The US State Department announced a new pilot program requiring some visa applicants to pay bonds of up to $15,000 as part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to curb migration and discourage visa overstays. Set to commence on August 20 and last for 12 months, this program will necessitate covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond ranging from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $15,000. These funds serve as collateral and will be returned if the visa holder complies with the terms of their stay, but will be forfeited if they remain in the United States past their authorized deadline.

The initiative specifically targets foreign nationals seeking B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) nonimmigrant visas from countries identified by the Department of Homeland Security as having high visa overstay rates or deficient internal document security controls. While an initial notice did not specify all impacted nations, reports indicate countries such as Malawi and Zambia could be affected. Additionally, those required to post bonds will be restricted to entering and departing the United States from a pre-selected list of airports.

This pilot program is justified by the State Department as 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." Critics, however, have denounced the bond scheme as a 'legalized shakedown,' arguing it could make the process prohibitively expensive and thus unaffordable for many otherwise lawful travelers.

The bond requirement can be waived depending on an applicant's specific circumstances. Importantly, it 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. Historically, visa bonds have been proposed but rarely implemented, with the State Department previously discouraging them due to logistical complexities in posting and discharging bonds, as well as concerns about public perception. However, the department now dismisses these past reservations, stating they are unsupported by recent evidence.

This measure is one of several recent tightenings by the Trump administration on visa applicants. Other related changes include requiring many visa renewal applicants to undergo additional in-person interviews, a step not previously mandated, and proposing that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program must possess valid passports from their country of citizenship.