The U.S. State Department has published a notice of a one-year pilot that will allow consular officers to require refundable bonds of up to $15,000 from certain applicants for B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas. The measure, due to start on 20 August, is designed to discourage foreigners from overstaying short-term visas. Under the program, officers may set bonds at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 for nationals of countries the department identifies as having high overstay rates, insufficient screening and vetting, or offering citizenship-by-investment programs with minimal residency requirements. The funds will be returned if the traveller leaves the United States within the period authorised by the visa. The department did not quantify how many people could be affected, but the U.S. Travel Association estimates the requirement will apply to roughly 2,000 applicants, largely from nations with limited travel volume to the United States. A similar initiative introduced in late 2020 was never fully implemented after the pandemic curtailed international travel. The bond scheme comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to tighten legal entry rules. Congress has already approved a separate, refundable $250 “visa integrity fee” that will apply to most non-immigrant visa categories from 1 October, potentially making the United States one of the world’s costliest destinations for international visitors.