Travelers applying for a US tourist visa may soon face a hefty bond requirement of up to $15,000, as the United States plans to launch a pilot program aimed at reducing visa overstays.
The US government will introduce a pilot program in two weeks that allows consular officers to impose visa bonds on certain tourist and business visa applicants. The bond requirement, which could be as high as $15,000, is part of efforts to minimize visa overstays from countries with high overstay rates or limited screening processes. The policy will apply to US tourist visa applicants from selected nations deemed high-risk.
According to a Federal Register notice released on Monday, consular officers will have the discretion to require bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with an expectation to set the bond at a minimum of $10,000 in most cases. The US tourist visa bond program is scheduled to start on August 20 and will run for approximately one year. However, the State Department has not provided an estimate of how many applicants will be affected by this policy.
This initiative aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader immigration agenda, which has focused on tightening entry requirements and enhancing border enforcement. Trump’s administration previously implemented a travel ban affecting citizens from 19 countries, many of which are also known for high visa overstay rates. Countries like Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, and Yemen are among those potentially impacted by this new visa bond policy.
Previous US Tourist Visa Bond Program Delayed by COVID-19
A similar program was announced in November 2020 during Trump’s first term but was never fully rolled out due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on global travel.
Trump’s immigration policies, including stricter visa rules, have discouraged many international visitors. This has led to a 20% drop in travel from Canada and Mexico to the US on a year-over-year basis. Additionally, transatlantic airfare prices returned to pre-pandemic levels as fewer travelers entered the US.
US Customs and Border Protection data for fiscal year 2023 highlighted high visa overstay rates in several African nations, including Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo. Travelers from these countries may face the new bond requirement under the revised US tourist visa policy.
The pilot program is part of a larger strategy to enhance compliance with US visa regulations by ensuring that travelers return to their home countries after their authorized stay. The bond would be refunded once the traveler departs the US within the permitted time frame.