U.S. Plans to Require Up to $15,000 Bond from Visa Applicants

US plans to require up to $15,000 bond from visa applicants

New rule will affect tourists and business travelers

Bonds for foreigners with temporary visas

A new measure aims to reduce illegal overstays.

The US Department of State proposed on Monday a measure that could radically change the process of obtaining tourist and business visas:

Requiring a bond between $5,000 and $15,000 from applicants coming from countries with high overstay rates or poor internal documentation controls.

This was reported by AP.

US plans to require up to $15,000 bond from visa applicants

The U.S. Department of State proposed that applicants for business and tourist visas pay a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the country, a measure that could make the process inaccessible for many.

Photo: AP pic.twitter.com/QVpcOYecks

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The proposal will be implemented through a 12-month pilot program, set to take effect 15 days after its official publication in the Federal Register, scheduled for this Tuesday.

According to the preliminary notice, the measure seeks to prevent the US government from assuming financial responsibilities if a visitor violates the terms of their visa.

The measure will not affect citizens of countries included in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows visits of up to 90 days without a visa.

Primarily from European, Asian, and Middle Eastern nations.

Part of a broader tightening of immigration policy

The Trump administration has proposed launching a pilot plan that would require travelers to pay bonds of up to USD 15,000 when applying for a U.S. visa, although the measure would apply only to certain countries. https://t.co/gdtAXmd3pQ pic.twitter.com/34k1npKUWc

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The administration of Donald Trump has continued tightening entry requirements into the country.

Last week, the State Department announced that many applicants for visa renewals would need to attend in-person interviews, and also proposed requiring valid passports for participants in the visa lottery program.

Now, with this new bond requirement, the message is clear: it’s about reducing immigration risks and preventing abuse of the system.

According to the proposal, even those who have obtained nationality through citizenship-by-investment programs — without residency requirements — could be subject to the bond.

While the bond could be waived depending on the applicant’s profile, the final decision will rest with consular officers.

Criticism over potentially discriminatory measure

Visa bonds have been discussed in the past but were never formally implemented.

The State Department itself had previously avoided this measure, considering it burdensome and potentially misleading. However, it now argues that “there are no recent examples to support that stance.”

Critics fear that the measure will penalize legitimate travelers and create an insurmountable financial barrier for many applicants from developing countries.

Furthermore, it remains unclear which countries will be subject to the new policy, causing uncertainty and raising questions.

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