The U.S. State Department is set to introduce a bond requirement for select tourism and business visa applicants, a move detailed in a recent federal notice. This initiative aims to ensure that individuals adhere to the terms of their visas, marking a significant shift in visa regulation policies.
The US State Department is developing plans to implement a bond requirement of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas. This proposal aims to address the high overstay rates from visitors of certain countries through a 12-month pilot program.
This initiative revives an earlier effort from the Trump administration introduced in November 2020. At that time, a similar rule targeted travelers from approximately two dozen countries, predominantly in Africa, where the visa overstay rate was 10% or higher.
The upcoming federal registry notice, set to be published on August 5, outlines the details of the visa bond pilot program. According to the notice, the pilot program is designed to "assess the operational feasibility of posting, processing, and discharging visa bonds" in coordination with the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security. This assessment will help determine if visa bonds could effectively ensure compliance with visa conditions and timely departures from the US.
The specific countries affected by this pilot program will be announced on the Travel.State.Gov website at least 15 days before the initiative begins. The list of countries is subject to change, with updates also provided with a 15-day notice.
Under the conditions of the program, tourists and business travelers who are required to pay the bond will have it returned upon their departure from the US, upon naturalization as a citizen, or upon their death, as per regulations from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Interestingly, the original six-month pilot program proposed during the Trump administration was never implemented.
In recent actions, the Trump administration has taken significant measures to tighten US immigration policies, including ending temporary protected status for several groups and imposing a total ban on immigration visas for nationals from 12 countries.
Additionally, last month, the State Department introduced new guidelines instructing US diplomats to scrutinize the online activities of foreign students applying for educational and exchange visas. Students who decline to provide access to their social media accounts will be suspected of concealing their activities from US officials.