The US State Department announced that certain visa applicants will soon be required to post a bond of up to $15,000 as a measure to deter overstaying in the country. The move is part of the Donald Trump administration’s policy of tightening immigration controls.

A pilot program will begin on August 20, under which citizens of certain countries will be required to post a bond of at least $5,000, which will be refunded if visa conditions are met or forfeited if they overstay. US diplomatic missions will have the authority to require such a bond as a condition of issuing a non-immigrant visa.

The program will last 12 months and will only apply to citizens of countries with “high visa violation rates,” identified in a 2023 report by the Department of Homeland Security, without specifying specific countries. It will apply to B-1 and B-2 visas and will require entry and exit from the United States through designated airports.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Trump and his administration have taken a series of tough measures against illegal immigration. The State Department said the program is “a core element of the Trump administration’s foreign policy to protect national security from the real threat posed by visa crimes.” | BGNES, AFP