The Trump administration has added seven more countries to a list that requires some visa applicants to post a security bond of up to USD 15,000 before entering the United States.
The move brings the total
number of countries on the list to 13. All but two of them are in Africa, a step that experts say will make US visas too expensive for many travellers.
According to the US State Department, the newly added countries are Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan. The changes took effect on January 1, following a notice posted on the official travel.state.gov website.
Under the policy, certain visa applicants from the listed countries must pay a bond ranging from USD 5,000 to USD 15,000. US officials say the measure is meant to reduce the number of visitors who overstay their visas.
The bond does not guarantee that a visa will be approved. However, the money will be returned if the visa application is rejected or once the traveller shows they have followed the terms of their visa and left the country on time.
The bond requirement is part of a wider push by the Trump administration to tighten US entry rules. Other measures include mandatory in-person visa interviews and the disclosure of several years of social media activity. Applicants may also be asked to provide detailed information about their own travel history and that of close family members.
The seven new countries join Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia, which were added to the list in August and October last year.
(With inputs from PTI)
