State Department to limit visa overstays by requiring applicants to post at least $5K bond

The State Department is expected to publish a notice on the federal register Tuesday that will launch a pilot program that seeks to limit potential visa overstays by requiring applicants to post bonds ranging from $5,000 from some countries to $15,000 from others.

The proposed 12-month visa program would impact countries that have high overstay rates, and for visitors seeking a business travel visa or a tourism visa. 

The notice did not state what countries would be impacted by the program, or how much the bonds in those countries would be, but the selected countries would receive a 15-day notice and affected nationals could be asked to post bonds for $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. 

"[The program] could serve as a critical diplomatic tool to compel other countries to address overstays by their nationals and to address deficiencies in their identity verification standards and practices," the department said in the rule notice.

“The Department believes these three levels will provide consular officers discretion to require a bond in an amount that is sufficient enough to ensure the alien does not overstay, while taking into account the visa applicant’s circumstances," it added.

Countries with the highest visa overstay rates in 2023 include Chad, Laos, Haiti and the Congo, CBS News reported.

The announcement comes on top of the $250 visa integrity fee that Congress passed in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" last month. The fee can only be reimbursed if the migrants return home in a timely manner.

"If this [$250] fee is implemented, the U.S. will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world," a spokesperson for the U.S. Travel Association said in a statement. "If we are to maintain a competitive position in the global travel market, it's critical that U.S. visa policy reflects both national security priorities and the significant economic value of international visitation."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.