U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gives a media briefing during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur Friday, July 11, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)
By: Staff writer
The U.S. State Department is preparing to launch a 12-month pilot program that could require travelers from certain countries to post visa bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, a move that may price out many prospective visitors.
In a notice scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the department outlined the program targeting nationals from countries with high visa overstay rates, weak internal document controls, or those offering citizenship-by-investment programs without residency requirements.
Under the proposed policy, eligible applicants for B-1 and B-2 visas — used for business and tourism — may be required to post bonds in the amount of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance. The notice says the bond is intended to “ensure compliance” with visa terms and protect the U.S. government from costs related to overstays.
The pilot will take effect within 15 days of publication, though the list of affected countries will be released once the program begins. The requirement may be waived depending on an individual’s circumstances, officials said.
The policy will not apply to nationals of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which permits stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business without a visa. The 42-country program includes most of Europe, along with select nations in Asia and the Middle East.
The visa bond initiative is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration and travel rules. Last week, the State Department announced that many visa renewal applicants will now be required to attend in-person interviews — a step often waived in previous years. The department is also pushing to require applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery to hold valid passports from their country of citizenship.
Although visa bond proposals have surfaced before, they have rarely been implemented. The State Department previously opposed the practice, citing administrative challenges and possible public misunderstanding. However, in its current notice, the department stated that such objections are “not supported by any recent examples or evidence,” as visa bonds have not generally been enforced in recent years.
