US to require $15,000 bond for some tourist visa applicants
The US government has announced a pilot program that may require B-1/B-2 visa applicants from certain countries to post a bond of up to $15,000. These visas are issued for business or tourism. The new rules will take effect in 15 days and remain in place for one year, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Published in the Federal Register, the program aims to address the widespread issue of visa overstays, where foreign nationals remain in the US beyond their authorized stay. According to the Department of Homeland Security, hundreds of thousands of such violations occur each year.
The bond requirement will apply only to citizens of countries the State Department designates as high-risk based on one or more of the following criteria:
· high rates of B-1/B-2 visa overstays
· deficiencies in screening and vetting procedures
· citizenship-by-investment programs without permanent residency requirements
The list of countries covered by the program will be published at least 15 days before the rules take effect on the official website travel.state.gov. It may be updated throughout the duration of the program.
Consular officers will decide whether a bond is required and set the amount, either $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, based on the applicant’s individual circumstances. Payments must be made through the online platform Pay.gov. The full amount will be refunded if the individual leaves the US on time and complies with visa conditions. If the terms are violated, the bond will be forfeited.
A decision on whether to implement the bond program more broadly will be made based on the results of this one-year trial. A similar measure was previously proposed in 2020, when the State Department announced a comparable program. However, its implementation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the State Department, the measure also serves as a diplomatic tool to pressure foreign governments to take stronger action against visa overstays by their citizens.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that the Kazakh Trade and Integration Ministry released its official commentary regarding the new U.S. tariffs on goods from Kazakhstan.
