• The US will require a $15,000 bond from citizens of 12 additional countries starting April 2.
• This expands the visa bond program to a total of 50 countries, primarily from Africa.
• The bond is refundable if the visa is denied or if the holder departs on time.
• The measure aims to reduce illegal visa overstays, with 97% compliance reported.

The United States will require citizens of 12 additional countries to post bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for certain visas, thus expanding the program to 50 countries. This requirement will take effect on April 2 and includes countries such as Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia, according to Reuters and Anadolu Agency.

The bond amounts vary—$5,000, $10,000, or $15,000—determined at the consular officer's discretion. It is refundable if the visa application is denied or if the bond recipient complies with the visa terms and leaves the US on time. The State Department noted that nearly 97% of participants in the initial program returned home as required, which demonstrates the program's role in reducing visa overstays, reports Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.

The visa bond program is part of the Trump administration's broader immigration strategy aimed at both legal and illegal immigration restrictions. Critics argue that these high bond requirements discriminate against low-income travelers, while the administration defends it as necessary for national security and compliance, citing the effectiveness of previous implementations, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

This policy follows a series of measures undertaken by the Trump administration since its inception, aimed at tightening immigration processes and reducing unauthorized stays in the United States. The inclusion of these new countries significantly affects the landscape of US immigration policy and tourism, as noted by Los Angeles Times and Anadolu Agency.