August 5, 2025
A new pilot program will require visa applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the U.S.
The State Department is considering requiring visa applicants to pay upwards of $15,000 to enter the United States.
An Aug. 4 notice posted to the Federal Register announced a 12-month pilot program that would require travelers from countries with high visa overstay rates and weak internal document security to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 when applying for a visa, AP reports. The move could make the visa process unaffordable for many amid declines in international tourism to the U.S. due to criticism of the country’s current policies being unwelcoming to tourists.
The proposal is part of the Trump administration’s continued efforts to tighten visa requirements. Along with the suggested bond, the State Department also revealed that many individuals seeking to renew their visas would now need to complete an in-person interview, an extra step that wasn’t required before. Additionally, the department is pushing for a rule that would require Diversity Visa Lottery applicants to hold valid passports from their country of citizenship.
A preview of the bond proposal states that the pilot program would go into effect 15 days after its official publication. The countries that will be impacted will be revealed once the program launches. The measure, which can be waived depending on the individual’s situation, is intended to protect the U.S. government from financial responsibility if a visitor fails to comply with the conditions of their visa.
“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 said.
The bond requirement would not apply to travelers from countries in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows visits for business or tourism purposes for up to 90 days. Most of the 42 participating nations are in Europe, with others located in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
The new proposal marks the first time the State Department could enforce such a bond policy, despite historically opposing it due to the complexity of the process and concerns about how it might be perceived by the public.
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