US immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations before an immigrant visa can be issued to the applicant. These vaccinations are usually administered by panel physicians who conduct the medical examinations that the immigrant visa applicants have to undergo. These physicians have to certify that the immigrant visa applicants have met the requirements for vaccinations or that they are unable to be vaccinated for one or more of the vaccines listed for specific health reasons.
The current list of required vaccines for entry the USA on an immigrant visa:
- Acellular pertussis
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) for women aged 11-24
- Influenza
- Influenza type b (Hib)
- Measles
- Meningococcal
- Mumps
- Pneumococcal
- Pertussis
- Polio
- Rotovirus
- Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids
- Varicella
- Zoster ( anyone over 60 years of age)
As a part of immigration reform policies the US government now plans to extend these vaccination requirements to those coming to the US on temporary visas for work or study. All applicants will be required to show proof of vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases as recommended by the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
New York City doesn’t have any specific health risks though earlier this year it was, like several other places in the world, affected by the Swine flu virus.
