US ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE WHICH COULD DENY SOME VISAS BASED ON HEALTH CONDITIONS

A new directive by President Donald Trump’s administration could make it more difficult for foreigners to visit or live in the United States if they have certain medical conditions such as diabetes or obesity or lack the economic resources and assets to support themselves.

The information has been revealed by the Associated Press, following the release of the guidance in a recent cable from the State Department. It directs embassy and consular officials to comprehensively and thoroughly vet visa applicants to demonstrate that they will not need to rely on public benefits from the government any time after their admission in the U.S. Experts say it could further limit who gets to enter the country at a time when the Republican administration is already tightening those rules.

The cable also says consular officials must consider a range of specific details about people seeking visas, including their age, health, family status, finances, education, skills and any past use of public assistance regardless of the country. It also says they should assess applicants’ English proficiency and can do so by conducting interviews in English.

The guidance from the State Department says among the medical conditions that could disqualify a visa applicant are chronic conditions; obesity; high blood pressure; cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases; depression; anxiety; and mental health conditions that can require “hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care.”