The U.S. State Department has filed a notice in the Federal Register outlining a year-long pilot programme that will require certain applicants for visitor visas to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000. The scheme, due to start on 20 August, applies to B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas and is intended to curb the number of travellers who remain in the United States after their authorised stay expires. Under the plan, consular officers will have discretion to demand bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 from nationals of countries with high rates of visa overstays or inadequate identity-verification systems. Travellers who depart on time will receive their money back; those who overstay risk forfeiting the deposit. Citizens of nations covered by the Visa Waiver Program are not affected, and officers may grant individual exemptions in other cases. The U.S. Travel Association estimates the programme will reach only about 2,000 applicants, reflecting its narrow focus on a limited pool of countries that the State Department has yet to name. The pilot revives a similar initiative floated at the end of President Donald Trump’s first term in 2020 but never fully implemented when international travel collapsed during the pandemic. Industry groups warn that additional costs could deter some visitors, adding to a separate $250 "visa integrity" fee passed by Congress that takes effect in October.