There are a number of conditions that people seeking permanency residency in the United States must meet in order to qualify. One of them, according to the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, is to meet certain health requirements. Without being cleared medically, a person cannot become a permanent resident of California or any other state.

Section 212 of U.S. Code 1182 states that a person may be barred from becoming a permanent resident if the individual is determined to possess a disease that significantly endangers the public health. This disease is communicable, meaning it can be transmitted from person to person through direct or indirect means. Determining whether a person has a contagious disease is performed in concert with regulations established by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

A person seeking permanent residency also should not possess a physical or mental disorder, accompanied by behavior that has posed or currently poses a threat to the person's own self or to the safety, welfare or property of other people. If such behavior is sedated but is likely to reoccur or result in criminal behavior, the person is also disqualified. An aspiring entrant to the U.S. may also be excluded if found to be addicted to drugs or is a drug abuser.

Additionally, a person should produce paperwork that establishes the individual has been properly vaccinated against certain diseases. The law specifies these diseases as rubella, measles, polio, mumps, diphtheria, tetanus, pertusis, hepatitis B and influenza type B. The law also states that a person should be vaccinated against diseases recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website lists some vaccinations the ACIP recommends, specifically against diseases such as shingles, cholera, HPV, chickenpox, yellow fever and typhoid.