According to the American news agency ‘KFF Health News’, foreign applicants seeking to reside in the United States may have their visa applications rejected if they suffer from certain diseases, including diabetes or obesity.

According to a news report published in the Dawn newspaper, the KFF reported on Thursday that the decision has been taken in accordance with a new directive from the Trump administration.

According to the report, the new directive was stated in a cable (official message) sent by the US State Department to officials at embassies and consulates.

It instructs that visa officers can now ineligible applicants for entry into the United States based on several new reasons, including age or the likelihood that they may rely on government assistance in the future.

According to the report, the guidelines state that such individuals could become a “public charge,” a potential burden on U.S. resources, because they face health or age-related problems.
The cable said that you should consider the applicant’s health. Certain medical conditions, including heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health problems, can cost millions of dollars to treat.

According to the KFF, the cable also directed consideration of conditions such as obesity, which can cause diseases such as asthma, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure, to determine whether an immigrant could become a “public charge” and be denied entry on that basis.

The message said that all of these conditions could require expensive, long-term treatment.

It also directed that visa officers determine whether the applicant has the financial resources to pay for medical expenses in the United States, so that they do not need government assistance.

KFF also reported that the guidance also calls for considering the health of the applicant’s family members (including children and elderly parents).

“It is no secret that the Trump administration is putting the interests of the American people first, including implementing policies that ensure our immigration system does not burden American taxpayers,” Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, said in a statement.

Speaking separately, a government official told reporters that the decision to issue a visa is always at the officer’s discretion.

The official explained that officers are not being instructed to deny an application based on a specific medical condition, but rather to look at the overall impact if a person is having difficulty affording their medical expenses.

He added that this decision will be made on a case-by-case basis, on a case-by-case basis.