The State Department is planning to launch a bond program for some business and tourist visas that could force applicants to put up as much as $15,000 before entering the United States, a large sum that would make travel to the country unaffordable for many.
The 12-month “visa bond” pilot program, announced in an internal State Department memo, targets those from countries whose nationals have a high rate of overstaying their visas, according to multiple reports.
“The rule properly is described 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 and deficient screening and vetting,” the program’s draft regulation posted to the Federal Register reads.