Visitors from Malawi and Zambia hoping to travel to the United States will soon need to put down a hefty deposit — as much as $15,000 — just to get a tourist visa, according to a new move by the US Department of State.
The new visa bond policy, announced this week, is aimed at countries where tourists tend to overstay their visas. Malawi and Zambia are the first to be targeted. The rule kicks in on August 20 and is part of a one-year pilot programme.
Under the policy, travelers from these countries will be required to pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 before coming to the US. The money is refundable — but only if they leave the country on time. If they overstay, apply for asylum, or use other immigration channels once inside the US, the government keeps the cash.
If the visa gets canceled or the trip doesn’t happen, the bond is also returned.
According to a 2024 report from the Department of Homeland Security, Malawi had a visa overstay rate of 14.3%, and Zambia 11.1% — both above the average.
But it’s worth noting that the actual numbers are tiny. Only 1,655 people visited the US from Malawi for tourism or business in 2023 — 237 overstayed. For Zambia, it was 3,493 visitors, with 388 overstays. Compare that to over 20,000 Brazilian and 40,000 Colombian overstays in the same year.
Still, the Biden administration says this is about enforcing immigration law and encouraging compliance. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called it a “targeted, common-sense measure.”
Critics, however, see it differently.
Advocacy groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) slammed the new rule, calling it exploitative and discriminatory.
The bond rule was introduced under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office this year, part of his broader effort to crack down on immigration. That order, titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” set the tone for tighter entry rules.
Ironically, DHS data shows that 98.5% of tourists and business visitors to the US follow the rules and leave when they’re supposed to. That makes visa overstays a relatively small issue, statistically speaking.
Even so, the bond system is now being rolled out — and more countries could soon be added to the list.
Travelers from countries in the US visa waiver programme (like those in most of Europe) won’t be affected.
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