The U.S. is considering a rule that would require some people applying for tourist or business visas to pay a $15,000 bond before entering the country. Global News
The U.S. government plans to start a new visa rule. Under this new proposal, people from some countries may need to pay a bond of up to $15,000 to get a tourist or business visa.
Pilot Program to Begin Soon
The U.S. State Department will launch a one-year test program. This will affect visitors from countries that have high visa overstay rates. It also includes countries with weak document security or ones that offer citizenship for money without requiring people to live there.
The bond amount could be $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, depending on the case. Authorities say this is to protect the U.S. government from people who may not follow their visa rules. The bond may be returned if the visitor leaves the U.S. on time.
This rule will not apply to countries in the Visa Waiver Program. That program allows people from certain countries to visit the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days. Most of these countries are in Europe, but there are also others in Asia and the Middle East.
Who Will Be Affected?
Only visitors from countries with a history of long stays beyond their visa dates will need to pay. The list of affected countries will be shared once the program starts. Each case may be reviewed, and the bond could be waived based on personal details.
This change is part of a bigger push to tighten immigration rules. Recently, the U.S. also changed its visa renewal process. Now, many people renewing a visa must go through another in-person interview.
Why Now?
Officials say the bond is a way to make sure people follow the visa terms. If someone stays longer than allowed, the U.S. could lose money on immigration processes. By collecting a bond, the government hopes people will follow the rules to get their money back.
This bond idea has come up before but was never put in place. The government often avoided it due to the trouble it could cause for travelers and possible misunderstandings. But now, they say there's no real proof that bond requirements have caused big problems in the past.
Other Visa Changes
Besides the bond, there are more proposed changes. One of them would make people applying for the Diversity Visa Lottery show a valid passport from their home country. This is to make sure the system is not abused.
What Happens Next?
The bond rule will go into effect 15 days after it gets officially published. The trial will last for one year. Officials will then review how it worked and decide what to do next.
