The Donald Trump administration has reinstated a global visa policy that could make it harder for many foreign nationals, including Nigerians, to secure U.S. visas. The move revives the controversial “public charge” rule, which targets applicants deemed likely to rely on government assistance.
According to a State Department cable obtained by Fox News Digital, U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide have been directed to immediately enforce the rule. The guidance, which restores a Trump-era policy rolled back under President Joe Biden, instructs consular officers to deny visas to applicants considered likely to become dependent on public benefits.
Under the new directive, applicants will be evaluated based on factors such as health, age, English proficiency, financial resources, and potential need for long-term medical care. Older or financially unstable applicants may face heightened scrutiny.
The policy follows Trump’s new executive order, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidisation of Open Borders,” aimed at preventing government benefits from going to “unqualified aliens.” The State Department memo emphasizes that each consular officer has discretion to decide who may be deemed a “public charge,” noting that there is no fixed test for the determination.
A State Department official said the policy ends “the Biden administration’s open borders agenda.”
The rule’s reinstatement marks a full return to Trump’s 2019 version, which expanded the range of public benefits considered in visa reviews. Biden’s 2022 revision had limited those benefits to direct cash aid and long-term institutional care.
For Nigerians seeking U.S. visas—students, professionals, and family immigrants alike—the policy is expected to result in more denials and longer processing times.
