VACCINATIONS
Immigration Physicals
Annual, Employment & DOT Physicals
The following information is for educational purposes and not intended as medical advice. Vaccinations needed will depend on your age, medical history, travel history, associated risk factors, and requirements set by USCIS, CDC or other entities.
Please schedule an appointment with Dr. Neema Malhotra, MD to determine which vaccinations you need for immigration medicals for green card (must be a Civil Surgeon), or any healthcare provider for school, college, employment, DMV or preventive care.
Alert: USCIS now requires Polio Vaccine (IPV) for all ages > 2 month. If you are born outside the USA & have taken Polio vaccine before but do not have vaccination records as per schedule, you will be required to take a IPV (Polio Vaccine Booster). See details below on this page.
Covid-19 Vaccine is NOT required effective 1/22/2025
USCIS Vaccine Requirements According to Applicant Age (03/11/2025)
| Vaccines by applicant age | Birth-1 Month | 2-11 Months | 12 Months-6 Years | 7-10 Years | 11-17 Years | 18-64 Years | ≥ 65 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTP/DTaP/DT | NO | YES | NO | ||||
| Td/Tdap | NO | Sometimes* | YES, substitute 1-time dose of Tdap for Td booster; then boost with Td or Tdap every 10 years | ||||
| Polio** (IPV/OPV) | NO | YES | YES | ||||
| Measles, Mumps, and Rubella | NO | 12 months to 66 years age | NO | ||||
| Rotavirus*** | NO | YES 6 weeks to 8 months old |
NO | ||||
| Hib | NO | YES 2 through 59 months old |
NO | ||||
| Hepatitis A | NO | YES 12 months through 18 years old |
NO | ||||
| Hepatitis B | YES, through 59 years old | NO | |||||
| Meningococcal (MenACWY) | NO | YES 11 through 18 years old |
NO | ||||
| Varicella | NO | YES | |||||
| Pneumococcal | NO | YES, 2 through 59 months old (administer PCV) | NO | One dose PCV15 followed by PPSV23 or one dose PCV20 | |||
| Influenza | NO, if less than six months old | YES, > 6 months (Annually; August to June or when the flu vaccine is available). Flu Season for 2025-26 has started and Flu shot is required as of 08/1/2025. |
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| Note: Consult Dr. Neema Malhotra, USCIS Clinic or your provider to review your medical history, and current USCIS Vaccinations requirements for your age before taking any vaccination. | |||||||
COVID-19 Vaccine NOT required (Effective 1/22/2025)
Please note that USCIS vaccination requirements are specific to foreign-born immigrants seeking permanent residency. These may differ from CDC guidelines for U.S.-born citizens, as well as requirements for work, school, college, or travel. USCIS Civil Surgeons must follow USCIS guidelines for the I-693 Medical Exam.
TIP: If you are planning to take the vaccine, wear short sleeves or loose clothes so that your arms can be easily accessed by the staff for giving the vaccination.
CDC Polio Vaccine Recommendations
Key points
- CDC recommends that all children get 4 doses of polio vaccine as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule.
- Most adults born and raised in the United States can assume they were vaccinated for polio.
- Adults with increased risk of exposure to poliovirus may receive one lifetime IPV booster.
- USCIS now requires Polio Vaccine (IPV) for all ages > 2 month. If you are born outside the USA & have taken Polio vaccine before but do not have vaccination records as per schedule, you will be required to take a IPV (Polio Vaccine Booster). See details below on this page.
Children & adults vaccinated outside the United States
CDC recommends that children and adults who may have received poliovirus vaccination outside the United States should meet the U.S. recommendation for poliovirus vaccination that includes protection against all three poliovirus types.
