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U.S. will make visa bond program permanent, affecting mostly African countries
PBS • • nation
Key Points:
- The U.S. State Department is making permanent a pilot program requiring citizens from 50 countries, mostly in Africa, to post bonds up to $20,000 when applying for B1/B2 visas, an increase from the previous $15,000 maximum.
- The bond is refundable if the visa is denied or if the applicant complies with visa terms, and the program aims to reduce visa overstays, which cost the government about $18,000 per person to address.
- Since the program's pilot phase, visa overstays from the affected countries dropped from nearly 45,500 to fewer than 50, indicating the program's effectiveness according to the State Department.
- Critics argue the bond requirement places a heavy financial burden on applicants from poorer countries, limiting access to family visits, education, and business opportunities in the U.S.
- The number of applicants required to post bonds was ten times higher than expected, leading to a nearly 83% decline in business and tourist visas issued to nationals from the listed countries.
