Tourists could have to pay $15k deposit to holiday in US
State Department to trial programme requiring certain visitors to pay holding bond to enter country
Tourists and people visiting the US for business could have to pay up to $15,000 to enter the country under new proposals put forward by Donald Trump’s government.
The State Department announced it its launching a 12-month pilot programme under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds when applying for a visa.
The price range of the bonds will vary between $5,000 (£3,700), $10,000 (£7,500) or $15,000 (£11,300).
A preview of the bond notice, posted on the federal register website on Monday, said the pilot program would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication.
The department said it would be necessary to ensure that the US government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with the terms of his or her visa.
“Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program,” the notice said.
The countries affected will be listed once the program takes effect, it said. The bond could be waived depending on an applicant’s individual circumstances.
The bond would not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which enables travel for business or tourism for up to 90 days.
The majority of the 42 countries enrolled in the program are in Europe, with others in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere.
Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have never been implemented.
The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirement because of the cumbersome process of posting and discharging a bond.
The Trump administration is tightening requirements for visa applicants. Last week, the State Department announced that some visa renewal applicants would have to undergo an additional in-person interview, something that was not previously required.
In addition, the department is proposing that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program have valid passports from their country of citizenship.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/08/04/tourists-pay-money-enter-us-how-much/
Tourists and people visiting the US for business could have to pay up to $15,000 to enter the country under new proposals put forward by Donald Trump’s government.
The State Department announced it its launching a 12-month pilot programme under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds when applying for a visa.
The price range of the bonds will vary between $5,000 (£3,700), $10,000 (£7,500) or $15,000 (£11,300).
A preview of the bond notice, posted on the federal register website on Monday, said the pilot program would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication.
The department said it would be necessary to ensure that the US government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with the terms of his or her visa.
“Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program,” the notice said.
The countries affected will be listed once the program takes effect, it said. The bond could be waived depending on an applicant’s individual circumstances.
The bond would not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, which enables travel for business or tourism for up to 90 days.
The majority of the 42 countries enrolled in the program are in Europe, with others in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere.
Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have never been implemented.
The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirement because of the cumbersome process of posting and discharging a bond.
The Trump administration is tightening requirements for visa applicants. Last week, the State Department announced that some visa renewal applicants would have to undergo an additional in-person interview, something that was not previously required.
In addition, the department is proposing that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program have valid passports from their country of citizenship.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/08/04/tourists-pay-money-enter-us-how-much/
