Would-be immigrants face public charge questions

The Trump administration is greatly increasing what immigration officers can look at when deciding whether a potential immigrant will become a “public charge” in the U.S. – someone who is likely to rely on public benefits. Consulates abroad had temporarily halted visa processing while getting training on how to question intending immigrants. Specifically, the new questions focus on housing, employment, and health insurance plans. For housing plans, the officer may ask where the beneficiary will live in the U.S. If they have not secured housing, they should be able to explain their plan to find a home. Applicants are also being asked who else will live with the beneficiary. Questions for adult applicants include what type of work the beneficiary plans to do; education; training or work experience for that career; and if they need additional training, licenses, or certifications to work in that field. Also, if yes, who will support the beneficiary and any dependents financially during this period. If applicable, they should be ready to discuss their job search details.

With regards to health insurance plans, the consular officer will likely ask if the beneficiary has health insurance that will cover them and any dependents in the U.S. If not, the applicant will be asked to provide detailed information about potential health insurance plans, including the specific monthly premium. This is just a sample of questions being asked. It is important that every applicant be prepared with proof of their plans to cover their expenses in the U.S.

Trump 2.0 takes aim at OPT with proposed fee

The Trump administration proposed a rule that would charge schools $70,000 per international student seeking to work in the U.S. through a program known as Optional Practical Training (OPT). It marks the administration’s latest attempt to curb foreign enrollment. The proposal, which is open for comment in the Federal Register until November 9, aims to crack down on OPT—a tempo- rary employment authorization that lets students work in jobs related to their field of study. Under the current system, students pay about $500 to apply and are generally permitted to work in the U.S. for up to a year during or after their study, while those in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields may get work period extensions. Under the proposal, schools would have to pay $70,000 for a student’s initial participation—and another $30,000 for each additional program participation—though DHS said it recognizes schools “may pass the financial obligation of this proposed fee” to students or employers.

The F1 student visa and OPT program are immensely popular with Indian nationals, who are locked out of many immigrant visa categories due to the tremendous backlog for that country. According to the Institute of International Education, approximately 31% of all foreign students are of Indian origin. Likewise, the H1 program, which was also very popular with Indian nationals, has been a frequent target of this administration as well, as evident by the $100,000 fee that the administration tried to tack onto H1 visas abroad, a tactic which has since been stricken down by the courts. Similarly, immigration experts expect this to also be stricken down.

APPLICATION FINAL ACTION DATES—NOVEMBER 2026

DATES FOR FILING VISA APPLICATIONS—NOVEMBER 2026

Visa Bulletin for November 2026 is available on our website. Please go to http://www.khabar.com/magazine/ immigration/