USCIS announces that Coronavirus testing will not be considered in the Public Charge Rule analysis

On March 13, 2020, after President Trump declared a national emergency on account of the Coronavirus pandemic, USCIS made the following announcement to confirm that it will not count Coronavirus testing against aliens applying for immigration benefits:

“USCIS encourages all those, including aliens, with symptoms that resemble coronavirus (COVID-19) (fever, cough, shortness of breath) to seek necessary medical treatment or preventive services.” The agency further confirmed that “Such treatment or preventive services will not negatively affect any alien as part of a future public charge analysis” including, but not limited to “testing” and “vaccines, if a vaccine becomes available.”

This special exception to the Public Charge Rule applies even if the treatment or related services are provided or paid by one or more public benefits as defined in the Rule, such as, for instance, federally funded Medicaid.

If you have questions about the new USCIS Public Charge Rule, contact U.S. Immigration Lawyer Sean D. Hummel to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.