US Makes Visa Bond Programme Permanent with $20,000 Maximum

The US State Department has made its visa bond programme permanent, requiring certain applicants for business and tourist visas to post bonds of up to $20,000 before a visa is issued. The policy was adopted after a year-long pilot phase that found it helped improve compliance with visa conditions.

The programme applies to citizens of 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and others in Africa, Asia, North America, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Latin America. Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond at their discretion, with the maximum amount increased from $15,000 to $20,000.

Immigration advocates have expressed concerns that the measure could discourage legitimate travel to the US, while US officials say it is designed to reduce the number of travellers who overstay their visas. The policy comes into force on August 3 and may be extended to additional countries in the future.