adjustment of status

On July 24, 2008, the USCIS posted changes to the vaccination requirements to adjust status to that of a Legal Permanent Resident for Form I-693. The new vaccination requirements require the following age-appropriate additional vaccinations to adjust status: Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, Meningococcal, Human papillomavirus, and the Zoster vaccine. These new vaccine requirements went into effect on July 1, 2008. The new vaccinations must be administered for USCIS to approve the applicant for adjustment of status.

As of August 12, 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informed USCIS that the Zoster vaccine is currently unavailable due to shipping delays with the manufacturer. The new Zoster vaccine is required to be administered to applicants age 60 and older. Until further notice from the CDC, Form I-693 may be accepted by USCIS if it is only missing the Zoster vaccine.

DHS Secretary Chertoff Announces that USCIS will begin issuing Employment Authorization Documents with a 2 year validity period for individuals with green card applications pending.

On June 9, 2008, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced at his State of Immigration Address that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be extending the validity period of the employment authorization documents (EAD) that are issued to individuals who applications for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident status (“green card”) pending.

Currently, such individuals are granted EADs with a maximum validity of one year. According to Secretary Chertoff, beginning later in June 2008, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will start issuing EADs with a validity period of two years for individuals who have adjustment of status applications filed that are expected to be pending for more than one year.