Trump administration visa rule obesity denial
A recent internal directive from the Donald Trump administration indicates that applicants for U.S. immigrant visas may now face rejection if they have chronic health conditions, including obesity, due to concerns they might become a “public charge” that is, reliant on U.S. government resources.
Under the guidance issued by the U.S. State Department in early November 2025, consular officers have been advised to weigh an applicant’s health, financial assets, and ability to avoid becoming a burden. Conditions listed for assessment include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic disorders, neurological and mental‐health conditions as well as obesity, sleep apnoea and high blood pressure, which are noted in the directive as potentially “costly” medical burdens.
The memo states that visa officers may assess whether the applicant “has adequate financial resources to cover the costs of such care over his entire expected lifespan without seeking public cash assistance or long‐term institutionalisation at government expense.”
This represents a departure from earlier medical screening practices under U.S. visa law, which historically focused on communicable diseases and vaccination records. Under the new guidance, non-communicable chronic conditions are also included for eligibility review.
Critics of the policy argue that it gives too much discretion to visa officers who are not trained medical professionals, raising concerns about fairness, discrimination, and the potential for applicants to be denied based on speculative future healthcare costs.
At present, the directive appears aimed at immigrant visas and permanent residency applications rather than short-term visitor visas, although details remain somewhat unclear.
