Programme gives consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays
The United States could require bonds of up to US$15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot programme launching in two weeks, a government notice said on Monday, an effort that aims to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas.
The programme gives US consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Register notice. Bonds could also be applied to people coming from countries where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, the notice said.
He issued a travel ban in June that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the US on national security grounds.
Effective from August 20, the new visa programme will last for around a year, the government notice said.
