President Trump reinstates a stringent visa screening policy targeting applicants deemed likely to depend on U.S. public benefits, citing self-sufficiency.
United States has reinstated a sweeping visa policy that could make it harder for foreign nationals, including Nigerians, to secure entry visas, as President Donald Trump orders the return of the stricter “public charge” rule designed to screen applicants for financial independence.
A classified cable circulated on Wednesday November 5, 2025, to U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide directed consular officers to immediately apply the revived standard. The directive, obtained by Fox News Digital, instructs officials to deny visas to individuals considered likely to rely on public assistance once in the country.
“Self-sufficiency has been a longstanding principle of U.S. immigration policy,” the cable stated. “The public charge ground of inadmissibility has existed in immigration law for more than a century.”
The order, titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” aims to ensure that “no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens,” according to the State Department memo accompanying the announcement.
Under the restored rule, applicants will be evaluated on multiple factors — including health, age, English proficiency, education, and financial resources. Consular officers are required to take a “comprehensive and holistic” approach, examining everything from visa petitions and affidavits of support to medical reports and background checks.
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Older applicants and those with chronic medical conditions are expected to face heightened scrutiny. The guidance warns that long-term institutional care “can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year,” making such applicants more likely to be denied visas.
“There is no bright-line test,” the cable notes. “Officers must evaluate whether the applicant is more likely than not to become a public charge at any time.”
A State Department official told Fox News Digital that the reinstatement marks the end of “the Biden administration’s open borders agenda,” saying the new approach restores “accountability to immigration.”
The policy grants significant discretion to U.S. consular officers abroad, though ultimate admission decisions still rest with the Department of Homeland Security.
The Biden administration had previously narrowed the scope of the rule in 2022, limiting the definition of public benefits to direct cash aid and institutional care. The Trump policy, however, expands it to cover programs like Medicaid, food assistance, and housing support — a broader standard that had been struck down in courts before being scrapped in 2021.
For many Nigerians — including students, workers, and family visa applicants — the reinstated rule could mean tougher scrutiny, longer wait times, and a higher risk of rejection as Washington reasserts a tougher immigration stance under President Trump.
Africa Today News, New York
