SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE FOR FAMILIES WITH MEMBERS ABOUT TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES

Starting from November 3, 2019, the Executive Order on Health Insurance Payment for U.S. Immigrants will officially take effect.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 4, 2019, requiring U.S. immigrant visa applicants to demonstrate the following requirements to consular officers:

Before an immigrant visa is issued, the sponsored immigrant (SI) must prove the following to the Consular Officer during the interview:

(1) The SI will be approved for health insurance within 30 days of entry; or (2) The SI possesses the financial resources to reasonably cover foreseeable medical expenses.

Within 30 days of entering the U.S., immigrants must possess health insurance or prove they have sufficient financial resources to cover medical expenses.

Note: Health insurance programs under Medicaid or the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) are NOT ACCEPTED.

This regulation does not apply to the following individuals:

• Special immigrants, refugees, orphans
• Returning resident permit holders
• Children under 18 years of age with a U.S. citizen parent or parents of U.S. citizens in cases where the U.S. citizen can financially sponsor the health insurance for the two individuals mentioned above.

Please note not to confuse this announcement with the new rule from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding the public charge rule, which will take effect on October 15, 2019.

The public charge rule applies to individuals seeking to register for residency (green card) in the U.S. with USCIS; this new announcement applies to those undergoing immigrant visa interviews before immigrating to the United States.

For more details, please contact: