Several media outlets are reporting that an internal State Department cable directs consular officers to more broadly consider a visa applicant’s health condition in determining whether the applicant will become a public charge of the United States, and therefore, deemed ineligible for a visa.
Conditions such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions or obesity could be weighed more heavily in visa applications.
Immigrant visa applicants are likely to be most impacted by this change in policy, as they plan to reside in the United States permanently and require a medical exam as part of their green card application.
