Is My November 2024 Form I-693 Still Valid for a 2026 I-485 Filing?
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Reviewed & verified by A. Jason Velez, Esq.*
Managing Attorney, 1LAW · Last reviewed January 1, 2026
Legal Inquiry
Consumer Legal Issue
My Form I-693 was signed in November 2024 and has never been used. My I-485 will be submitted on June 15, 2026. Do I need to get a new I-693, or should I be concerned about a recent form edition change?
Attorney Answer
Yes — under current USCIS policy your November 2024 Form I-693 should still be usable, because a form signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023 stays valid for the entire time the application it is filed with remains pending, with no fixed expiration date.
Adjustment of status applicants generally must undergo a medical examination under 8 CFR Section 245.5, completed on Form I-693 by a designated civil surgeon. How long a signed form stays acceptable is set by USCIS policy rather than by the regulation, and that policy now turns on one date: November 1, 2023. A properly completed form signed on or after that date is valid for the entire period the benefit application it accompanies is pending (8 USCIS-PM B.4(C)(4)). A form signed before that date keeps evidentiary value for two years from the signature. Your form was signed in November 2024, so the two-year clock does not apply to it.
One caveat worth planning for. Validity is tied to the application the form is filed with, so if that I-485 is later withdrawn or denied, a new Form I-693 is required for any future filing. USCIS also keeps discretion to ask for a new or updated form if an officer has reason to believe your medical condition has changed since the civil surgeon signed.
On the form edition, the test is the edition that was current when the civil surgeon signed — not the edition current when you file. USCIS instructs officers not to request a new form for requirements that did not apply to you on the signature date. And if your exam came back in a sealed envelope, keep it sealed, since USCIS generally requires the form in the civil surgeon's original sealed envelope.
What to check before filing:
1. File the November 2024 form with your I-485; it stays valid for as long as that application is pending. 2. Confirm the form was the edition current on the date the civil surgeon signed it. 3. Keep the exam in its original sealed envelope if that is how it was given to you. 4. If the I-485 is ever withdrawn or denied, obtain a new Form I-693 before any later filing.
This is general legal information, not legal advice, and an immigration attorney can confirm the current requirements against your specific timeline.
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Federal Immigration Resources
- Visit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to check case status, forms, and official immigration guidance.
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- Use the ABA Lawyer Referral Directory to get matched with a local attorney through your state bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a Form I-693 valid once a civil surgeon signs it?
Under current USCIS policy, a properly completed Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023 stays valid for the entire period the application it is submitted with remains pending — there is no fixed expiration date. A form signed before November 1, 2023 retains evidentiary value for two years from the date of signature. Policy stated as of publication (8 USCIS-PM B.4(C)(4)).
What happens if USCIS decides my medical exam is too old while my I-485 is pending?
For a form signed on or after November 1, 2023 this generally should not arise, because the form remains valid for as long as that I-485 is pending. USCIS does keep discretion to request a new or updated form if an officer has reason to believe your medical condition has changed since the signature. If that happens, USCIS issues a request for evidence — delay and another civil surgeon visit, but routine and fixable.
How do I know if I'm using the correct edition of Form I-693?
The edition that matters is the one in use on the date the civil surgeon signed the form, not the date you file. USCIS instructs officers not to request a new or updated form to meet requirements that did not apply to you on the signature date.
