The U.S. State Department is set to make permanent a visa application pilot program under which applicants from 50 countries, mainly in Africa, must post a bond. Multiple outlets report that the change is being formally announced on Monday and coincides with the program’s move from a pilot to a continuing policy.
Under the program, visa applicants are required to provide financial security as part of the application process. Reporting indicates the bond amounts are being increased, with requirements potentially reaching as much as $20,000. The sources characterize the countries affected as largely African and specify that the total number of countries included is 50.
The news accounts focus on the scope of the policy—its permanence, the number of participating countries, and the potential maximum bond amount—rather than citing specific motivations or providing detailed criteria for how bond levels are determined for individual applicants. Overall, the reporting portrays a U.S. policy shift that expands an existing requirement and increases the financial burden on applicants from the listed countries.
