The State Department is launching a pilot program that would require migrants from some countries to post a bond as high as $15,000 to secure a visa for business or personal travel, the latest move by the Trump administration to crack down on countries with high visa overstay rates.
The Monday rule posted by the department does not list which countries will be affected but said it would target those with high visa overstay rates or poor internal vetting.
Selected countries will be given 15 days notice, and their nationals could be asked to post a $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 bond.
The State Department argued the program could “serve as a critical diplomatic tool to compel other countries to address overstays by their nationals and to address deficiencies in their identity verification standards and practices.”
“The Department believes these three levels will provide consular officers discretion to require a bond in an amount that is sufficient enough to ensure the alien does not overstay, while taking into account the visa applicant’s circumstances,” it said in the rule.
However, the pilot program will no doubt close the door to many travelers wishing to come to the U.S.
The State Department previously has shied away from considering bond requirements to secure a visa, as the “mechanics of posting, processing and discharging a bond are cumbersome.”
The move comes after the Trump administration enacted a new travel ban, barring travel from 12 countries while limiting it for seven others.
The Trump administration cited visa overstay rates and concerns about vetting in rolling out the travel ban.
The new pilot program would not apply to countries in the Visa Waiver Program where citizens do not need to seek a visa in advance of travel.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
