Marrakech \u2013 The United States will soon require citizens from Malawi and Zambia to pay a $15,000 deposit for tourist or business visas under a new pilot program.<\/p>\n
The initiative, announced<\/a> by the State Department, aims to curb visa overstays and address what officials describe as \u201cdeficient\u201d screening and vetting information.<\/p>\n Starting August 20, the 12-month program will run until August 5, 2026, targeting B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourist) visa applicants from countries with high overstay rates. The deposits will be returned to travelers who comply with visa conditions and don\u2019t exceed their permitted time in the US.<\/p>\n Consular officers will determine bond amounts ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 based on applicants\u2019 circumstances, including \u201cpurpose of travel, current employment, income, skills, and education.\u201d Officials are generally expected to require at least $10,000.<\/p>\n Government figures from 2023 show that about 14% of visitors from Malawi and 11% from Zambian visitors overstay their visas. Other countries with higher overstay rates include Haiti (31%), Myanmar (27%), and Yemen (20%).<\/p>\n The latest Department of Homeland Security report listed Chad, Laos, and Haiti among countries with the highest visa overstay rates. An estimated 500,000 people admitted to the US during that period stayed beyond their visa expiration dates.<\/p>\n Visa holders from the two African countries must arrive and depart through one of three designated points of entry: Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, or Washington Dulles International Airport.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pilot Program is a tool of diplomacy, intended to encourage foreign governments to take immediate action to reduce the overstay rates of their nationals,\u201d the State Department rule states.<\/p>\n The program also aims to push countries to \u201cimprove screening and vetting and the security of travel and civil documents, including in the granting of citizenship.\u201d<\/p>\n State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce described it as a \u201ctargeted common-sense measure\u201d that \u201creinforces the administration\u2019s commitment to US immigration law while deterring visa overstays.\u201d<\/p>\n The new requirement aligns with President Donald Trump\u2019s broader agenda on immigration<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since returning to office in January, Trump has signed orders rolling back humanitarian programs for migrants and banned foreign nationals from 12 countries from traveling to the US, with partial restrictions<\/a> on another seven.<\/p>\n A similar program was launched in November 2020 during Trump\u2019s first term, but wasn\u2019t fully implemented due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.<\/p>\n The US Travel Association estimates the \u201cscope of the visa bond pilot program appears to be limited, with an estimated 2,000 applicants affected, most likely from only a few countries with relatively low travel volume to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Additionally, a provision in a spending package passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in July created a $250 \u201cvisa integrity fee\u201d for anyone approved for a non-immigrant visa. This fee, which takes effect October 1, could potentially be reimbursable for those who comply with visa rules.<\/p>\n The US Travel Association warned that this fee could hinder travel, noting that \u201cif implemented, the US will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n