Some US visitors may be required to pay S$19,300 for bond on tourist & business visas

The United States may now require bonds of up to US$15,000 (around S$19,325) for some tourist and business visas under a new pilot programme which will be launched in two weeks.

This was announced in a government notice on Aug. 4, and is part of U.S. efforts to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas, Reuters reported.

What is the new programme?

According to Federal Register notice, as reported in Reuters, the new pilot programme will give consular officials the authority to impose bonds on certain visitors before they are allowed to enter the U.S.

The bonds will apply to visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, and possibly also to visitors from countries where the U.S. believes the screening or background checks are insufficient.

The State Department called the programme "a key pillar of the Trump administration's foreign policy to protect the U.S. from the clear national security threat posed by visa overstays and deficient screening and vetting", Bloomberg reported.

The programme will begin on Aug. 20, and last for approximately a year.

Consular officials will have three options for visa applicants that are subjected to the bonds: US$5,000 (around S$6,442), US$10,000 (around S$12,883) or US$15,000 (around S$19,325).

No waivers will be allowed, but officials may choose to waive bonds for urgent humanitarian needs or other extenuating circumstances.

Travellers will also have to enter and leave the U.S. via specific airports, which will be announced by the State Department in time to come.

The bonds will be refunded if travellers depart the U.S. in accordance with their visa terms.

The countries which are covered by the new programme will be announced soon.

Criteria used to identify countries affected

According to Reuters, a State Department spokesperson listed the criteria which will be used to determine the countries affected by the new programme:

• High overstay rates
• Inadequate screening and vetting procedures
• Issues regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement
• Broader foreign policy considerations

Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations at the U.S. Travel Association, estimated that the scope of the pilot programme is narrow and only countries with low travel volume to the U.S. will be affected, Bloomberg reported.

However, he notes that the programme comes alongside other new visa-related costs.

Under a provision in Trump's recently enacted domestic policy bill, international visitors are also now required to pay a new 'visa integrity fee' of at least US$250 (around S$320), on top of existing visa application costs.

Hansen added that it is crucial for the U.S. visa policies to reflect "both national security priorities and the significant economic value of international visitation".

If the processes become too restrictive or costly, it could hurt the U.S. travel industry.

Trump previously issued a travel ban on some countries

Clamping down on illegal immigration has been one of U.S. President Donald Trump's priorities during his presidency, increasing resources for border security and ramping up efforts to arrest those living in the U.S. illegally.

In June, Trump issued a travel ban which fully or partially blocks people from 19 nations from entering the country, saying it was necessary for national security, Reuters reported.

Similar pilot programme launched in 2020

According to Reuters, a similar pilot programme was previously introduced in November 2020, near the end of Trump's first term.

However, it was not fully implemented due to the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in a decline in international travel.

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