Overview
- An internal State Department notice instructs consular officers to factor applicants’ medical conditions—explicitly including obesity, diabetes and cancer—and their assets, income and health coverage into visa decisions.
- The directive tells officers to consider potential costs such as long-term institutional care and to evaluate whether dependents have disabilities or chronic needs requiring support.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent the notice to embassies and consulates earlier this month, with its existence first reported by KFF Health News and its contents later affirmed by other outlets including AFP.
- The department defends the move as prioritizing American interests, while legal scholars and advocates warn it invites discrimination and asks non‑medical staff to make complex health judgments.
- Coverage diverges on scope, with some reports saying the guidance targets only immigrant visas and others saying it also covers temporary visas like H‑1B, as separate reports note some posts are piloting the approach despite no formal start date.