A new pilot program is all set to be rolled out by the The US State Department, which would require tourist and business visa applicants from certain countries to post a bond amounting up to $15,000 to enter America. This new program is aiming at targeting countries that have the highest overstaying rates.
As reported by The Mirror US, “The year-long pilot program will reportedly require business and tourist visa applicants from certain countries to pay a $10,000 bond per adult and $5,000 per child. The bond would be refunded if the terms of the visa are complied with.”
The Federal Register issued a notice about the same on Monday and it reads, “Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program.”
The notice further mentioned that the pilot program will come into being 15 days after the official publication of the details. The nations that are to be affected will be known only after the program is initiated officially. However, citizens of countries who are enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program will not be affected by this new rule.
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While the names of the affected countries are still not clear, it is important to keep in mind that countries like Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen that have been targeted by Trump’s travel ban are also the countries that have shown high rates of over-stays.
Visitors who will be paying the bond amount, will get their funds back once they leave complying with their visa guidelines. Attempts a similar program was made during the first term of Donald Trump as the president but it has not taken off properly because of the travel restrictions that came in 2020 because of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The State Department may require travelers entering the U.S. from certain countries to post a bond of up to $15,000, a move aimed at deterring foreigners from overstaying their visas https://t.co/BQcqsuiMmh
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) August 4, 2025
The move comes amid the ruthless measures taken by the Trump administration regarding the immigrant situation in America. Even since he came to power, Trump has been keen on getting immigrants out of the US and with the present situation in the country, it is clear that the government does not care about ethics or humanitarian grounds while dealing with anyone who they suspect to be an immigrant, even if they are actually not and have legal documents to reside in the US.
