Latest news with #ConsularOfficers
Skift
4 days ago
- Skift
U.S. to Require Citizens of Malawi and Zambia to Post Bonds for Visas
For now, travelers from only two countries have to post bonds for U.S. visas. The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that travelers from Malawi and Zambia will be subject to visa bonds of up to $15,000, the same day the notice of the department's visa bond pilot program was published in the Federal Register. The announcement came a day after the U.S. government revealed plans for the 12-month program that would give U.S. consular officers the authority to require bonds for travelers from countries with high rates of visa overstays. Which Countries Are Affected? For now, it's just Malawi and Zambia. The State Department said the l
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US could require up to US$15,000 bonds for some tourist visas under pilot programme
The United States could require bonds of up to US$15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot programme launching in two weeks, a government notice said on Monday, an effort that aims to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas. The programme gives US consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Register notice. Bonds could also be applied to people coming from countries where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, the notice said. US President Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a focus of his presidency, boosting resources to secure the border and arresting people in the US illegally. He issued a travel ban in June that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the US on national security grounds. Trump's immigration policies have led some visitors to skip travel to the United States . Transatlantic airfares dropped to rates last seen before the Covid-19 pandemic in May and travel from Canada and Mexico to the US fell by 20 per cent year-over-year. Effective from August 20, the new visa programme will last for around a year, the government notice said. Consular officers will have three options for visa applicants subjected to the bonds: US$5,000, US$10,000 or US$15,000, but will generally be expected to require at least US$10,000, it said.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Some tourists and businesses could face a $15,000 bond to get U.S. visas
The U.S. could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot program launching in two weeks, a government notice said on Monday, an effort that aims to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas. The program gives U.S. consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Register notice. Bonds could also be applied to people coming from countries where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, the notice said. President Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a focus of his presidency, boosting resources to secure the border and arresting people in the U.S. illegally. He issued a travel ban in June that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the U.S. on national security grounds. Trump's immigration policies have led some visitors to skip travel to the United States. Transatlantic airfares dropped to rates last seen before the COVID-19 pandemic in May and travel from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. fell by 20% year-over-year. Effective August 20, the new visa program will last for approximately a year, the government notice said. Consular officers will have three options for visa applicants subjected to the bonds: $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, but will generally be expected to require at least $10,000, it said. A similar pilot program was launched in November 2020 during the last months of Trump's first term in office, but it was not fully implemented due to the drop in global travel associated with the pandemic, the notice said. The State Department was unable to estimate the number of visa applicants who could be affected by the change. Many of the countries targeted by Trump's travel ban also have high rates of visa overstays, including Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen. Numerous countries in Africa, including Burundi, Djibouti and Togo also had high overstay rates, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data from fiscal year 2023.
CNA
5 days ago
- Business
- CNA
US to Require Bonds of Up to $15,000 for Some Tourist Visas Under Pilot Programme
WASHINGTON: The United States could require tourist and business visa applicants to pay bonds of up to US$15,000 under a pilot programme launching in two weeks, as part of efforts to deter overstays, according to a government notice released on Monday (Aug 4). Under the one-year initiative, US consular officers will have discretion to impose the bonds on travellers from countries with high rates of visa overstays or where screening and vetting information is considered insufficient. The scheme, set to begin on Aug 20, is part of President Donald Trump's broader crackdown on illegal immigration, which has included ramped-up border enforcement and tighter entry restrictions. Trump's administration issued a travel ban in June affecting citizens from 19 nations, and his immigration agenda has led to a decline in inbound tourism. According to industry data, transatlantic airfares fell to pre-pandemic levels in May, and travel from Canada and Mexico to the US dropped 20 per cent year-on-year. Consular officers will choose from three bond amounts, US$5,000, US$10,000 or US$15,000, though they are generally expected to require at least US$10,000. The funds will be returned if travellers leave the country in line with their visa terms. The pilot mirrors a similar initiative launched in November 2020 during Trump's first term, which was not fully implemented due to the collapse in global travel caused by COVID-19. It remains unclear how many travellers will be affected. However, many countries named in Trump's current travel ban, including Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen, have among the highest overstay rates. Several African nations, such as Burundi, Djibouti and Togo, were also identified for excessive visa overstays in US Customs and Border Protection data for fiscal year 2023.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
US could require up to $15,000 bonds for some tourist visas under pilot program
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot program launching in two weeks, a government notice said on Monday, an effort that aims to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas. The program gives U.S. consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Register notice. Bonds could also be applied to people coming from countries where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, the notice said. President Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a focus of his presidency, boosting resources to secure the border and arresting people in the U.S. illegally. He issued a travel ban in June that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the U.S. on national security grounds. Trump's immigration policies have led some visitors to skip travel to the United States. Transatlantic airfares dropped to rates last seen before the COVID-19 pandemic in May and travel from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. fell by 20% year-over-year. Effective August 20, the new visa program will last for approximately a year, the government notice said. Consular officers will have three options for visa applicants subjected to the bonds: $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, but will generally be expected to require at least $10,000, it said. A similar pilot program was launched in November 2020 during the last months of Trump's first term in office, but it was not fully implemented due to the drop in global travel associated with the pandemic, the notice said. The State Department was unable to estimate the number of visa applicants who could be affected by the change. Many of the countries targeted by Trump's travel ban also have high rates of visa overstays, including Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen. Numerous countries in Africa, including Burundi, Djibouti and Togo also had high overstay rates, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data from fiscal year 2023.
