The US State Department is introducing a visa bond program on a permanent basis, which will allow consular officers to demand a guarantee fee of up to $20,000 from people applying for tourist and business visas, Reuters reports.
According to a notice published in the US Federal Register, the new rules apply to business (B1) and tourist (B2) class visas. The bail requirement can be applied to citizens of 50 countries, and about 30 of them are located in Africa.
"Consular officers may require a deposit of up to $20,000 from applicants for certain non-immigrant visas as a condition of visa issuance," the document states.
The US authorities justify the decision with the need to reduce cases of violations of the terms of stay in the country by foreigners. According to the State Department, the pilot program operating in 2025 has shown that visa guarantees can be an effective tool for controlling the conditions of stay in the country.
