To apply for a green card, there is a COVID-19 vaccine requirement. While it’s is technically possible to apply for an exemption, most exemptions are rejected.
My Canadian mother was trying to apply for a green card and her lawyer insisted she get the COVID-19 vaccine because he said she would be unlikely to be approved for an exemption. He said there was no guarantee she would be approved for an exemption. Further complicating matters, the medical exam requires the COVID-19 vaccine to complete. Getting any kind of exemption from it is difficult and could be rejected, whether it’s on religious, medical, or otherwise strongly held beliefs.
Because of the high legal cost, long drawn out process, and the ridiculous vaccine requirement, she abandoned the effort and now has to live alone, which will be a problem as she gets older.
My mother is not the only being impacted by this requirement. I have heard of others impacted by it as well.
Therefore, I would like to propose the following changes:
Immediate end to the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for immigration applications of any kind.
Immediate end to the COVID-19 vaccine requirement by medical exam practitioners.
Expedited processing of those who were impacted by the requirement.
Allow for reasonable exemptions to all the vaccines, especially mRNA vaccines.
Most vaccines use aborted fetal cells and/or animal in the process to create or test the vaccines or part of it. It is important for religious exemptions and strongly held beliefs to be accepted, for those who are pro-life and disapprove of abortion in all forms.
Furthermore, we should have the right to decline vaccines if they contain animal cells, DNA, nanotechnology, or other ingredients such as mercury or aluminum, that we do not want in our bodies.
I am coming up against the same problem right now. I’m a US citizen and my husband has applied for his green card. We’ve been married for 20 years and waited until we thought the US dropped its covid vaccine requirement for non-US citizens before we applied for the green card. Unfortunately, we’ve found out, like you’ve said, they haven’t dropped it for immigrants who intend to settle. Do you have any thoughts or advice as to how we can get the attention of the new Trump administration about this?
The dream of my wife and I is to become Americans. We have been working on immigrating from Canada for over 2 years. This vaccine requirement is my biggest concern. Whether you think these vaccines are good or bad is not the issue, but let the individual decide what gets injected in to their blood and don’t let it be a barrier to becoming American!
I am a 21 yr, honorably discharged USAF Veteran, who also served coalition forces post retirement in Iraq for 5 yrs and Afghanistan for 1 year. I am married to a Canadian and we have struggled with her immigration status to the US due to Covid 19 vax requirements
Background: We have been married 6 yrs. My Wife has a Graduate Degree in Environmental Science, and she has a TN Visa to work as an ISO auditor in the US. She has a Social Security card, she has a DOD ID (as my spouse as a veteran), and she pays US taxes. We cannot get an application for a green card because it requires a Covid 19 vaccination. We both do not consent to the vax for numerous reasons, but mostly due to current health conditions. We have lived in TX, AL, and MI, and in all those states she also paid, and continues to pay state taxes.
Our Request: We request someone in government advocate for good people like us to remove the Covid vax requirement for application for US permanent residence.
Profile: My Wife has complied with all laws of the US, she has not illegally entered or worked in the US (she has a TN Visa), and due to her degree and experience she had aided numerous industries to meet ISO requirements to operate safely and efficiently in the US, There is a huge shortage for her audit abilities which includes, Environmental standards; Chemical standards, Quality, Safety, and Health standards. This is the caliber of professionals I believe we want in the US - and she is already paying taxes in the same manner as a permanent resident, she has a SSN, but we cannot get over the vax hurdle. Removing this hurdle would allow her on a path to permanent citizenship, which is what she truly desires.
In closing, I am a patriot and I love my country, which I fought for and defended both in uniform and as a civilian. We just need a path for us to get her her permanent residence if anyone on this forum has discovered a path forward on this issue I would love to hear it. Thanks.
Effective January 22, 2025, USCIS waives any and all requirements that applicants for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident present documentation on their Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that they received the COVID-19 vaccination. USCIS will not issue any Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) related to proving a COVID-19 vaccination. USCIS will not deny any adjustment of status application based on the applicant’s failure to present documentation that they received the COVID-19 vaccination.