Amid tensions with the Bola Tinubu administration over alleged genocide against Christians, U.S. President Donald Trump’s government has reinstated strict visa policies targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
According to information from the U.S. State Department, the policy revives the controversial “public charge” rule, which allows consular officers to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to depend on public benefits while living in the United States.
A newly issued State Department cable, obtained by Fox News Digital, directed American embassies and consulates worldwide to begin enforcing the rule immediately. The policy restores a Trump-era standard that was relaxed under former President Joe Biden.
Under the reinstated rule, visa applicants will be evaluated based on health, age, financial stability, English proficiency, and long-term medical needs. The memo emphasizes that consular officers must adopt a “holistic approach” in their assessments.
The guidance reads: “You must examine all aspects of the case, including the petition, visa application, medical report, affidavit of support, and any information uncovered during screening and vetting.”
Older applicants are expected to face tougher scrutiny, as the memo highlights that long-term institutional care “can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and should be considered.”
The reinstated rule follows an executive order signed by President Trump titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidisation of Open Borders.” The State Department memo explains that the order aims to ensure “no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.”
Consular officers have full discretion to determine who qualifies as a “public charge.” The memo adds: “There is no ‘bright line’ test. You must consider all aspects of the case and determine whether the applicant’s circumstances suggest that he is more likely than not to become a public charge at any time.”
A State Department official told Fox News Digital: “For years, the American taxpayer was held hostage by the Biden administration’s disastrous open borders agenda. The Trump administration has brought an end to the era of mass immigration.”
While the Department of Homeland Security manages admissions into the U.S., the State Department controls visa issuance abroad. This new guidance gives consular officers expanded power to reject visa applications based on financial self-sufficiency concerns.
Previously, the Biden administration’s 2022 rule limited the benefits considered in public charge determinations to direct cash assistance and long-term institutional care, excluding social programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers.
Trump’s earlier version of the rule, introduced in 2019, expanded the definition to include a wider range of benefits but was later blocked by courts before being repealed in 2021.
The latest directive marks a full return to Trump’s broader interpretation and orders visa officers to “verify all supporting financial documents” submitted by applicants.
For Nigerians seeking student, work, or family-based visas, the revived rule could lead to higher rejection rates and longer processing times, particularly for elderly applicants or those with limited financial means.
