IMPORTANT UPDATE — MARCH 9, 2021: Both the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) public charge rule and the Department of State (DOS) public charge policy are currently not in effect. The DHS rule was halted on March 9, 2021, while the DOS policy was paused indefinitely on July 29, 2020. This page reflects those policies, which initially took effect on Feb. 24, 2020, and will not be immediately updated according to the previous, longstanding guidance issued in 1999. Learn more.
Green card applicants living outside of the United States must show proof that they will either:
- Buy health insurance within 30 days of entering the United States or
- Have sufficient financial resources to pay for reasonably anticipated medical expenses
Note that this policy does not apply to green card applicants who are already in the United States.
Check out this guide to learn more about health insurance requirements.