The US State Department announced a new pilot program requiring certain visa applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000, effective August 20. This initiative, part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on migration, aims to discourage visa overstays by using these bonds as collateral. Applicants from specific countries identified as having high visa overstay rates will be required to pay a sum of “no less than $5,000” as a condition for visa issuance, with the funds returned upon compliance with stay terms or forfeited if the deadline is missed.

The 12-month program will primarily affect individuals applying for B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) nonimmigrant visas. The affected countries will be determined based on a 2023 Department of Homeland Security report, although an official list has not yet been specified, examples like Malawi and Zambia have been mentioned as potential targets. Those required to pay bonds will also be restricted to entering and departing the United States through a list of pre-selected airports.

The State Department justified this pilot program by asserting it is a “key pillar of the Trump Administration's foreign policy to protect the United States from the clear national security threat posed by visa overstays.” This new requirement comes amidst several tightened immigration measures by the administration since January.

Critics have widely denounced the bond scheme, labeling it a 'legalised shakedown' that could exploit vulnerable, lawful travellers and potentially make the visa process unaffordable for many. Despite the criticisms, the department maintains its stance, citing a lack of recent evidence to support previous views that discouraged such bonds due to administrative cumbersome processes or public misperception.

In addition to the bond program, the Trump administration has introduced other stringent requirements. This includes requiring many visa renewal applicants to undergo an additional in-person interview, a step not previously mandated. Furthermore, applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program are now being proposed to possess valid passports from their country of citizenship.

It is important to note that the bond requirement can be waived depending on an applicant's specific circumstances. Moreover, the program will not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which facilitates business or tourist travel for up to 90 days without a visa. The majority of the 42 countries participating in this waiver program are located in Europe, with others across Asia, the Middle East, and other regions.