Notes about OPV doses
In April 2016, all countries that were still using OPV stopped using trivalent OPV (tOPV) and switched to using bivalent OPV (bOPV) in routine immunization. If a person only received bOPV, they are not vaccinated against type 2 poliovirus, and they need to complete an IPV 3-dose or 4-dose series depending on their age to be fully protected. OPV doses administered after April 1, 2016 should not be counted as tOPV doses unless written documentation specifies that the dose was tOPV.
Notes about fractional IPV doses
For people who received fractional (1/5 full dose) IPV administered intradermally outside of the United States, 2 fractional doses of IPV (fIPV) should be considered valid and counted as 1 full intramuscular dose of IPV towards the U.S. vaccination schedule. If a person received only 1 dose of fIPV, this dose should not be considered valid or counted towards the U.S. vaccination schedule. The following countries include 2 fractional doses of IPV as part of their routine immunization schedule:
- Bangladesh
- Cuba
- Ecuador
- India
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
IPV doses administered in these countries and recorded as "IPV" should be assumed to be fractional IPV doses, not full IPV doses.
Children & adolescents
If documentation is available and shows administration of age-appropriate vaccination with either IPV or trivalent OPV (tOPV), then the person is considered fully vaccinated. Children with no or questionable documentation of poliovirus vaccination should be revaccinated according to the U.S. schedule with the age appropriate IPV.
Adults
For people 18 years and older, verbal reports of previous polio vaccination administered outside the United States can be accepted unless the clinician has specific reasons to believe the patient was not vaccinated. Reasons could include patient did not receive consistent medical care as an infant; parents were against vaccination; or the person has other reason to doubt their vaccination status.
POLIO VACCINE CDC LINK: https://www.cdc.gov/polio/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html
General Immunizations Recommendations for USA Born Adults
General Immunizations Recommendations for USA Born Children 0-19 years
General Vaccination Info & Schedules for Adults & Children
General Vaccine Information and Resources are listed below and interactive immunization charts from CDC are also included thereafter for both Adults and Children. This is general educational material. Insurances cover vaccinations under preventive care.
When you come to our clinic for a medical exam, after reviewing your existing medical history, age, and intent; Dr. Malhotra or one of our members of the medical team can guide you. If you are applying for a Green card and need I-693 Medical Exam, this evaluation is included in the service. In general, if your child is going to a school, or a college in the USA, they will be current with the CDC/USCIS vaccination requirements and may not need any additional vaccines. If you have been to graduate school, you may have already taken most of the vaccines. Please bring your vaccination records with you to expedite the visit.
General Vaccine Information and Resources
DETAILED ADULT VACCINATION SCHEDULE <Click Here
Routine Vaccine Schedules, ages 0-18
This is the immunization schedule chart for parents, from the CDC, for ages 0-18 years.
Immunization Schedules
This is the full CDC web page on all current vaccine schedules, a useful resource for both parents and clinicians.
CDC – Immunizations Website – Information for Healthcare Professionals and Patients
This is the CDC’s main web page for vaccine information, for both healthcare professionals and patients, with links and current information related to all aspects of immunizations.
American Academy of Pediatrics
This is the AAP’s vaccine resource page for parents and healthcare professionals, including information on the safety and importance of vaccines — as well as misconceptions, FAQs, and a wealth of other information.
Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)
These are the patient handouts developed by the CDC which explain each of the vaccines and the diseases they prevent. Please download it to see details about each Vaccines.
Guide To Children's Health and Vaccinations:
Useful and Easy to Understand Guide on Childhood Health and Vaccinations and Drug Watch.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is a respected source of information on vaccines and has developed this comprehensive vaccine resource website.
Immunization Action Coalition: Vaccine Information for Healthcare Professionals
This is a comprehensive vaccine information site, designed for healthcare professionals but useful also for patients and parents.
Neema Malhotra, M.D.
Board Certified Pediatrics
Family Medicine
Adults & Children
98 S Abel St, Milpitas CA 95035 (Immigration-related services only)
2730 Union Ave, Ste B, San Jose CA 95124 (Full Services including Immigration)
