Trump’s Visa Crackdown Deepens: Tourists To Pay $15k Deposit to Enter US

The United States may soon require foreign nationals from certain countries to pay a $15,000 security bond to obtain tourist or business visas, under a 12-month pilot programme introduced by the U.S. State Department.

The initiative, which applies to B-1/B-2 visa applicants, is aimed at curbing visa overstays and tightening entry from countries deemed to have high overstay rates, deficient vetting standards, or that offer Citizenship by Investment without residency requirements.

According to the State Department notice published on Tuesday, U.S. consular officers will have discretion to impose the bond requirement “as a condition of visa issuance,” depending on an applicant’s nationality and risk factors.

The policy is part of a broader push under President Donald Trump’s second term to reportedly clamp down on illegal immigration and enhance national security, with critics warning that it could further isolate nationals from low-income and politically unstable countries.

Since returning to office in January, President Trump has revived several restrictive immigration measures.

These include a travel ban on nationals from 12 countries, partial restrictions on another seven, and the revocation of humanitarian protections for certain migrants already residing in the U.S.

The administration has also cancelled hundreds of student visas and detained international students on university campuses—some reportedly for minor legal infractions, while others are allegedly being targeted for involvement in pro-Palestinian activism, immigration lawyers claim.

While the State Department did not specify which countries are covered under the pilot programme, observers expect nations with high rates of overstays or limited diplomatic ties with the U.S. to be most affected.