U.S. expands $15,000 visa bond requirement to additional countries

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U.S. expands $15,000 visa bond requirement to additional countries

2 days ago

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LATIMES

AFRICANEWS

INDIATIMES

U.S. expands $15,000 visa bond requirement to additional countries

Credited from: LATIMES

The U.S. has added seven countries to its visa bond requirement list.
Now, a total of thirteen nations, primarily in Africa, face bond payments of up to $15,000.
The changes are part of the Trump administration's efforts to tighten entry requirements.

The Trump administration has recently expanded a controversial visa bond requirement, adding seven countries—Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan—to the existing list. Now, a total of thirteen nations, most of which are in Africa, are subjected to this bond requirement, significantly increasing the cost of obtaining a U.S. visa for many applicants, according to latimes and africanews.

The State Department implemented these changes as of January 1, according to a notice on their website. This expansion reflects the administration's ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. visa regulations, which also include mandatory in-person interviews and extensive disclosures of social media usage and travel history, as reported by indiatimes and africanews.

U.S. officials have defended the bond system, which ranges from $5,000 to $15,000, claiming that it is effective in preventing visa overstays. However, applicants remain concerned as payment of the bond does not guarantee visa approval, with the bond refundable if the application is denied or if the visa holder complies with the terms of their visa, according to latimes and indiatimes.