The United States will conduct a 12-month pilot program that requires temporary visitor visa applicants for business or tourism to post a bond of up to $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance, a State Department rule showed Monday.
The department posted the rule on the Federal Register, announcing the program for those applying for the B-1 visa for business and the B-2 visa for tourism, as US President Donald Trump's administration has been carrying out a crackdown on illegal immigration. Its implementation is set to begin on Aug. 20.
Those who may be subject to it are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates; where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient; or that offer citizenship by investment if the foreigner obtained citizenship with no residency requirement.
In enforcing the program, US consular officers will be given three options for bond amounts -- $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000 -- as these three levels provide them discretion to require a bond in an amount sufficient to ensure that the alien does not overstay, according to the department.
The money will be returned for any visa holder who complies with the terms and conditions of the bond, including his or her timely departure from the US.
The department plans to announce the countries subject to the pilot program no fewer than 15 days before the program takes effect. The list may be amended throughout the program, it said.
In determining country-specific overstay rates, the department plans to use the Fiscal Year 2023 Overstay Report issued by the Department of Homeland Security.
According to the DHS report, the average nonimmigrant business or pleasure overstay rate for countries with a visa waiver program with the US was tallied at 0.62 percent -- higher than Korea's 0.3 percent, which may suggest that US authorities are not particularly concerned about Korean temporary visa applicants. (Yonhap)
