WASHINGTON — The State Department is set to launch a new pilot program later this month that will require foreign visitors planning travel to the U.S. from certain countries to post bonds of up to $15,000, according to a temporary final rule published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.
The program, scheduled to begin Aug. 20 and last until Aug. 5, 2026, will specifically apply to people in certain foreign countries applying for B-1 or B-2 visas for business or tourist travel to the United States. Each of those visas allows for a maximum stay of six months, though extensions are permitted in some cases.
The Trump administration said the program’s purpose is to reduce visa overstays in the U.S. and is a direct response to President Donald Trump’s January executive order “Protecting The American People Against Invasion.”
“The Pilot Program is a tool of diplomacy, intended to encourage foreign governments to take immediate action…
