November 21, 2022

USCIS Will Accept Only the Revised Form

N-648 Starting Today

Dear Stakeholder,

Starting today, USCIS will accept only the 08/19/22 edition of Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions.

What Changed

The revised Form N-648 is shorter and easier to complete. With the 08/19/22 edition, USCIS:

• Allows the medical professional to complete the form during a telehealth appointment
• Allows the medical professional to attest if the applicant cannot understand the Oath of Allegiance
• Consolidated questions and removed questions about the:
  • Dates of diagnosis and when the disability or impairment began
  • Description of severity of each disability or impairment
  • Effects on the applicant’s daily life
  • Explanation of the doctor-patient relationship
• Clarified that applicants can upload a completed Form N-648 as additional evidence when they file the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization online

USCIS recently revised its Policy Manual to incorporate these changes and clarify that it may accept a Form N-648 submitted after a Form N-400 has been filed. However, USCIS still recommends that applicants submit Form N-648 at the same time as the Form N-400. This gives the agency enough time to review the case fully and efficiently before the naturalization interview.

Why This Matters

Last year, the CIS Ombudsman identified challenges in the medical disability waiver process that created barriers for people with disabilities who may be eligible for naturalization. We used this information to make recommendations in our 2021 Annual Report to Congress.

We appreciate all the stakeholders who shared with us the obstacles faced by potentially eligible naturalization applicants with a medical disability. We also acknowledge USCIS’ efforts to allow everyone equal access to the naturalization process by incorporating our recommendations to better educate stakeholders on the ability to upload Form N-648 with the online Form N-400, increase the use of telehealth visits, and simplify the Form N-648 itself.

More Information

Please see USCIS’ fact sheet titled Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, Form N-648, English Language Exemptions, and Accommodations and slides from the agency’s November 1, 2022 stakeholder engagement. Medical professionals can also go to USCIS’ Information for Medical Professionals Completing Form N-648 page.

USCIS’ October 19, 2022 policy alert provides details on the updates to the USCIS Policy Manual.

The CIS Ombudsman is dedicated to assisting individuals and employers seeking to resolve problems with USCIS. For more information on our office, please visit www.dhs.gov/cisombudsmanor follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Resources

• Public Engagement
• Case Assistance
• Annual Report
• FAQs
• Immigration Resources

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