Up to $20,000 for a visa: U.S. introduces new rules for citizens of 50 countries starting August 3
Starting August 3, the United States is introducing a permanent visa bond for citizens of 50 countries applying for B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas.
The maximum bond amount will be up to $20,000. Kazakhstan is not included on this list, Kazinform reports.
According to the U.S. State Department, the amount of the bond will be determined individually by a consular officer when reviewing the visa application. The funds will be returned to the applicant if they leave the United States within the established period, do not use the visa, or are denied entry. If visa conditions are violated, the bond will be withheld.
The new requirements apply to citizens of countries whose residents, according to American authorities, have violated visa rules and overstayed their permitted period of stay in the United States more often than others. The list includes Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Tunisia, Uganda, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and a number of other countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The State Department noted that the permanent mechanism was introduced after the completion of a pilot program. Previously, consulates could set bonds in the amount of 5, 10, or 15 thousand dollars. Now the minimum fixed amount has been abolished, and the maximum has been increased to 20 thousand dollars.
American authorities expect that the new measure will help reduce the number of visa violations and cases of improper use of nonimmigrant visas.
According to American media, in recent weeks officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have also stepped up checks of foreign nationals with expired visas. It is reported that detentions were carried out in at least 15 airports across the country.
