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The U.S. State Department has put forth a proposal that would require applicants for tourist and business visas to provide a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the country, potentially making the process financially challenging for some individuals.
According to a notice released on the Federal Register’s website and set to be published on Tuesday, the State Department plans to initiate a 12-month pilot program mandating individuals from countries with high overstay rates and inadequate internal document security controls to submit bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 when applying for a visa.
The proposal aligns with President Donald Trump and his administration’s efforts to enhance visa applicant requirements.
Last week, the department announced that several applicants seeking visa renewals would need to undergo an additional in-person interview, a new requirement that was not previously in place.
Travel USA visa in passport close-up. American multi-entrance visa in passport.
Furthermore, the department suggested that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery must possess a valid passport from their country of origin.
The bond notice was previewed on the Federal Register website on Monday and indicated that the pilot program would not take effect until 15 days after its publication. The notice also emphasized the importance of the program in safeguarding the U.S. government from financial liability if a visitor fails to adhere to the terms of their visa.
“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 notice stated.
Once the program is implemented, the affected countries will be listed accordingly.
The notice also mentioned that the bond requirement could potentially be waived based on individual circumstances.
Citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows for business travel or tourism for up to 90 days, will be exempt from the bond requirement.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is working on new policies surrounding visas, including requiring up to a $15,000 bond from visa applicants coming from foreign countries. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Currently, there are 42 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, which includes nations from Europe and the Middle East.
Although visa bonds have been proposed previously, they have never been put into practice.
Challenges cited for the lack of implementation include potential public misunderstandings and concerns that the bond posting and discharge process could become burdensome.
A spokesperson for the State Department informed Fox News Digital that the Visa Bond Pilot is in line with Executive Order 141598, signed by President Trump to protect the American people from potential threats.
The spokesperson emphasized that the pilot program underscores the administration’s commitment to upholding immigration laws and ensuring national security.
Regarding the list of countries affected by the program, the spokesperson noted that it may undergo periodic updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
