The US State Department has issued guidance recommending that overweight people be denied immigrant visas to enter the United States.
The directive, which is part of several measures floated by the administration to tighten restrictions on travel to the US, names obesity as one of several medical conditions that could result in an applicant being deemed an expense.
The guidance lists other medical conditions, including ‘cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases and mental-health conditions,’ in addition to obesity.
Officials are instructed to ask: ‘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?’
Health experts connect being overweight to conditions like asthma, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure, citing how these ‘can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care’ and could potentially strain the US healthcare system.
“It’s no secret the [current] administration is putting the interests of the American people first,” spokesman Tommy Pigott told the Daily Mail, confirming the legitimacy of the directive.
“This includes enforcing policies that ensure our immigration system is not a burden on the American taxpayer.”
A State Department official clarified that the directive applies to immigrant visas, not non-immigrant B-2 visas, which are for those who can support their medical treatments and plan to return to their home country.
The State Department has introduced multiple measures to strengthen standards for those seeking work visas since the current administration returned to the White House:
• H-1B Visa Fee: A $100,000-a-year fee has been imposed on H-1B visas for skilled workers. This fee will be applicable for new visa requests, with the annual payment for each applicant required by companies for up to six years. The US currently awards 85,000 H-1B visas annually on a lottery system.
• ‘Gold Card’ Program: A separate order introduced a new ‘gold card’ designed to help fast-track certain visas for those willing to ‘make a significant financial gift.’ Up to 80,000 ‘highly valuable’ gold cards are set to be available.
Explaining the new policy, the President said: “The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying.”
This directive is part of an ongoing immigration crackdown that has also included a full ban on nationals from 12 countries (Afghanistan, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen) and partial restrictions for visitors from another seven countries (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela).
A senior State Department official said: “The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.