The US is considering requiring travelers from certain countries to pay a 15,000 dollar deposit for tourist or business visas in a bid to combat visa overstays, the BBC reported.
According to a statement released by the US State Department, the 12-month pilot program will aim to reduce cases of people overstaying their visas and reduce entry from countries with lax screening practices. It is not yet clear which countries will be affected by the program.
The US administration has taken several steps to implement President Donald Trump’s pledge to reduce illegal immigration.
The announcement on the 5th of August said that the program would apply to travelers applying for short-term tourist or work visas (B-1/B-2) and coming from countries with a history of visa overstays and where adequate background checks are not possible. Consular officers may require short-term visa applicants to post a bond of up to 15,000 dollars before issuing a visa.
Since taking office in January,
Trump has signed several executive orders suspending programs for immigrants from certain countries
who are already in the United States. Citizens of 12 countries have also been barred from entering the United States, and citizens of seven others have been restricted from entering. The Trump administration has revoked the student visas of hundreds of international students, and several students have been detained without warning on university campuses.
The State Department has said that those detained are those who are involved in activities that are contrary to the national interests of the United States. A large number of those affected by the activities of the US authorities have participated in events related to support for Palestine.
Other times, visa cancellation is related to a previous criminal conviction or even minor offenses, such as speeding.
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