New US Visa Rule: If you are a foreign national planning to enter the United States and have a disease categorised by the US as chronic, you may be denied a visa. The new guidance has been issued by the Trump administration and circulated by the State Department to all US embassies and consular offices worldwide. According to the US government, the people with these health problems are deemed a potential “public charge.”
Who can be denied a Visa by America?
States could now deny visas and green cards based on pre-existing chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. According to the State Department’s directive, visa officers are to flag applicants whose medical conditions could require “hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care.” The list of conditions that the US consider as a potential ‘public charge’ includes cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions. It has to be noted that these conditions are not limited. The list could add more health conditions to it.
What about obesity?
The new rule tells visa officers to pay attention to health conditions such as obesity, as it can cause problems like asthma, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. These long-term diseases are now seen as signs that a person could become a financial burden on the United States in the future. The change, announced on Thursday, is one of the strongest steps in the government’s immigration policy, directly connecting a person’s health condition to whether they can enter the country.
Why the new move by the US?
Experts suggest that the move targets individuals who might become a financial burden on the United States in the future. America believes that these long-term diseases could affect the country’s economic stability. The policy shift, revealed on Thursday, should be considered as one of the most aggressive moves in the administration’s broader immigration crackdown, effectively linking an applicant’s health status to their eligibility for entry.
