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State Department announces visa-bond pilot requiring up to $15,000 for some Malawi and Zambia B-1/B-2 applicants
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Summary
A temporary final rule published by the State Department will require some Malawi and Zambia nationals applying for B-1/B-2 visas to post bonds up to $15,000 beginning Aug. 20, the spokesperson said.
The State Department spokesperson said the department published a temporary final rule in the Federal Register to implement a visa-bond pilot program under the Immigration and Nationality Act and an executive order, saying nationals of Malawi and Zambia applying for B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas will be required to post a bond of up to $15,000, effective Aug. 20.
The spokesperson described the program as “a targeted common sense measure” intended to reinforce immigration laws and deter visa overstays. The briefing did not include details on how the bond amount will be calculated for individual applicants, how long bonds will be held, or whether bond funds would be refundable under particular circumstances.
The announcement referenced an executive order and the Immigration and Nationality Act; the spokesperson did not provide a Federal Register citation at the podium and said implementation details are contained in the published rule. The State Department did not state how many applicants the pilot will affect or criteria for selecting applicants who must post bonds.
