for every new permanent residency application. The previous policy introduced just over a year ago allowed applicants to use the same forms for an indefinite period of time. This change applies to form I-693, “Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record,” and will notably impact immigrants currently applying for adjustment of status. Immigration attorneys warn this sudden change will put applicants and immigration lawyers under pressure, as there is usually a grace period before new rules come into play. Medical exams for the immigrants involve checking for specific diseases or conditions that could prevent a person from entering the U.S. These examinations can cost between $100 and $500, and this change might require immigrants to pay this fee twice, according to immigration attorney Matt Cameron.

In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced new clarifications on September 9, 2022, about how they will administer the public charge ground of inadmissibility. The rule is applicable to reasons a person could be denied a green card, visa, or admission into the United States because they are found likely to become a public charge. This policy change took effect on December 23, 2022.

Moreover, there is growing concern over the lack of affordable medical examination facilities for immigrants in Kansas City. Medical exams by authorized civil surgeons are part of the mandatory process for gaining permanent residency in the U.S., and there are only 17 authorized locations in Kansas City, leading to long waiting lists. The cost of these exams varies and is not capped, leaving insurance-uncovered immigrants with potentially high bills. In response, KC CARE Health Center offers exams at a cost of $250 and has expanded its immigration clinic services due to very high demand.

Changes implemented by the Trump administration have sparked debate among legal experts. Some believe that the changes are aimed at making the processes more difficult for immigrants, potentially discouraging people from applying and proceeding with legal immigration. As cases of green card revocation for those seen as having broken immigration or other laws rise, immigrants and immigration advocates continue to raise concerns about the increasingly tough stance on immigration by the Trump administration.

The Trump administration has introduced new regulations concerning green card applications, announced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on June 11, 2025. The revisions state that every application for permanent residency now needs a renewed immigration medical examination form, which must accompany the I-485 application to register permanent residence or adjust status. This change applies to all permanency applications submitted from June 11, with preceding applications without the medical form set to be rejected.

Previously, the form I-693, which is used to report an Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, had indefinite validity as long as it was correctly completed. However, following the rule change, these forms will no longer be valid if the application to become a permanent resident is withdrawn or denied. This new ruling indicates that people applying for a green card might be required to pay for the medical examination multiple times, given its non-refundable feature.

Medical assessment forms are essential for the application process as they are used to identify specified conditions or diseases that may make a person inadmissible to the U.S. The test costs hundreds of dollars and needs to be conducted by a certified surgeon. In addition, if an application for permanent residency is withdrawn or denied, and the applicant wants to apply again, they must undergo another medical exam.

President Trump also announced on the same day of this change, the initiation of a ‘gold card’ scheme. As part of this scheme, individuals can express their interest in purchasing a green card for $5 million via a newly introduced website. The president’s vision behind this move is to replace the EB-5 visa program which grants green cards to people investing in the U.S. However, he presented this plan back in February. While Trump predicts this move could generate up to $50 trillion, which would help retire the national debt, existing estimates only forecast a revenue of $25 billion to $40 billion.

Legal experts have indicated that while Trump can’t alter or eliminate the EB-5 visa program without congressional endorsement, the ‘gold card’ program can technically operate in parallel with the existing EB-5. The administration has noted that these changes are effective immediately.