Overview
- The new guidance, now in effect at embassies and consulates, applies a public‑charge lens to medical issues when deciding visa eligibility.
- It cites obesity, diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, neurological disorders, and mental‑health conditions as examples of costly care.
- Officers are directed to ask whether applicants have adequate resources to cover health needs over their entire expected lifespan without relying on public cash assistance.
- State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the policy prioritizes Americans by ensuring the immigration system does not burden taxpayers.
- Legal advocates warn the policy grants broad discretion to non‑medical officers and could be applied inconsistently, though applicants who can prove they can pay their medical costs may still be considered.