US may soon ask visa applicants $15,000 bond for entry
What's the story
The United States State Department has proposed a new requirement for business and tourist visa applicants. The proposal, which will be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, seeks to introduce a 12-month pilot program. Under this program, applicants from countries with high overstay rates and poor internal document security controls may be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.
Policy changes
Additional interview requirements for visa renewal applicants
This proposal is part of the Trump administration's efforts to tighten visa application requirements. Recently, the State Department announced that many visa renewal applicants would now be required to undergo an additional in-person interview. Furthermore, it is proposed that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program must hold valid passports from their country of citizenship.
Financial protection
Who will be affected by the bond requirement?
The bond requirement is aimed at protecting the US government financially if a visitor violates their visa terms. The notice states, "Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure...may be subject to the pilot program." However, this bond requirement will not apply to citizens of countries in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows travel for up to 90 days without a visa.
Unimplemented proposals
Visa bonds proposed in the past
Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but were never implemented due to their cumbersome process. However, the State Department now believes that previous views against them "are not supported by any recent examples or evidence." The countries affected by this new requirement will be announced once the program is in effect.