The US State Department has expanded its list of countries whose visa applicants must post bonds of up to $15,000 for entry into the United States, adding 12 new nations. This move is the latest under the Trump administration to restrict immigration, primarily from non-Western countries. The newly added countries include Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. The bonds will be enforced starting April 2 and apply to B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visas.

The State Department defends the bond program as a means to reduce visa overstays. In a news release, it claimed that 97% of recipients of an estimated 1,000 visas issued under the program left the US within their visa timeframe. However, critics argue that the list, mostly comprising African nations, discriminates against low-income travelers. Bond amounts are set at $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 during the visa interview, and payment does not guarantee visa approval.

Since returning to the White House in January 2025, the Trump administration has intensified efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration. In addition to the bond requirements, it suspended immigrant visa processing from 75 countries in January, a measure challenged in court. The regime has also pursued mass deportations, allegedly conducting 675,000 removals, and rolled back programs like Temporary Protected Status and humanitarian parole. Most asylum claims have been paused, and the lowest refugee admissions cap in US history has been introduced.

These restrictive policies are impacting tourism and raising concerns about access to the upcoming World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The State Department hinted at further expansions of the program, signaling a continued hardline approach to immigration under the current US leadership.

Source: www.aljazeera.com