Citizenship

Immigrants Who Can’t Afford Healthcare No Longer Barred From Visas

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President Joe Biden has revoked a former policy that barred immigrants who could not afford healthcare from getting visas.


The former rule, signed by former President Donald Trump in 2019, stated that immigration officials could bar people from getting visas if they did not have the money to get healthcare within one month of their arrival in the United States. The rule only applied to people seeking visas who were living outside of the US and did not apply to those who already lived in the US or who were lawful permanent residents, asylum-seekers, refugees, or children. 


Biden issued the executive order reversing the Trump decision during a ceremony that also featured six “Dreamers,” or recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy that granted a delay on deportation for people who were brought to the United States as children without documentation. 

This article will answer the following questions:

How will this affect pending immigration applications? 

How will this affect people who seek visas in the future?

How will this affect families who already have visas?

Why was the policy changed?

How will this affect pending immigration applications?

If you are already in the United States, this rule would not have applied to you so it will not change your pending visa applications. For those outside of the US seeking visas, this means they will not be asked if they can afford healthcare on visa applications or by immigration officials.

How will this affect people who seek visas in the future?

If you or your family members are applying for visas from outside the US, this means that you will not be asked if you are insured or can afford healthcare on any applications or in interviews. 

How will this affect families who already have visas?

If you or your family members already have visas, this rule change will not affect you or your visa at all. 

Why was the policy changed?

When announcing the rule change, Biden said that he changed the rule as part of a broader effort to help more people get health insurance. 

“My Administration is committed to expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare,” the president said. “We can achieve that objective, however, without barring the entry of non-citizens who seek to immigrate lawfully to this country but who lack significant financial means or have not purchased health insurance coverage from a restrictive list of qualifying plans.”

Noor Al-Sibai is a writer and media experimenter from North Carolina. She has been working in national media since 2012 for a number of websites including Raw Story, Bustle, and Media Matters for America. Besides being a nerd about politics, Noor’s interests include discovering new music, dancing (at home for now), and hanging out with her adorable cat.