The State Department announced on Mar. 18 that it will expand its visa bond program to cover a total of 50 countries beginning April 2, requiring foreign nationals from these nations to post a $15,000 bond before receiving B1 or B2 visas for business and tourism in the United States. The bond will be refunded if recipients return home as required by their visa terms or do not travel.
The expansion aims to address illegal overstays by foreign visitors, which have been a persistent concern for U.S. immigration authorities. The department said the program has already shown success in reducing the number of individuals who remain in the country after their visas expire.
According to the State Department, nearly 1,000 foreigners have received visas under the current program, with 97% of bonded travelers returning home on time. In comparison, more than 44,000 visitors from these countries overstayed their visas during President Biden’s last year in office. The new action will add twelve nations—Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia—to the list of countries subject to the policy. These join thirty-eight other nations already included in the program.
Officials stated that expanding the visa bond requirement is also expected to save American taxpayers significant sums each year. It costs over $18,000 on average to remove an individual who is illegally present in the United States. By reducing overstays through this policy change, the department estimates savings of up to $800 million annually that would otherwise be spent on removal proceedings.
The State Department indicated it may continue adjusting which countries are subject to visa bonds based on various immigration risk factors.
