Getting Your Vaccine Records for Immigration: A Step-by-Step Guide

How does the immigration vaccine requirement actually work?

USCIS requires proof of vaccination against a list of vaccine-preventable diseases as part of the Form I-693 medical examination 1Ref 1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Vaccination Requirements for Immigration Medical Examination.ACIP-based vaccine list required for I-693 immigration medical exam; civil surgeon role; age-appropriate scheduling; waivers for medical contraindications2Ref 2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693).Form I-693: the USCIS medical exam form completed exclusively by a designated civil surgeon; required for adjustment of status; submitted in sealed envelope. The civil surgeon is the only person authorized to complete and sign this form for USCIS. Your personal physician cannot complete I-693, but they can provide vaccination records and administer missing vaccines before your civil surgeon appointment.

The USCIS vaccine list is governed by ACIP recommendations and updated periodically — your civil surgeon will apply the current version 1Ref 1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Vaccination Requirements for Immigration Medical Examination.ACIP-based vaccine list required for I-693 immigration medical exam; civil surgeon role; age-appropriate scheduling; waivers for medical contraindications. The list generally includes influenza, COVID-19, Td/Tdap, MMR, varicella, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal, and pneumococcal (for eligible age groups), among others.

Step 1: What vaccination records should I gather first?

Start by collecting anything you already have:

• Your childhood immunization card or booklet (often kept by parents)
• Prior primary care providers or pediatricians
• Your state's immunization information system (IIS) — most U.S. states store vaccination records from providers in that state 3Ref 3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Contacts for IIS Immunization Records.State IIS registries as a resource for finding US-administered vaccination history; most complete for vaccines given in the US
• School health records (U.S. schools typically require vaccination proof for enrollment)
• Military service records, if applicable
• Records from your country of origin — note that not all international records are accepted as-is; your civil surgeon will evaluate them

Step 2: How do I request records from past providers?

Contact clinics or hospitals where you previously received vaccines and ask for your immunization records. Under HIPAA, you have the right to your own health records, and providers have 30 days to respond. If a prior practice has closed, contact your state health department or a medical records retention service for guidance on how to locate those records.

Step 3: How do I check my state immunization registry?

Most U.S. states have a portal where you can request or view your own immunization records through the state IIS 3Ref 3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Contacts for IIS Immunization Records.State IIS registries as a resource for finding US-administered vaccination history; most complete for vaccines given in the US. Ask your primary care provider to query it on your behalf, or contact your state health department directly. The CDC maintains a directory of all state IIS contacts at cdc.gov/iis 3Ref 3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Contacts for IIS Immunization Records.State IIS registries as a resource for finding US-administered vaccination history; most complete for vaccines given in the US. These registries are most complete for vaccines received in the U.S.; vaccines given abroad typically do not appear.

Step 4: What if I am missing vaccines or records?

You have a few options if your records show gaps:

• Receive missing vaccines from your primary care provider before the civil surgeon appointment — this can save time and sometimes cost.
• Let the civil surgeon administer missing vaccines at or around the exam.
• Request titer blood tests, which can confirm immunity for vaccines you received but have no documentation for (particularly useful for MMR, varicella, and hepatitis B). The civil surgeon will decide which approach applies to your situation 1Ref 1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Vaccination Requirements for Immigration Medical Examination.ACIP-based vaccine list required for I-693 immigration medical exam; civil surgeon role; age-appropriate scheduling; waivers for medical contraindications2Ref 2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693).Form I-693: the USCIS medical exam form completed exclusively by a designated civil surgeon; required for adjustment of status; submitted in sealed envelope.

How do I find and prepare for the civil surgeon appointment?

Find a USCIS-authorized civil surgeon at uscis.gov/i-693 — only authorized surgeons can complete Form I-693 2Ref 2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693).Form I-693: the USCIS medical exam form completed exclusively by a designated civil surgeon; required for adjustment of status; submitted in sealed envelope. Bring your passport or national ID, your vaccination records, and any prior medical records relevant to the health questions on the form. The exam includes a physical, review of vaccination history, and a check for certain communicable conditions. The completed form is sealed by the civil surgeon and submitted to USCIS.

A few factors affect which vaccines are required: age (USCIS applies age-appropriate ACIP schedules 1Ref 1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2024).Vaccination Requirements for Immigration Medical Examination.ACIP-based vaccine list required for I-693 immigration medical exam; civil surgeon role; age-appropriate scheduling; waivers for medical contraindications), pregnancy (some live vaccines are deferred and immigration timelines can sometimes be adjusted), and immunocompromising conditions (live attenuated vaccines may be contraindicated — inform the civil surgeon of your immune status).