President Donald Trump’s administration is moving forward with a proposal that would require certain business and tourist visa applicants to pay a bond of up to $15,000. Critics argue the plan could make travel to the U.S. expensive for many, especially from countries already facing economic or political challenges.
The notice
According to a notice scheduled for publication in the Federal Register, the U.S. State Department plans to launch a 12-month pilot program aimed at visitors from countries with high visa overstay rates and limited internal document security. The proposed rule would require applicants to post bonds in the amounts of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 as a condition of visa approval.
More details
The Department of Homeland Security says the new rule is intended to reduce the financial burden on the U.S. government when visitors violate the terms of their stay. “Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program,” the notice said.
Criteria
The decision to impose a visa bond will rest with U.S. consular officers and will be based on specific criteria. These include applicants from countries with historically high overstay rates and those with insufficient vetting protocols. According to the notice, the bond will be returned to visitors after they depart the U.S. The amount will also be returned once they become naturalized citizens or in the event of their death. If the traveler overstays their visa, the bond may be forfeited and used to offset the costs of removal proceedings.
Countries affected
While the government has not released an estimate of how many applicants could be impacted, 2023 data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection highlights several countries with high visa overstay rates including Angola, Liberia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cabo Verde, Burkina Faso and Afghanistan.
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Author: Isabella Torregiani
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