Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued an update on its screening and vetting processes, indicating that it has lifted the hold on immigration applications for cases associated with medical physicians. This update is part of the USCIS’s broader reform of its screening and vetting policies and applies to certain pending applications that had previously been paused.
Background
Earlier this year, the USCIS implemented enhanced screening and vetting procedures that led to broad holds on many immigration applications, leading to significant delays for international medical graduates, residents, and practicing physicians. These delays raised serious concerns about disruptions to residency training, physician workforce shortages, and patient access to care.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has been actively leading efforts to push back on these disruptions. Most recently, in April the AAFP sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State urging expedited and prioritized processing for physicians and residents. The letter was co-signed by more than 20 specialty societies.
The AAFP will continue to monitor the implementation of the USCIS update.