General Discussion

"You must consider an applicant's health," the cable reads. "Certain medical conditions -- including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions -- can require hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of care."

The cable also encourages visa officers to consider other conditions, like obesity, which it notes can cause asthma, sleep apnea and high blood pressure, in their assessment of whether an immigrant could become a public charge and therefore should be denied entry into the U.S.

Visa officers were also directed to determine if applicants have the means to pay for medical treatment without help from the U.S. government.

The guidance also directs visa officers to consider the health of family members, including children or older parents.