Obese Immigrants Can Be Denied U.S. Visas Under New Trump Administration Guidelines, Report Claims

The Trump administration is reportedly considering a new policy that could deny U.S. visas to individuals classified as potential financial burdens due to health concerns — including being overweight.

On Thursday, Nov. 6, KFF Health News revealed that the State Department issued guidance to U.S. embassies and consulates, instructing officers to assess whether visa applicants might become dependent on public assistance because of their age or medical conditions.

Officials reportedly warned that admitting applicants who are “unhealthy or high-risk” could strain national resources, categorizing them as potential “public charges.”

While medical checks have long been part of the visa process — primarily to verify vaccination records and identify communicable diseases such as tuberculosis — the new guidance expands the focus to a much broader range of health conditions.

“You must consider an applicant’s health,” the guidance reportedly stated, according to KFF. “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.”

KFF’s report also noted that embassies were advised to evaluate applicants with obesity, citing the condition’s link to issues such as asthma, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea — all of which may require extensive, long-term medical treatment.

Officials were instructed to determine whether applicants can afford their own healthcare costs. The guidance asked, “Does the applicant have adequate financial resources to cover the costs of such care over his entire expected lifespan without seeking public cash assistance or long-term institutionalization at government expense?”

Charles Wheeler, senior attorney at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, told KFF that the guidance effectively asks consular officers to make speculative medical judgments without proper expertise.

“That’s troubling because they’re not medically trained, they have no experience in this area, and they shouldn’t be making projections based on their own personal knowledge or bias,” Wheeler said.

He added that the guidance contradicts the State Department’s own manual, which prohibits visa rejections based on hypothetical future risks.

KFF further reported that the health of applicants’ dependents would also be evaluated. The guidance asked whether any relatives have chronic illnesses or disabilities that might prevent the applicant from maintaining employment.

Wheeler predicted that, while the order technically applies to most visa categories, it would likely be enforced more strictly for permanent residency applicants.

White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement that for the past century, the State Department has retained the authority to deny visas to individuals likely to become a financial burden. She added that the Trump administration is “finally enforcing that policy and putting Americans first.”

The U.S. Department of State has been contacted for comment regarding KFF’s findings.