The U.S. State Department has drafted a temporary rule to require some foreign visitors to pay a bond of up to $15,000 to obtain a tourism or business visa.
The proposal, outlined as a 12-month pilot program, would apply to visitors from countries with high rates of overstaying their visas. A notice scheduled for publication in the federal register on August 5 states the program’s goal is to assess the operational feasibility of using visa bonds to ensure visitors comply with the terms of their stay and depart the U.S. on time.
This initiative revives a similar measure introduced by the first Trump administration in November 2020, which was never implemented. That rule would have mandated a $15,000 bond for travelers from about two dozen countries, mostly in Africa, with visa overstay rates exceeding 10%.
The State Department will announce the list of affected countries on its official travel website at least 15 days before the new pilot program takes effect, with the list subject to change on 15 days’ notice.
According to Department of Homeland Security regulations, the bonds would be refunded to travelers upon their departure from the U.S., their naturalization as a citizen, or in the event of their death.
The proposal aligns with the Trump administration’s broader immigration policies, which have included stricter enforcement and enhanced screening measures, such as directing U.S. diplomats to review the social media activity of student visa applicants.
Source link
