Military civil-surgeon designation expanded for certain Afghan visa applicants

Policy effect

From July 30, 2021, USCIS expanded the blanket civil-surgeon designation for eligible military physicians so they could complete required immigration medical examinations for certain Afghan special immigrant visa applicants and eligible family members in support of Operation Allies Refuge. The existing designation had covered US armed-forces members, veterans and their dependents; the expansion did not waive the medical examination.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: From July 30, 2021, USCIS expanded the blanket civil-surgeon designation for eligible military physicians so they could complete required immigration medical examinations for certain Afghan special immigrant visa applicants and eligible family members in support of Operation Allies Refuge.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of the Director Camp Springs, MD 20588-0009 July 30, 2021 PA-2021-16 Policy Alert SUBJECT: Extension of Blanket Civil Surgeon Designation for Certain Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Applicants Purpose U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the urgent need for additional civil surgeons to conduct immigration medical examinations in support of Operation Allies Refuge. 1 Background The blanket civil surgeon designation applicable to certain military physicians authorizes elig … ible military physicians to complete all parts of a required immigration medical examination for members and veterans of the U.S. armed forces and their dependents without applying for civil surgeon designation. In July 2021, the United States launched Operation Allies Refuge to support evacuation for certain eligible Afghan nationals and their families applying for special immigrant visas. 2 In order to expedite the completion of the required immigration medical examination, USCIS is extending the blanket civil surgeon designation to allow military physicians to complete the required immigrat … ion medical examination for these Afghan nationals seeking special immigrant visas. This guidance, contained in Volume 8 of the Policy Manual, is effective immediately. The guidance contained in the Policy Manual is controlling and supersedes any related prior guidance. Policy Highlights • Extends the blanket civil surgeon designation for military physicians to complete the medical examination for certain Afghan nationals (both principal applicants and eligible family members) seeking special immigrant visas. Citation: Volume 8: Admissibility, Part C, Civil Surgeon Designation and Revocation, …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

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• 2021-03-012008 civics test restored with a transition for recent applicants
• 2021-03-09DHS removes 2019 public charge regulatory text after vacatur
• 2021-03-22DHS extends temporary asylum interview interpreter rule
• 2021-04-16President revises FY2021 refugee admissions allocations
• 2021-04-27Deference restored for qualifying petition-extension decisions
• 2021-05-03President raises FY2021 refugee admissions ceiling to 62,500
• 2021-05-14President revokes immigrant health-insurance entry restriction
• 2021-05-19regulatory text restored to appear as it did before the October 2020 IFR
• 2021-06-09Initial and renewal work permits for adjustment applicants extended to two years
• 2021-06-14Bona fide review introduced for work authorization while U petitions are pending
• 2021-06-16Attorney General Vacatur of Matter of A-B- and Matter of L-E-A-
• 2021-07-15Attorney General Overruling of Matter of Castro-Tum and Restoration of Administrative Closure (Matter of Cruz-Valdez)
• 2021-07-20Repeated status-maintenance applications removed during eligible F-1 requests
• 2021-07-26Attorney General Vacatur of Matter of A-C-A-A- I (Matter of A-C-A-A- II)
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• 2021-08-05implementing DED for Hong Kong through February 5, 2023
• 2021-08-05Legal-parent recognition expanded for children born abroad
• 2021-08-122019 discretionary work-authorization guidance for parolees rescinded
• 2021-08-12Temporary four-year validity allowed for qualifying medical reports
• 2021-09-20DHS further extends asylum interview interpreter rule
• 2021-10-01COVID-19 vaccination required for immigration medical exams, with waivers
• 2021-10-01President sets FY2022 refugee admissions ceiling at 125,000
• 2021-10-20T derivative family relationships assessed at favorable adjudication
• 2021-11-08COVID-19 geographic entry restrictions ended
• 2021-11-08COVID-19 vaccination condition for nonimmigrant air entry
• 2021-11-12Any qualifying service period may support wartime military naturalization
• 2021-11-12Automatic EAD renewal extension extended to qualifying H-4, E and L spouses
• 2021-11-12E and L dependent spouses recognized as work-authorized by status
• 2021-11-29Suspension of Entry for Noncitizens Present in Southern African Countries
• 2021-12-09Medical-report signature timing rule temporarily waived
• 2021-12-13Temporary interview waivers for qualifying repeat immigrant-visa applicants
• 2021-12-31Southern Africa COVID-19 entry restriction ended