The Trump administration has significantly raised the cost of entry for travelers from 25 additional nations, mandating a security bond of up to $15,000 for certain visa categories. The updated list, which now includes Venezuela, is part of an expanded “Visa Overstay Bond” pilot program aimed at high-risk countries.
For multinational corporations and international trade partners, the move represents a fresh hurdle for global mobility, as the five-figure bond requirement threatens to disrupt executive travel and increase the financial burden on emerging-market personnel seeking entry into the United States.
The list mostly included countries from Africa, Latin America and South Asia. It had a total of 38 countries as of Tuesday. The policy for the newly added nations will go into effect on January 21, the State Department website said.
The United States and Venezuela have reached a deal that could see up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude sent to U.S. ports.
Venezuela, whose toppled leader Nicolas Maduro was seized by U.S. forces over the weekend and brought to New York, was also included in the list.
“Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000,” the State Department website said, adding the amount was determined at the time of the visa interview.
Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond through the U.S. Treasury Department’s online payment platform, Pay.gov, the State Department said.
A State Department pilot program was launched in August with an initial list of nations.
The U.S. government has said the bonds seek to deter visitors from overstaying their visas intended for tourism or business purposes.
Since taking office last January, Trump, a Republican, has pursued a hard-line immigration policy, involving an aggressive deportation drive, revocations of visas and green cards and screening of social media posts and past speeches of immigrants.
