Federal Government Drops COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Legal Immigrants

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rolled back the requirement.

Immigrants wait for interviews at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Queens office in the Long Island City neighborhood of New York City on May 30, 2013. John Moore/Getty Images

A COVID-19 vaccine is no longer a requirement for people seeking permanent residence in the United States, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said in a Jan. 22 notice.

USCIS, which oversees legal immigration, imposed the COVID-19 vaccination requirement in October 2021 on people looking to move to the United States. Applicants were required to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination before completing medical examinations.