Overview
- Excerpts of the directive instruct visa officers to factor conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic and neurological disorders, and mental health conditions into inadmissibility findings.
- Officers are told to assess whether applicants have adequate resources to cover care over their entire expected lifespan and to consider retirement age, number of dependents, and special needs.
- The guidance, reported by KFF Health News and corroborated by outlets including POLITICO, The Washington Post, and the Boston Globe, is being implemented across U.S. embassies and consulates.
- State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott and White House spokesperson Anna Kelly say the move enforces long‑standing public‑charge rules to protect taxpayers, while immigration lawyers warn it conflicts with the department’s handbook and relies on nonmedical judgments.
- The directive is described in coverage as part of a broader tightening of legal immigration that includes steep H‑1B fee increases, a paid residency ‘gold card’ program, and lower refugee admissions.