Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Matthew Lee at The Associated Press is the basis of this AI-assisted article.
The Trump administration has nearly tripled the number of countries whose passport holders must post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for U.S. visas, expanding the list from 13 to 38 nations predominantly in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Some key facts:
• The State Department added 25 more countries to the visa bond requirement list on Tuesday, bringing the total to 38 countries.
• The bond requirement for the newly added countries takes effect on Jan. 21.
• Most affected countries are located in Africa, with additional nations in Latin America and Asia.
• Visa bonds can range from $5,000 to $15,000, making the visa application process unaffordable for many applicants.
• Payment of the bond does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.
• The bond amount is refunded if the visa application is denied or when the visa holder demonstrates compliance with visa terms.
• The new additions include Nigeria, Venezuela, Cuba, Bangladesh, Nepal, Angola and 19 other nations.
• U.S. officials defend the bonds as effective measures to prevent citizens of targeted countries from overstaying their visas.
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
