The United States administration has expanded the list of countries whose citizens are required to pay a financial bond when applying for a visa to enter the US. The bond ranges from $5,000 to $15,000, bringing the total number of affected countries to 13, with all but two located in Africa.
The US State Department last week added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan to the list. According to a notice published on the travel.state.gov website, the new designations took effect on January 1.
This move is part of a broader effort to tighten US entry requirements. The administration has also mandated in-person interviews for visa applicants from all visa-required countries, along with the disclosure of several years of social media activity and detailed records of applicants’ and their family members’ travel and residence histories.
US officials have defended the visa bond policy, stating that it has proven effective in reducing visa overstays. The payment of the bond, however, does not guarantee visa approval.
The bond amount is refunded if the visa application is denied or once the visa holder demonstrates full compliance with the terms of their stay in the United States.
The newly added countries join Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi, and Zambia, which were placed on the list in August and October of last year.
Source: US expands list whose citizens must pay bond to seek a visa | AP News
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