- A 1-year pilot program now requires certain visitors from Zambia and Malawi on tourist and business visas to post a bond before their trip.
- Visa applicants may be asked to deposit $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, depending on what the visa officer decides at the interview.
- The US government guidance is that most applicants should face a $10,000 bond, with only a few eligible for $5,000 or $15,000 based on overstay risk.
- Under US law (22 CFR 41.11(b)(2)), visa officers have always had the power to demand a bond, so this is not a new invention.
- Previously, the State Department advised officers not to demand bonds because the process was considered too cumbersome for applicants.
- The Trump administration argues that overstaying visas is costly, with the US spending about $17,241 per “illegal” migrant to remove them.
- Payment of the bond must be done online via Pay.gov, which faces frequent outages and technical complaints.
- A major challenge for African applicants is that most lack credit or debit cards capable of making $10,000+ payments due to foreign exchange and anti-fraud restrictions.
- The bond requirement is expected to spur a new industry of payment contractors who facilitate payments via prepaid cards or other workarounds.
- The bond itself may act as a deterrent to visitors from targeted countries, which could result in fewer arrivals, a potential “success” in some officials’ eyes.
So What?
Bright Simons notes that while the pilot officially reviews bond feasibility, it may effectively limit US travel from targeted countries, raising questions about fairness, accessibility, and practical implementation.
