State Department Proposes Visa Bond Program Up to $15,000

Pilot program would affect certain business and tourist visa applicants
The U.S. State Department has announced plans to implement a 12-month pilot program requiring certain visa applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for business or tourist visas. According to a notice scheduled for publication in the Federal Register, the program would specifically target applicants from countries with high overstay rates and inadequate document security controls. The bonds would be set at $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 depending on various factors, with implementation expected within 15 days of the formal publication.
This initiative comes amid broader changes to visa application procedures under the Trump administration. Recent modifications include requiring in-person interviews for many visa renewal applicants and proposing that Visa Diversity Lottery program applicants possess valid passports from their countries of citizenship. The State Department indicated the bond requirement aims to protect the U.S. government from financial liability when visitors do not comply with visa terms.
KEY POINTS
- •Visa bonds up to $15,000 proposed
- •Targets high-overstay countries
- •Part of broader visa restrictions
The bond requirement would not apply to citizens from the 42 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, which primarily includes European nations along with select countries in Asia and the Middle East. The State Department plans to identify specific countries subject to the bond requirement once the program takes effect. Officials noted that bonds may be waived based on individual circumstances of applicants.
While visa bonds have been proposed previously, they have not been implemented in recent history. The State Department had traditionally discouraged such requirements due to the administrative complexity of managing bonds and concerns about public perception. However, the department now states this position "is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period." The pilot program represents a significant shift in visa application procedures that could affect international travel to the United States.