Green Card Applicants May Face Public Charge Test Again

Article by Kumar Published on: 8:51 am, 17 July 2026

Ever since Donald Trump took charge, the immigration policies of US have been getting tougher and stricter. Getting a Green Card is much harder and more expensive for many people now as Trump’s administration is bringing back tough rules to process applications of immigrants.

As per reports, the government has announced two big changes to how people get approval for permanent residency in US. These changes are aimed at making sure that new immigrants can support themselves financially without relying on U.S. taxpayers.

While one of them includes a possible $100,000 bond payment for some applicants, the other is a strict rule to deny applicants who are using public help like food stamps or free healthcare from the government.

Sources revealed that certain applicants might have to pay a a safety deposit of up to $100,000 before they can move to the U.S. The government would hold this money to make sure the immigrant does not need financial help. Applicants would likely only get their money back after they become U.S. citizens. This process usually takes at least five years.

However, there is no reliable information if this rule will be introduced immediately or not.

Another sweeping change that being revived is the “public charge” policy, which was previously introduced during Trump’s first term and later scrapped by Joe Biden’s administration. This rule allows immigration officers to deny a Green Card to anyone they think might depend on government aid in the future.

Officers can now look at whether an applicant has used non-cash aid, such as Medicaid (public health insurance), SNAP (food stamps), or housing assistance provided by the government and reject his application on this basis. This rule is set to take effect on September 18, 2026. After this date, applicants must use a new application form to prove they will not be a financial burden.

Experts believe that these drastic changes once implemented could impact the chances of getting Green Card.