New USCIS Guidelines for Medical Certification (Form N-648) Submissions

Applicants must now submit the form at the same time as their N-400 application. USCIS will also increase its review and scrutiny of these forms. This is one of many recent updates to the USCIS policy manual. Over the past two weeks, USCIS has released six policy alerts and two technical updates.

The new guidelines place a strong emphasis on concurrent filing.
Applicants are now required to submit Form N-648 as an attachment to their Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. This reverts to a policy that was in place before 2022.

• Late Submissions: USCIS may still accept a Form N-648 filed after the N-400, but only if the applicant can demonstrate extenuating circumstances.
  For example, a late submission might be accepted if the disability or impairment developed or worsened after the N-400 was filed. The applicant must provide a clear written or verbal explanation for the delay.
• Multiple Submissions: Submitting multiple N-648 forms at the same time or a new form after one has already been filed will be closely scrutinized. USCIS sees this as a potential red flag that could raise concerns about the credibility of the disability claim.