The US government has ordered all its embassies around the world to start enforcing tough new visa screening rules under the “public charge” law. This rule allows officials to deny visas or green cards to people who might depend on government aid after arriving in the country.

The State Department’s new order tells consular officers to reject visa applications if they believe the person could become a “public charge,” meaning someone who would rely on welfare, food stamps, or other public benefits. Officers have been told to consider many factors, including an applicant’s health, age, income, English skills, and medical needs.

This marks a major policy shift, reviving stricter standards first introduced during Donald Trump’s earlier presidency. Those rules were eased under Joe Biden, but Trump, after returning to office in early 2025, has moved to tighten them again.

An internal State Department cable, quoted by Fox News, said that “self-sufficiency has been a long-standing principle of U.S. immigration policy,” noting that the public charge rule has existed for over a century.

Officials are now required to carefully review every detail of an applicant’s file, from their medical report and visa application to their financial documents and affidavit of support. Even a past record of receiving government cash aid or being placed in an institution could count as a reason to deny a visa.

According to ABC News, the new guidance also means that some visas might be denied based on certain health conditions, including diabetes and obesity. Previously, U.S. immigration health checks mainly focused on contagious diseases like tuberculosis and vaccination status. The updated list now adds chronic medical conditions that could require long-term treatment or government-supported healthcare.

Legal experts say this policy will most likely affect people applying for permanent residency rather than short-term visas. Charles Wheeler, a senior attorney at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, said the rule technically applies to nearly all applicants but will probably be enforced mainly in green card cases.

The change signals a clear shift in the U.S. immigration system, toward prioritizing applicants who are financially independent and unlikely to need public support after settling in the country.