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Tourism

US to Require Up to $15,000 Bonds for Select Tourists

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The US State Department has introduced a pilot programme requiring travellers from certain countries to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States. The 12-month programme targets visitors from countries with historically higher visa overstay rates, including Malawi and Zambia, which will be the first to be affected. The bonds will be refundable if visitors comply with the terms of their visas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US State Department will require bonds of up to $15,000 for travellers from certain countries, including Malawi and Zambia, starting August 20.
  • The programme targets visitors from countries with historically higher visa overstay rates and excludes visitors from Mexico, Canada, and countries enrolled in the US Visa Waiver Program.
  • The bonds will have three tiers: $5,000, $10,000, and $15,000, and will be set by consular officers considering an applicant's personal circumstances.
  • Consular officers will be able to request waivers in limited circumstances, such as travel for US government employees or urgent humanitarian needs.
  • The programme is a response to high visa overstay rates, with over 400,000 visa overstays in fiscal year 2023 accounting for a significant proportion of migrants in the US illegally.
  • The US Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of over 40 countries to travel to the US for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa.
  • The State Department's temporary final rule was published on August 5 in the Federal Register and will be in effect for 12 months.
  • The programme is not a new concept, with previous US administrations attempting to implement similar policies, including Trump's State Department in 2020.

Statistics:

  • The programme will initially affect 2,000 visa applicants, with an estimated average bond amount of $10,000, resulting in an initial cost of $20,000,000.
  • In fiscal year 2023, 400,000 visa overstays were recorded, accounting for a significant proportion of migrants in the US illegally.
  • According to a report by the Migration Policy Institute, approximately 41% of migrants in the country illegally are estimated to be visa overstayers.
  • In 2003, the INS reprocessed data and estimated that 33% of the undocumented migrant population in 2000 had overstayed their visas.
  • According to the Center for Migration Studies, around 42% of the 2014 population in the country without proper documentation were overstayers.

Sources:

  • Al Jazeera, "US to require up to $15,000 bond for some tourists" (August 4, 2025)
  • Al Jazeera, "Tourists from Malawi and Zambia are first to face $15,000 visa bonds in US" (August 5, 2025)
  • US Department of State, "Temporary Final Rule: Visa Bond Program" (August 5, 2025)
  • Department of Homeland Security, "Overstay Report" (fiscal year 2023)
  • Migration Policy Institute, "Estimating the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States" (report, no date)
  • INS, "Estimates of Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States" (report, 2002)
  • Center for Migration Studies, "Estimating the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States" (report, 2024)

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