Vaccines for Children (VFC) program — free vaccines for kids regardless of immigration status

Vaccines for Children (VFC) program

The Vaccines for Children program is a federally funded program that provides FREE vaccines (including ALL USCIS-required immigration vaccines) to children who otherwise might not be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Immigration status is NOT a factor.

Who is eligible

Children under age 19 who meet ANY of:

• Medicaid-eligible — enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid
• Uninsured — no health insurance
• Underinsured — has health insurance, but plan does not cover vaccines or does not cover specific vaccines (administered only at FQHCs and RHCs)
• American Indian / Alaska Native — eligible regardless of insurance

Immigration status is NOT asked. Citizen, lawful resident, undocumented — all eligible if income/insurance criteria met.

What’s covered

All vaccines recommended by ACIP for children:

• MMR
• DTaP / Tdap
• Polio (IPV)
• Hib
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella
• Pneumococcal (PCV)
• Meningococcal
• Rotavirus
• Influenza
• HPV (human papillomavirus)
• Plus any other ACIP-recommended childhood vaccines

Note: VFC vaccines are FREE, but the provider can charge an administration fee (typically $20–$30 per dose). Medicaid covers this fee for Medicaid-enrolled kids. For other eligible kids, the fee cannot be denied based on inability to pay — by federal rule.

Where to get VFC vaccines

Any provider enrolled in VFC:

• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) — always enrolled, sliding-scale fees
• County / city health departments — usually enrolled
• Many pediatricians and family doctors — search “VFC provider” plus your zip code
• School-based health clinics — where available

Find providers: call your state’s VFC coordinator (search “[your state] VFC program”) or local health department.

What to bring

• Child’s identification (birth certificate, passport, school ID)
• Any prior vaccination records (yellow international card, US doctor records, school records)
• Proof of Medicaid OR statement that child is uninsured
• Proof of guardian’s identity

NO immigration documentation required. Providers will not ask about your or your child’s immigration status. VFC eligibility is based on income/insurance only.

Why this matters for immigration

Children going through adjustment of status (with parent or alone) need the same vaccines for I-693 as adults, in age-appropriate doses. VFC means these vaccines cost $0 for eligible kids, dramatically reducing the financial burden of the immigration medical exam.

Example: a 4-year-old needs MMR, DTaP, Polio, Hib, Hep A, Hep B, Varicella, Pneumococcal, Influenza. At pharmacy retail prices this would be $500–$1,000. Through VFC: $0–$80 in administration fees total.

Adults are NOT covered by VFC

VFC is children under 19 only. Adult immigrants needing vaccines should see:

• Where to get immigration vaccinations
• Vaccine costs with and without insurance

State variations

Most states call the program simply “VFC” but some have additional state-funded programs that extend coverage to underinsured children (those whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines fully) at private provider offices, not just FQHCs/RHCs. Search “[your state] CHIP vaccines” or “[your state] vaccines uninsured children”.

Related

• Immigration medical exam (Form I-693) overview
• Where to get immigration vaccinations
• Vaccine costs with and without insurance
• CHIP eligibility by state
• Community health centers by state
• Enroll children in US school

Last verified: 2026-05-25.

Source: CDC Vaccines for Children program. General procedural information. Not medical or legal advice.

Related procedural information

• Consulate of your country in the US — passport renewal, consular ID, document apostille
• ITIN — file federal taxes without SSN — required regardless of immigration status
• USCIS form library — federal immigration forms (I-130, I-485, N-400, etc.)
• Find an immigration attorney — pro bono lists + AILA + BIA-recognized
• Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — constitutional protections

USCIS Form I-693 medical exam context (2025-2026)

The USCIS Form I-693 (Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record) is required for adjustment-of-status applicants (Form I-485) and certain refugee/asylee categories. Civil Surgeons designated by USCIS conduct the exam. Find a Civil Surgeon at uscis.gov/tools/find-a-civil-surgeon. Costs range from $100-$500 (with average $200-$350) depending on region — NOT covered by USCIS or any government program.

CDC’s Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons (most recent major update 2023) specify required vaccinations: tetanus-diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap/DTaP), MMR (measles-mumps-rubella), polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza (seasonal), pneumococcal (age-dependent), Hib (children), Hepatitis A + B, rotavirus + meningococcal (children), HPV (age 9-26 catch-up). Adults typically need 4-8 vaccines; full pediatric schedule for children. Form I-693 results are valid for 2 years from signature date.

H.R.1 / OBBBA changes (2026-05-29) did NOT affect I-693 procedures, but USCIS Form Fee changes effective 2026-05-29 may affect related adjustment-of-status processing — verify USCIS Fee Schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055 (Form G-1055) before filing I-485. Tuberculosis (TB) screening required for all I-693 applicants 2+ years old; chest X-ray for positive skin/blood tests.

For Civil Surgeon designation questions or vaccination requirement disputes: USCIS Contact Center 1-800-375-5283 Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm Eastern Time. For sealed I-693 transport (DO NOT OPEN — Civil Surgeon places in sealed envelope; USCIS rejects opened envelopes): submit with I-485 or in response to RFE within 60 days. Lost or expired I-693 requires fresh examination ($$$$ again).

For low-cost / free vaccination sources: community health centers (FQHCs at /benefits/community-health-centers-by-state/) provide vaccines on sliding-fee scale; many counties offer free immunization clinics. CDC Vaccines for Children (VFC) program: 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) for children whose parents/guardians cannot afford vaccines.