WASHINGTON, DC — The US Department of State is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 (around P862,000) to apply to enter the United States, a move that may make the process unaffordable to many.
In a notice to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the department said it would start a 12-month pilot program under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when they apply for a visa.
A preview of the notice posted on the Federal Register website on Monday said the pilot program would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication, adding it is necessary to ensure the US government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with…
