America is launching a pilot program that would require some inbound vacationers to pay bonds of as much as $15,000 to enter.
The 12-month program is aimed, partly, at guests from international locations with traditionally excessive visa overstay charges, in accordance with a momentary ultimate rule posted within the Federal Register on Tuesday.
It is the newest transfer by the Trump administration to tighten immigration legal guidelines within the U.S., following a journey ban on nationals from 12 international locations in June and a $250 “visa integrity payment” announcement in July.
This is what we all know concerning the bond program, primarily based on the Federal Register discover:
When does the pilot program begin?
This system begins on Aug. 20, 2025 and can finish on Aug. 5, 2026.
Who must pay?
This system applies to leisure and enterprise vacationers who want B-1 or B-2 visas to enter the U.S., and who’re coming from international locations:
- which have excessive visa overstay charges,
- the place screening and vetting data is deemed inadequate, or
- that provide Citizenship by Funding with no residency requirement.
Which international locations are these?
The U.S. Division of State initially acknowledged it might announce the listing of nations as early as at present. After the rule was revealed within the Federal Register on Tuesday, the discover acknowledged that the listing could be introduced “15 days forward of bonds being applied.”
CNBC Journey has reached out to the U.S. State Division to make clear this date.
Overstay charges will probably be primarily based on the Division of Homeland Safety’s 2023 Entry/Exit Overstay Report. This report, revealed on Aug. 5, 2024, reveals international locations with excessive overstay charges embody Chad (50%), Laos (35%) and Haiti (31%).
Nonetheless, international locations with probably the most complete overstays, by quantity, are Mexico (roughly 49,000), Brazil (21,000), Colombia (41,000), Haiti (27,000), Venezuela (22,000) and Dominican Republic (20,000).
How many individuals must pay?
Not many.
The Division of State stated it expects round 2,000 folks will put up visa bonds in the course of the pilot program, given the variety of people who find themselves certified to acquire U.S. visas and “uncertainty” surrounding the quantity of people that pays it.
How a lot are the bonds?
There are three ranges of bonds: $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000.
Bond quantities are on the discretion of consular officers, topic to tips. The quantities will probably be primarily based on vacationers’ “private circumstances,” together with their purpose for touring, employment, revenue, expertise and training.
Vacationers who’re required to pay a visa bond should enter and depart the U.S. by particular ports of entry, which will probably be introduced at a later date.
Why a pilot program as a substitute of a blanket rule?
The aim of the 12-month pilot is at the least two-fold, in accordance with the U.S. State Division.
It’s primarily geared toward accessing the feasibility of processing and discharging bonds, which the federal government has beforehand deemed to be “cumbersome.” However it’s going to additionally assist verify whether or not bonds compel guests to adjust to their visa phrases.
The federal government’s discover, nonetheless, additionally states that the pilot program is a “device of diplomacy” meant to spur international governments to scale back overstay charges of their nationals and enhance their journey screening and vetting processes.
Notably, the pilot program supplies extra particulars than the $250 “visa integrity payment” introduced in July, together with when it’s going to begin, how will probably be applied, and processes to put up and refund bonds quantities.
What number of U.S. guests overstay their visa phrases?
Just one%-2% of nonimmigrant guests overstayed their visas every year from 2016 to 2022, in accordance with the U.S. Congressional Analysis Service.
Nonetheless, 42% of the estimated 11 million individuals who dwell within the U.S. with out authorization entered on legitimate visas, however then by no means left, information reveals.
In 2019, the Division of Homeland Safety estimated that greater than 320,000 folks overstayed their visas, although this consists of vacationers who ultimately left the nation, in accordance with the State Division’s visa bond discover.
— CNBC’s Kaela Ling contributed to this story.
