In brief
The U.S. State Department has announced that citizens from 12 additional countries, including Cambodia and Ethiopia, will have to post bonds when applying for visas, effective April 2. This measure aims to reduce visa overstays, with 50 countries now subject to this requirement under a program initiated during the Trump administration. Nearly 97% of bond postings have resulted in applicants adhering to their visa terms.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. State Department is expanding the list of nations whose citizens must post bonds to apply for U.S. visas. Effective April 2, passport holders from Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia will be required to submit bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 based on individual circumstances.The bond will be refunded if the visa application is denied, or if it is granted and the recipient complies with the visa's terms. With this addition, the visa bond requirement will be in place for citizens from 50 countries, aimed at addressing the high overstay rates associated with these nations.This program, introduced under the Trump administration last year, serves as a measure to minimize illegal migration by enforcing stricter visa adherence. According to the State Department, the program has shown effectiveness, with almost 97% of nearly 1,000 applicants who posted bonds not overstaying their visas. For further details, the full list of countries can be found on the State Department's website.
