The United States will begin implementing a pilot program on 20 August that allows consular officers to require bonds of up to $15,000 for certain tourist visa applicants.
Under the new policy, consular officials may impose bond requirements on B-1 and B-2 visa applicants from countries with high rates of visa overstays or inadequate screening systems. The B-1 and B-2 visas are commonly issued for business and tourism purposes.
The US State Department has not yet released the list of countries covered by the program.
Applicants may be asked to post a bond amount of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with $10,000 expected to be the standard. The bond will be refunded if travelers comply with the terms of their visa and leave the US on time.
A similar initiative was introduced in 2020 during the Trump administration, but was not fully enforced due to the decline in global travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The bond program is separate from a new $250 “visa integrity fee” that will apply to all approved non-immigrant visa applicants. The fee is intended to support enforcement and compliance costs and will take effect on 1 October, following its approval by the US Congress in July