New State Department Policy Allows Visa Officers to Reject Applicants Over Common Health Issues

"The U.S. visa process has always allowed for denial of entry based on health concerns, but has typically focused on people with notable communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, or who do not have a strong vaccine history. The new policy vastly expands the criteria for rejection of visas, citing purported concerns of medical costs individuals may incur while residing in the U.S."

""Certain medical conditions - including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions - can require hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of care," the new Trump administration directive says. The mandate also tasks visa officers with asking applicants if they have "adequate financial resources to cover the costs" of their health needs, not only for the duration of their visit but over their "entire expected lifespan" and without needing to seek "public cash assistance...at government expense.""

New State Department policy broadens visa rejection criteria to include common underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders. The policy shifts focus from communicable diseases and vaccine history toward projected medical costs individuals may incur while living in the United States. It lists cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, metabolic, neurological, and mental health conditions as potentially costly. Visa officers must assess whether applicants have adequate financial resources to cover healthcare costs over their entire expected lifespan and avoid need for public cash assistance. Some visa holders may be eligible for Medicaid, while most lawful residents have health insurance; about 18 percent of legal residents are uninsured.

Read at Truthout