United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced. The new policy will come into force on October 1, 2021. However, the new policy exempts children who are too young to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the USCIS: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said last month that because its advisory committee has recommended COVID-19 vaccination for all Americans eligible to receive it, the vaccine should be required for US immigration applicants as well. The new policy stems from that announcement.”
Who is exempted?
According to the USCIS : “Anyone who objects to vaccines based on religious or moral convictions can request a waiver from the USCIS. However, there’s also a caveat: Prospective immigrants can’t pick and choose which vaccines they reject.”
“The applicant needs to demonstrate opposition to vaccinations in all forms, not just certain vaccinations,” USCIS added.
It’s understood that waivers will be evaluated by the USCIS on an individual basis.