US to Pilot $15,000 Visa Bond for High-Risk Tourist and Business Travelers

The United States will soon require certain foreign nationals to pay a refundable visa bond of up to $15,000 under a new pilot program aimed at curbing visa overstays.

Starting August 20, the 12-month scheme will apply to some B-1 business and B-2 tourist visa applicants from countries identified as high-risk for overstays, according to the US State Department. Minimum bonds will start at $5,000, refundable if travelers leave on time. Those who overstay will forfeit the full amount.

The policy also restricts entry and exit to pre-approved US airports for affected travelers. While the list of impacted countries has not been officially released, past US Department of Homeland Security reports have flagged nations such as Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, Yemen, Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo for high overstay rates.

The move is part of President Donald Trump’s renewed push to tighten immigration controls since returning to office in January. A similar program was proposed in 2020 but stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the US Travel Association says the measure will impact relatively few people — around 2,000 annually — it warns the steep costs could hurt inbound tourism and make US visa fees among the highest in the world.