Originally published at: USCIS Medical Interfile with Barcode for Pending i485 (Send without RFE) - USA
You can send the i-693 medical form without RFE and request USCIS to interfile your sealed health record with the pending i-485 application (Green card).
This acts as a cover letter to send with your medical RFE. Since it has your receipt barcode, USCIS can easily scan it and find your application file quickly.
You can use our app to generate this medical RFE interfiling cover letter and keep it on top of the i693 package that a USCIS-approved Civil doctor would have given you.
You can also use this letter if you send medical records in response to USCIS RFE (Request for Evidence).
Sample Green Card Medical Letter
You can use this sample medical interfile cover letter to attach to your sealed medical envelope.
Make sure that you change the values as per your case.
To,
USCIS
Dear Sir/Madam,
Subject: Interfile i-485 Medical
My I-485 application is currently pending and my priority date in the EB1/2/3/4/5 queue is current in the USCIS visa bulletin’s final action chart.
Please add my medical to my i-485 file.
| Name | [ABC] |
| I-485 Receipt | [SRC123456789] |
| Status | PENDING |
| US Address | [ADDRESS] |
| A Number | [A number] |
| Date of birth | [Date of birth] |
Thanks & Regards,
Signature:
Date:
Note that the current status of your i485 application should be ‘Pending’. You can check the current status on the USCIS case status website here by using your receipt number.
Receipt Barcode Required?
Printing a receipt and A number barcode is optional.
- Adding a Barcode helps USCIS scan and locate your Green card file easily.
- Attorneys recommend it to make it easier for USCIS.
Sample Barcode printed on medical interfile letter:
USCIS Processing Time After Medical Interfile
The processing time varies a lot with the service center and the officer who is working on your case.
However, it has been seen that once your medical reaches the USCIS service center, the processing time can be anytime between 10-60 days for green card approval.
Many people wait for the medical RFE to be issued by USCIS.
We recommend sending it without waiting for RFE to increase your chances of getting ahead in the i485 queue.
It saves time by cutting down all the time consumed by medical RFE.
Does the USCIS case status update after interfile is accepted by USCIS?
It is not guaranteed that you will see a case status update. Sometimes, it does update though.
It can take anywhere from 1-30 days for them to process your mail.
You might see a USCIS case status update like this once your medical interfile letter has been delivered by mail service to USCIS:
“Communication sent by you has been received. We are processing your documents.”
Can USCIS send an RFE even after receiving my Medical Interfile?
Yes, they can send an RFE for medical even after receiving your medical interfile.
To mitigate this situation, we recommend getting two copies of your medical from the doctor.
Send one as interfile and keep the other as a backup in case USCIS sends an RFE.
Medical Validity
Doctor signature 60-day rule
On Mar 31, 2023, USCIS removed the 60-day rule of doctor signature. This means that i693 will be accepted even if the doctor signed it more than 60 days ago.
Earlier, the i693 form was considered valid only if the doctor had signed it within 60 days of submitting it to USCIS. There is no such requirement now after 31 Mar 2023.
Medical Expiry Date
The medical form does not expire. In 2024, USCIS announced that once a medical is submitted, it remains valid for its life if submitted in 2024 or later.
Earlier, this term was 2 years (before 2024) and USCIS used to ask for new medicals every two years if i-485 remained pending.
Medical Cover Letter App
You can write this letter yourself or use our app to create one for you.
The app creates a PDF file that can be printed on a plain A4 size white or colored paper sheet.
It is okay even if you use plain white standard paper.
Generate Medical Interfile Letter
Interfiling Risks vs Benefits
Please note that there is no official medical interfiling process designed or published by USCIS.
The interfiling simply means that you send the documents as per your wish and then request USCIS to add them to your file. All this is done without USCIS requesting these documents through the official process of RFE (request for evidence).
Since it is an unsolicited request, USCIS may or may not add these documents to your file.
Many people have seen success with sending the i485 medicals without RFE but there is no guarantee.
Also, your attorney may or may not agree to send it without RFE. So, it is entirely your choice. You can send the medical interfile letter directly yourself without asking your attorney to do it.
Benefits of interfiling
There is a 50% chance that your interfiled medical application will end up in your green card file at the USCIS service center.
Now, a 50% chance is a very good chance given that there are thousands of applications waiting to receive medical RFE.
If your interfile request is successful, then your file has a better chance of
- Getting ahead in the queue even though your PD date or the i485 receipt maybe after someone who has an earlier PD date.
- The USCIS officer working on your case may not issue medical RFE at all if they see your interfiled medical in your file. This will easily save about 30 days of processing time on your case.
Risks of interfiling
There is virtually no risk in sending the i693 form without an RFE except that you may lose the doctor’s fee if USCIS does not add it to your file.
The Doctor usually charges about $350 per application and you stand to lose it. We know that most Indians will happily take this risk even if it gives them a slight chance to get ahead in line.
- Your pending i485 application will not see any adverse effect simply because you tried to interfile.
- USCIS will issue the medical RFE. In this case, you will have to redo the medical and send it with an RFE letter.
Our Suggestion
Send the sealed medical letter along with the cover letter and the i485 receipt bar code.
There is nothing to lose here. Just try every possible option to help move your application ahead in the queue and get a green card faster. You may have waited for a decade for your Green card. Do not leave any stone unturned to push your application forward.
We understand that this effort may go to waste but think of the situation where it may get accepted. Your application will certainly save time and may get approved earlier than others.
USCIS Interfiling Address
You should ideally send the medical interfile package to the address printed on your i485 receipt notice. The service center address will be mentioned in the bottom left corner of the i-485 receipt notice.
Sending to USCIS Field Office?
You can also send it to the USCIS field office if your green card file has been transferred. You should confirm this by first checking with USCIS Emma chat.
How to Get Your File’s Field Office Location?
To ask for the current location of your Green card file from Emma’s agent, follow these steps:
- Visit uscis.gov and click the “Ask Emma” button to start chatting with Emma’s agent.
- Once the chat box is open, type “representative“.
- When you see the list of options, click “case status“.
- Click “connect to live chat” and enter your i-485 receipt number.
- When prompted for your request, type “location of file“.
- At this time, you should be connected to a live agent.
- Ask them “I would like to know where my I-485 file is right now“? The agent should provide the service center’s name or local field office.
- Once you know the field office, ask them if they have the office’s address. If they give it, use it to send your medical interfile letter. If they can’t give the address, you can search it on the USCIS website by field office name or search on Google.
FAQ
You should send the medical interfile letter to the USCIS service center address that’s printed on the left bottom corner of your i-485 application receipt notice.
The receipt notice is usually called form i-797C (notice of action).
USCIS usually does not send any receipt or acknowledgment for interfiling letters.
They send receipts when they have requested the documents by way of issuing RFEs.
Yes, you can use the same interfile letter as a cover letter for your medical RFE response.
It certainly helps USCIS since you are adding your i485 receipt bar code.
The medical form does not expire.
In 2024, USCIS announced that once a medical is submitted, it remains valid for its life if submitted in 2024 or later.
Earlier, this term was 2 years (before 2024) and USCIS used to ask for new medicals every two years if i-485 remained pending.