U.S. Visa and Travel Policy

The State Department announced it will extend a program requiring visa applicants from 12 more countries to post bonds of up to $15,000, with consular officers setting bond amounts case‑by‑case at the visa interview. Officials framed the expansion as part of a Trump‑era effort to curb visa overstays—largely affecting several African countries they say have higher overstay rates—and said the program has “already proven effective,” with nearly 97% of roughly 1,000 people who posted bonds complying with visa terms.