The State Department is proposing a pilot program that would require some visitors to post a bond of up to $15,000 before being granted a U.S. visa, targeting travelers from countries with high visa overstay rates.
A map created by Newsweek shows what countries would be affected if the pilot program were implemented based on the most recent available overstay data. The map highlights nations like Angola, Liberia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cabo Verde and Burkina Faso—all with visa overstay rates above 10 percent in 2023.
Why It Matters
According to a notice published Monday in the Federal Register, the 12-month program would apply to applicants for business and tourist visas from countries identified as having high rates of visa overstays, poor internal document security or citizenship-by-investment programs that require no residency.
The bond would be returned if the traveler departs the U.S. on time, and forfeited if they…
