US Proposes Visa Bond of Up to US$15,000 for Travelers From Select Countries

Washington, D.C. — Traveling to the United States could soon get a lot more expensive for some visitors, as the US State Department has announced a controversial visa bond proposal that may see business and tourist visa applicants paying as much as US$15,000 to enter the country.

According to a notice published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the 12-month pilot program will target nationals from countries deemed to have high visa overstay rates, weak internal document security, or that offer citizenship by investment with no residency requirement.

Depending on the individual applicant’s risk profile, the bond amount could range from US$5,000 to US$15,000.

The measure is being described as a safeguard to ensure travelers comply with visa terms and to shield the US government from financial liabilities associated with visa overstays.

“Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure… may be subject to the pilot program,” the notice stated.

The bond initiative is expected to take effect within 15 days of official publication. The list of affected countries has not yet been released, but AP News reports that travelers from countries under the Visa Waiver Program will not be impacted. In special cases, individual waivers may be granted.

This move follows a string of toughened immigration policies, including the reversal of a previous decision that waived in-person interviews for many visa renewal applicants. Now, most renewals will require face-to-face interviews once again.

The department is also proposing that Diversity Visa Lottery applicants must present valid passports from their country of citizenship at the time of application.

While visa bonds have been discussed before, the idea was largely dismissed due to concerns over logistics, fairness, and public backlash. But with no modern precedent, the department now claims that previous opposition was not backed by recent evidence.

If fully implemented, the pilot program could drastically change the visa process, impacting thousands of potential travelers annually, including from the Caribbean and Latin America.