The administration of United States President, Donald Trump, has reinstated a sweeping visa policy that could make it more difficult for many foreign nationals, including Nigerians, to secure entry into the country.
The policy revives the controversial “public charge” rule, which targets applicants deemed likely to depend on public benefits while living in the United States.
A newly issued State Department cable, obtained by Fox News Digital, directed American embassies and consulates across the world to begin enforcing the policy immediately.
The cable restores a Trump-era standard that was relaxed under former President Joe Biden. It instructs consular officers to deny visas to applicants considered likely to rely on government assistance.
Under the revived rule, visa applicants will be judged on multiple personal factors, including health, age, financial stability, English proficiency, and long-term medical needs.
The memo urges consular officers to adopt a holistic approach.
According to the guidance, “You must examine all aspects of the case, including the petition, visa application, medical report, affidavit of support, and any information uncovered in the course of screening and vetting.”
Older applicants may face stricter scrutiny. The cable notes that long-term institutional care “can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and should be considered,” signalling that age and health will play major roles in visa decisions.
Policy Backed By Trump’s Executive Order
The reinstated rule follows an executive order signed by Trump titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidisation of Open Borders.”
The State Department memo says the order seeks to ensure “that no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.”
The cable notes that the public charge determination is left entirely to each consular officer, who must conduct a “comprehensive and thorough vetting.”
It states, “There is no ‘bright line’ test. You must consider all aspects of the case and determine whether the applicant’s circumstances… suggest that he is more likely than not to become a public charge at any time.”
A State Department official told Fox News Digital, “For years, the American taxpayer was held hostage by the Biden administration’s disastrous open borders agenda… The Trump administration has brought an end to the era of mass immigration.”
While the Department of Homeland Security determines who is admitted into the country, the State Department controls visa issuance abroad.
Though both agencies operate under the same immigration laws, this new guidance gives American consular officers broad authority to reject applicants on public charge grounds.
Reversal Of Biden’s Narrower 2022 Standard
Before now, the Biden administration’s 2022 rule limited the benefits considered in determining public charge status to direct cash assistance and long-term institutional care. It excluded social support programmes such as food stamps, Medicaid, WIC, and housing vouchers.
The Trump administration had expanded the definition in 2019 to include a wider range of benefits, though courts later blocked parts of that policy before Biden scrapped it in 2021.
This week’s cable marks a full return to the broader Trump-era interpretation and directs officers to “verify all supporting financial documents” submitted by applicants.
For many Nigerians seeking student, work, or family-based visas, the revived public charge rule could result in more denials and prolonged processing times, especially for elderly applicants or those with limited financial resources.
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