The United States government is set to launch a one-year pilot programme requiring selected tourist and business visa applicants to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000.
The scheme, due to take effect on 20 August, is intended to reduce the number of foreign nationals who overstay their visas and to strengthen vetting procedures for travellers from countries deemed high risk.
The programme, announced in a Federal Register notice on Monday, grants US consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visa applicants from countries identified as having high overstay rates or insufficient internal document security and vetting systems. Affected applicants may be asked to post bonds in one of three tiers: $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with $10,000 expected to be the standard amount.
The US State Department confirmed that bonds will be refunded in full provided travellers leave the country in accordance with the terms of their visa.
A spokesperson stated that countries subject to the new requirement will be determined based on several criteria, including “high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, acquisition of citizenship by investment without residency obligations, and broader foreign policy considerations.” The list of countries will be published once the programme comes into effect and may be updated over time.
The policy will not apply to nationals from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows citizens of 42 countries—primarily in Europe and parts of Asia and the Middle East—to travel to the US for up to 90 days without a visa.
Limited Scope but Broader Implications
According to the US Travel Association, the number of applicants likely to be affected is relatively small. The trade body estimates that around 2,000 individuals, primarily from countries with low overall travel volumes to the US, could fall within the scope of the pilot. Many of the nations listed in President Trump’s travel ban—enacted in June and affecting 19 countries—are considered likely candidates for inclusion, among them Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, and Yemen.
Customs and Border Protection data from fiscal year 2023 also identified several African nations, including Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo, as having elevated rates of visa overstays.
The bond programme revives a proposal first trialled during the final months of Trump’s previous term in 2020, which was not fully implemented due to the sharp decline in international travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State Department’s renewed focus on enforcement coincides with a broader tightening of US visa policy. In addition to the bond pilot, a new $250 “visa integrity fee” for all non-immigrant visa applicants was included in a July spending bill passed by the Republican-controlled Congress. This additional charge, which comes into force on 1 October, is refundable for those who comply with the terms of their visa but adds to the total upfront cost of visiting the United States.
The US Travel Association warned that the combined effect of new financial barriers could deter prospective visitors. “If implemented, the US will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world,” the association said in a statement.
Tourism Industry Concerns
Tourism-related businesses have expressed concern that the policy could have a chilling effect on travel, particularly from emerging markets. Airlines have already recorded a drop in demand: transatlantic airfares in May fell to levels not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and travel from both Canada and Mexico to the US was reportedly down 20% year-on-year.
The Trump administration has defended the measures as necessary to uphold border security and reduce the costs associated with visa overstays. “This bond programme ensures that travellers who do not comply with the conditions of their stay will bear the financial risk, not the US taxpayer,” a senior official said.
Despite being framed as a pilot with limited scope, the policy has the potential to evolve into a permanent component of US visa administration if deemed successful. The administration has not ruled out future expansion of the bond scheme, nor has it provided a timeline for the publication of country-specific guidance.
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