Business visitors or tourists travelling to the US could have to pay up to $15,000 to enter the country under a new scheme proposed by the Trump administration.
The US State Department announced the 12-month pilot programme aimed at people from countries with high overstay rates as well as those with weak document security controls could be required in order to post bonds when applying for a visa.
Price range for potential bonds would be determined by consular officers and could vary between $5,000 (£3,700), $10,000 (£7,500) or $15,000 (£11,300).
A preview of the Visa Bond Pilot Programme was posted on the federal register website and indicates it could come into effect in 15 days, until August 5, 2026.
The State Department said the bond would be necessary to make sure the US Government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with their visa.
"Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program," the notice stated.
Once the scheme comes into effect, the countries affected will be made known.
However, it notes that bond would be determined depending on the applicant's individual circumstances.
The pilot programme is expected to run until August next year
| REUTERSThe department indicated that the bond would not apply to citizens of countries which were enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program.
It allows travel for business or tourism for up to 90 days.
Most of the 42 countries enrolled are in Europe, the Middle East and some in Asia among others.
Similar bonds have been put forward in the past - although they have never come into fruition.
Countries enrolled in the visa waiver program would not be subject to the bond
|GETTY
As a result of the inconvenience of processing and discharging a bond the department has traditionally discouraged enacting the program.
However, the US Government is strengthening its requirements for visa applicants.
It comes as the State Department confirmed some visa renewal applicants would be required to do an additional in-person interview.
This was previously not a requirement.
The department is also proposing that applicants going for the Visa Diversity Lottery program must have valid passports from their country of citizenship.
During Trump's first administration, it established a six-month visa bond pilot programme in 2020.
However, it was not rolled out due to the global reduction in travel during the Covid pandemic - the department indicated.
The new scheme comes as Trump signed an executive order on the first day he re-entered the office, titled "Protecting the American People Against Invasion".
The order directs the Treasury Secretary, alongside the State Secretary and Homeland Security, to "establish a system to facilitate the administration of all bonds".
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