ToplineThe Trump administration is dropping a requirement that World Cup ticketholders from some countries pay up to $15,000 in bonds when they apply for a visa to the United States, the Associated Press reported. The Trump administration announced the bond requirement last year.Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesKey FactsUnder a State Department program announced last year, foreigners from 50 countries, five of which have qualified for the World Cup, were required to pay bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when applying for a visa.The five countries included in the program that have qualified for the World Cup are Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia.The State Department’s program applies to foreigners visiting the U.S. for business or pleasure from countries with “high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient.”The suspension of the program for World Cup ticket holders comes as hotels have described the tournament as a “non-event,” citing bookings that have slumped below initial forecasts.Forbes has reached out to the State Department for comment.Trump Policies Impacting Foreign World Cup AttendeesThe bond suspension is one of multiple programs enacted or announced by the Trump administration that could impact World Cup attendees from other countries. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed last year introduced a $250 “visa integrity fee” for a majority of non-immigrant U.S. visas. Customs and Border Protection proposed last year a requirement for international visitors using the Visa Waiver Program to submit to extensive social media and personal data screenings.Crucial Quote“We welcome the administration’s decision to waive visa bond requirements for confirmed World Cup ticket holders—a smart, targeted move that will make it easier for more international fans to experience the tournament in the United States,” the U.S. Travel Association said in a statement Wednesday. The organization said last year it was concerned about the $250 visa integrity fee, saying it would mean “the U.S. will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world.”Key BackgroundThe World Cup will begin on June 11, with the U.S., Mexico and Canada hosting, though the vast majority of games will take place in the United States. While there have been signs of high demand for tickets, the economic boon the tournament is expected to bring to the U.S. appears to be less powerful than anticipated. Nearly 80% of hoteliers located in 11 cities hosting World Cup matches said early this month that bookings were tracking below original forecasts. A report from Oxford Economics said the World Cup games will generate a “moderate leisure & hospitality boost” for host cities, but the lift is not expected to “have a material impact” on jobs and economic growth this year. World Cup ticket prices are also falling, according to The Athletic, which found the get-in price for 76 of the 78 matches in the U.S. had recently fallen. For half of those games, the get-in price dropped 20% or more over a two-week timespan, The Atlantic reported, citing TicketData.com.Further ReadingTrump Administration: Some Foreign Tourists Must Post Bond Of Up To $15,000 To Enter U.S. (Forbes)U.S. Hotels Say World Cup Is ‘Non-Event’ So Far (Forbes)