WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department is proposing that it requires business and tourist visa applicants to enter the United States by posting bonds of up to $15,000.
In a notice posted on the federal register on Tuesday, the department said people from countries considered to have high overstay fees and lacking internal document security controls will launch a 12-month pilot program to post $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 bonds when applying for a visa.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration tightens requirements for visa applicants. Last week, the Department of State announced that many visa renewal applicants must submit to additional in-person interviews that were not previously necessary. Additionally, the department suggests that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program have a valid passport from the country of citizenship.
A preview of the bond notice posted on the Federal Register website on Monday said it is necessary to ensure that the pilot program will take effect within 15 days of the official publication and that the U.S. government will not be financially liable if visitors do not comply with the terms of the visa.
“Aliens, a national in the country that has applied for a visa as a temporary visitor for business or pleasure and whose faculty has identified as having a high visa overstay rate, could be exposed to a pilot program if they obtain citizenship without a redency requirement or provide citizenship on a per-investigated basis.
The affected countries said they will be listed as the program is enabled. Bonds may be exempt depending on the applicant’s individual circumstances.
This bond does not apply to citizens of countries registered with the Visa Waiver Program. This allows for business and sightseeing trips for up to 90 days. Most of the 42 countries enrolled in the program are in Europe, with others in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere.
Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have not been implemented. The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirements due to the tedious process of posting and ejecting bonds and the likelihood of misunderstanding by the public.
However, the department said that the previous view was “not supported by recent examples and evidence, as visa bonds are generally not required in recent periods.”
