In a move that could dramatically reshape access to U.S. travel for many, the State Department is proposing a controversial bond requirement of up to $15,000 for business and tourist visa applicants from certain countries.
The measure, set to be detailed in Tuesday’s Federal Register, outlines a 12-month pilot program targeting nationals from countries flagged for high visa overstay rates, weak internal document controls, or those offering citizenship without residency obligations. Under the program, selected applicants may be required to pay bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.
“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 official notice stated.
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While the exact list of affected countries will be released once the rule is implemented, the department says the bond may be waived depending on an applicant’s individual circumstances.
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The pilot program is expected to take effect within 15 days of its publication, AP reported. Officials argue the initiative is designed to protect the U.S. government from potential costs if a visitor overstays or violates their visa terms.
A preview of the notice, posted online Monday, underscores the administration’s broader immigration overhaul. Just last week, the State Department announced that more visa renewal applicants would now be required to attend in-person interviews, an extra step not previously mandated. Additionally, the Diversity Visa Lottery applicants must now possess valid passports from their home countries.
The proposal will not affect citizens from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, which permits short-term travel to the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days. Most of the 42 nations in this program are in Europe, with others in the Middle East and Asia.
Although visa bond ideas have surfaced in prior administrations, they’ve never advanced this far. Historically, the State Department discouraged such measures due to their bureaucratic complexity and concerns they might foster public misconceptions. But now, the agency asserts that this previous stance lacked a factual basis.
“That view is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period,” the department argued.
