Religious Exemptions to Vaccines

Immigration and Naturalization Service  Headquarters Adjudications Division

Link to their requirement and Q & A page :Vaccination Requirements | USCIS
I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record: Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record | USCIS

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-693.pdf 
Vaccine Waiver form
NOTE: The form above linked directly to the USCIS has expired 06/30/2025
For further information call USCIS: 1-800-375-5283

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR REFUGEES AND SALLIES APPLYING FOR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES

What are the vaccination requirements?

They are: mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus, diphtheria toxoids, pertussis, influenza type B, hepatitis B, and any other vaccinations recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). Current ACIP recommendations also include the varicella, haemophilus influenzae type B, and pneumococcal vaccines. 

How do the vaccination requirements affect refugees?

Refugees are not required to comply with the vaccination requirements during the initial medical exam overseas. They must, however, comply when they apply for adjustment of status after they have been admitted to the United States. INS regulations state that refugees applying for adjustment of status at least 1 year after their initial admission are not required to repeat the entire medical examination performed overseas, unless there were medical grounds of inadmissibility (Class A medical conditions) that arose at that time. As a result, refugees generally need only the vaccination sign-off (not the whole medical exam) when they apply for adjustment of status. This vaccination sign-off must be obtained by an INS-designated civil surgeon. For information on finding an INS-designated civil surgeon, see “Designated Civil Surgeons.”

How do the vaccination requirements affect asylees?

Asylees applying for adjustment of status at least 1 year after the asylum application was approved are required to have the entire medical exam, including the vaccination assessment, by a designated civil surgeon. This is because asylees are not required to undergo any medical examination as part of their asylum application. To obtain the name and number of individual physicians in your area that are designated civil surgeons, you may call the INS National Customer Service Center at: 1-800-375-5283.

How do refugees obtain the vaccination sign-off to complete their adjustment of status application?

The vaccination sign-off must be obtained from a civil surgeon. To make this process easier for refugees, INS has designated all state and local health departments as civil surgeons for those refugees who need only the vaccination sign-off. Participation by the health departments is voluntary. Contact your local voluntary agency or your refugee health program at the local or state level for more information.

What happens to refugees and asylees who do not have all the vaccinations, cannot prove they have them, or object to vaccinations?

INS is authorized to grant these waivers for humanitarian reasons, to assure family unity, or when it would otherwise be in the public interest.

How do refugees and asylees apply for a waiver of the vaccination requirements, if they need one?

INS has made it very easy to apply for the waiver. INS will grant the waiver without a separate application if:

(1) you didn’t have all the vaccinations (or all the vaccination certificates) at first, but then receive the missing vaccinations, or find the missing certificates OR

(2) the civil surgeon certifies that it would not be medically appropriate for you to have one or more of the required vaccinations. These are two examples of humanitarian reasons for granting the waiver. The civil surgeon will review your vaccination history with you to determine whether you have all the required vaccinations.

Make sure you take your vaccination records with you to your medical appointment. Do not try to comply with these requirements before you meet with the civil surgeon, in case it is not medically appropriate for you to have one or more of the required vaccinations

What about refugees who object to the vaccination requirements because of religious or moral reasons?

If complying with the vaccination requirements would be against your religious beliefs or moral convictions, INS can also consider this as a humanitarian reason for granting the waiver. You must apply for the waiver by using a separate form, Form I-602, Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability, but you do not need to pay a fee.

In this case, you will need to show that:

(1) you are opposed to vaccinations in any form;

(2) you object because of religious or moral reasons; and

(3) your objection is sincere. If you believe there is any other humanitarian reason why

INS should waive the vaccination requirements for you, you need to submit Form I-602 with your adjustment of status application.

Military personnel on active duty may or may not be allowed an exemption. We have helped many families navigate through this process in the past, Covid was a dire challenge.  The climate since has changed and we look forward with hope that our service members and their families will NOT be forced to violate their deeply held beliefs.

Each military service branch implements its own exemption policy through its own regulations. These branch specific instructions detail the proper procedures, forms, and approval authorities you must navigate through. Sometimes it also varies from duty station to duty station and area of deployment.  It is ALWAYS best to check with your branch and Chain of Command for the current policy in submitting an RA.

Nearly 20 years ago when Military RA’s were barely heard of, Pro Life Catholic Warrior, Lieutenant Commander Joseph Healy contacted us for assistance. We didn’t waste any time and with the help of attorneys at Alliance Defense Fund, LtCdr Healy was granted his exemption.
Read his story here: https://cogforlife.org/2008/05/12/military-exemption-allowed

Click here to access the Military Dependent Children Vaccine waiver form

Military Dependants have also had ups and downs at various duty stations, DoD schools, Base Child Development Centers and with family member overseas screenings. Families ought to check branch policy and base policy.

Should you have further questions or need help, we have a strong military background  and access to a vast variety of military families that are in the know at many duty stations across the US. If you’d like to be part of our liaison network, please fill out the Volunteer form to help other families.

Certain positions require vaccination as a condition for employment. However, such rights may be protected under Federal law. There is continuing litigation regarding mandated Covid shots and this issue is changing daily.

We do have resources available to help.

Click here to read TitleVII of the Federal Civil Rights Act protecting religious freedom through the EEOC. Employment discrimination protected under the Federal Civil Rights Act.

All 50 states allow medical exemptions, Five states California, New York, Maine, Connecticut, West Virginia do NOT allow religious or philosophical exemptions for children attending school.
* Note as of 8/13/2025: West Virginia allows Religious Exemptions by Executive Order from the Governor.  We are watching this closely.

View State laws governing exemptions. State | National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC)

It is important to understand that as the laws vary from State to State, some are actually unconstitutional as written. In most cases, State officials realize this and do not question a parent filing an exemption since they do not want litigation. However, some states are notorious for grilling parents in an attempt to determine sincerity and whether or not the belief is actually religious in nature. Still others have attempted to redefine what a particular religion does or does not teach.

If you simply need help with filing a religious exemption you may contact us. Please be sure to let us know your religious denomination and State of residence and we will be glad to assist you. Or for information on Catholic Religious exemptions click here.