US to enforce $15K visa bond policy from August 20

Washington: The US Department of State has introduced a new visa security bond program for citizens of certain countries traveling to the United States on tourist (B-2) and business (B-1) visas, requiring select applicants to deposit a bond of up to $15,000 as a security measure.

According to a State Department spokesperson, the new policy will come into effect on August 20 and will initially apply to individuals holding B-1 and B-2 visas.

Qatari media reports that the program is a pilot initiative aimed at discouraging visa overstay by nationals from countries with a high rate of violations, where the trend of remaining in the US beyond the permitted visa period has become alarmingly common.

US officials say the purpose of the bond is to ensure compliance with visa regulations and reduce the rate of illegal overstays. The bond will be temporary and will be refunded to individuals who leave the country within the legal time frame.

The State Department anticipates the new policy could generate up to $20 million in revenue in its first year. It also hopes the move will encourage foreign governments to adopt stricter identity verification and screening measures for their citizens.

It is worth noting that a similar program was introduced by the Trump administration in 2020, targeting certain African countries, which required security bonds for visa applicants.

According to news agencies, in 2023, over 500,000 individuals were suspected of overstaying their US visas, posing a significant challenge to US immigration policy.