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If you want to visit the USA, you have to dig deep into your wallet - depending on the state.
Symbolic image: sda
In future, the USA will require certain tourists and business travelers to pay a deposit of up to 15,000 dollars. Washington wants to use the pilot program to combat visa overstays and exert pressure on countries with lax security checks.
In future, tourists and business travelers from certain countries will have to dig deep into their wallets if they want to enter the USA.
As the US Department of State announced in the official gazette, a pilot program will start in mid-August that will require visa applicants to pay a deposit of up to 15,000 dollars. Citizens from countries with high visa overstay rates or inadequate security checks are affected.
The measure is aimed at travelers from countries whose citizens overstay their visas particularly frequently or whose travel documents are considered insecure. B-1/B-2 visas (business and tourist visas) are affected. US consular officials will be able to demand deposits of 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 dollars.
Anyone who complies with the visa conditions and leaves the country on time will get their money back. In certain cases, the deposit can be waived, for example if individual circumstances justify this.
With this measure, the USA wants to ensure that it is not left with the costs if travelers violate visa regulations.
According to NPR, nationals from countries with high overstay rates, inadequate security checks or those that issue passports for money without a residency requirement are affected.
The final list of affected countries will not be published until the program is launched. blue News has asked Trump's State Department which countries could be affected. An answer is pending.
Citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program are not affected by the bail requirement. This currently includes 42 countries, the majority of which are in Europe. For them, visa-free travel remains possible for up to 90 days.
Visa deposits have been an issue in the USA for some time, but have never been implemented. The State Department had spoken out against it in the past because the procedure was considered too bureaucratic and could send the wrong signals to the public.
Now, however, the US government is arguing that there is no current experience to substantiate these concerns. At the same time, the Trump administration is also tightening other visa regulations: for example, many applicants for visa renewal will have to appear for an additional personal interview in future.
Stricter requirements are also to apply to the visa diversity lottery program, such as a valid passport from the home country.
