Opened, Damaged or Lost I-693 Envelope: What USCIS Says and What to Do

Whether an opened envelope is a problem depends on how you file Form I-485. USCIS states the rule on the Form I-693 page and the Form I-485 page, and the Form I-693 instructions describe how the civil surgeon seals the form. This page walks through four situations: an online filer who opened the envelope, a mail filer whose envelope was opened or torn, a package USCIS sent back with the envelope opened, and an envelope that is lost. It does not say how any one case will come out.

How the civil surgeon seals the form

The instructions give the sealing steps to the civil surgeon. The original completed and signed form, and any supporting documents, go into the envelope. The front is marked “DO NOT OPEN. FOR USCIS USE ONLY.” The civil surgeon writes their initials across the seal on the back, covers the whole flap and the initials with clear tape, and gives the sealed envelope to you. You, not the civil surgeon, submit it to USCIS.

The civil surgeon is also told to make two copies of the completed and signed form and supporting documents: one to keep, and one for you. The vaccination portion of the form serves as your official vaccination record for later uses such as school or employment.

The rule in one place

The civil surgeon must give you the completed Form I-693 in a sealed envelope. Do not accept it if it is not sealed. If you file Form I-485 by mail, submit that original sealed envelope with your application. If you file Form I-485 online, USCIS instructs you to open the sealed envelope and upload the completed Form I-693. Keep the original form and the envelope until USCIS makes a final decision. USCIS may review them at an interview or ask you to submit them. Ask the clinic for a separate copy for your records.

Online filers: opening it is the instruction

For an online Form I-485, USCIS says you must open the sealed envelope and upload the completed Form I-693 with your application package. Opening it is the step USCIS asks for. What matters afterward is keeping the originals: the original form and the envelope stay with you until USCIS makes a final decision on the I-485.

The instructions PDF (edition 01/20/25) describes only the sealed submission and does not mention opening the envelope for an online filing. That instruction appears on the Form I-693 and Form I-485 pages.

Mail filers: an envelope opened or torn before filing

For a paper filing, the Form I-693 page says to submit the form with your I-485 package in the original sealed envelope provided by the civil surgeon. If you file Form I-485 by mail, USCIS says it will not accept, and will return, a Form I-693 whose envelope has been opened or altered. The applicant instructions say “opened or altered in any way,” and they draw no line between a deliberate opening and an accidental tear.

Taping it shut yourself does not undo the opening: the instructions cover an envelope that has been opened or altered in any way, and the sealing steps belong to the civil surgeon. Contact the civil surgeon who examined you, explain what happened, and ask what they can do. If your filing date is close, tell your immigration attorney as well.

The simplest protection is a look before you leave the clinic. The Form I-693 page says not to accept the form if it is not in a sealed envelope.

A rejected package that comes back with the envelope opened

The USCIS lockbox may reject an application package for reasons such as an unpaid fee or an unsigned application. If USCIS rejects your application and returns the package with the Form I-693 envelope opened, and you want to file a new package with that same opened form, you may include the original opened Form I-693 and the civil surgeon’s supporting documents in their original envelope, with a copy of the rejection notice. This is the one case where the Form I-693 page tells a mail filer they may send an opened form.

Signs of tampering after the form is filed

Once the form is with USCIS, the Policy Manual lists a sealed envelope, as detailed in the form’s instructions, among the requirements every Form I-693 must meet. If there is evidence that the form or its envelope has been tampered with, the manual says the officer should issue a Request for Evidence to correct the deficiency. A civil surgeon completes the response and places the corrected or new form in a sealed envelope, which you deliver to USCIS. The three ways a civil surgeon can complete that response are in our guide to an I-693 Request for Evidence.

A lost envelope

Neither the Form I-693 page nor the instructions describe a way to replace a lost sealed envelope. The copy the civil surgeon gives you is for your records; the original is the one sealed inside the envelope. Contact the civil surgeon who examined you and ask what they can do, and ask your immigration attorney how a new form fits your filing plans before you file.

Before you leave the clinic

• The envelope is sealed, with the flap taped over the civil surgeon’s initials.
• The front reads “DO NOT OPEN. FOR USCIS USE ONLY.”
• You have your own copy of the completed form.
• You know whether you will file by mail or online, so you know whether the envelope stays closed.

For the whole exam from booking to sealing, see our immigration medical exam guide. Our checklist of what to bring covers the visit itself, and the I-693 validity guide explains how long a filed form stays valid. When you are ready, find a clinic near you.