WASHINGTON, D.C.: The United States is set to launch a pilot program that may require travellers from certain countries to pay visa bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for tourist or business visas. Scheduled to begin on August 20, the programme aims to discourage visa overstays and improve compliance with immigration regulations.
According to a notice published in the Federal Register, the initiative grants consular officers discretion to impose visa bonds on applicants from countries with high overstay rates or inadequate screening and vetting standards. The proposed bond amounts are $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with the default expected to be at least $10,000. The funds will be refundable if travellers depart the US within the approved visa period.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed that countries will be selected based on several factors including overstay statistics, national security concerns, and cases where citizenship can be acquired through investment without residency. A final list of targeted countries has not yet been disclosed, but data shows that nations such as Chad, Haiti, Yemen, and some African states like Djibouti, Burundi, and Togo have high overstay rates.
This marks a revived attempt to implement a similar measure first introduced during President Donald Trump’s term in 2020, which was paused due to the pandemic’s impact on global travel. The current pilot will run for about a year and may influence future visa policy.
The U.S. Travel Association estimates that the program will impact around 2,000 applicants, primarily from low-travel-volume countries. Additionally, a new $250 “visa integrity fee” is set to take effect from October 1, further increasing the cost of visiting the United States.
Travel industry experts warn that such measures may deter tourism and business visits, potentially affecting international visitor numbers and economic recovery in the travel sector.
-Agencies
