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Original Date Announced
November 24, 2020DOS invokes President Trump's April 22, 2019 "Presidential Memorandum on Combatting High Nonimmigrant Overstay Rates" to a create six-month Visa Bond Pilot Program for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visa applicants from certain countries with higher "overstay" rates. DHS and ICE will enforce the system, giving discretion to consular officers to impose $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 bonds.
Countries include: Afghanistan, Angola, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), Djibouti, Eritrea, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. [ID#1200]
2020.11.24 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 22 CFR Part 41 [Public Notice: 11218] RIN 1400–AE99 Visas: Visa Bond Pilot ProgramEffective Date
November 24, 2020Subsequent Trump and Court Action
August 5, 20252025.08.05: RIN: 1400-AG01 - Visa Bond Pilot Program - Temporary Final Rule
The U.S. State Department published a Temporary Final Rule authorizing the imposition of bonds on some tourism and business visas. These may be as high as $15,000. This renews a first Trump administration effort which aimed to apply a $15,000 bond for tourist and business visas for travelers from countries with a 10% or higher overstay rate. This encompassed two dozen countries. That policy, however, was never implemented. The State Department has not yet released the list of countries to which the current iteration of this rule applies.
For additional information and further updates regarding this change, please see this Trump 2.0 entry.
View DocumentCurrent Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: Final/ActualTrump Administration Action: RuleSubject Matter: Non-Immigrant Visas: VisitorAgencies Affected: Bureau of Consular Affairs ICEAssociated or Derivative Policies
Pre Trump-Era Policies
- January 24, 1996 22 CFR § 41.11 - Entitlement to nonimmigrant status.
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
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New Policy
Original Source:
Visas: Visa Bond Pilot Program
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Prior Policy
- Subsequent Action
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Commentary
To provide information, corrections, or feedback, please email IPTP.feedback@gmail.com
Commentary
2025.08.18 American Immigration Council - The Trump Administration Moves to Reinstate Restrictions on Legal Immigration Proposed in First Term
The American Immigration Council reports that the Trump administration is reviving several restrictive immigration policies from Trump's first term. These include expanding biometric data collection, ending "duration of status" for F, J, and I visa holders in favor of a four-year cap, reinstating a "visa bond" pilot program, and requiring Diversity Visa applicants to hold a valid passport at the time they apply for the Diversity Visa lottery.
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