The U.S. has introduced a new visa policy that requires certain countries, including Malawi and Zambia, to provide a bond of up to $15,000. This bond is intended to serve as financial security for the U.S. government, ensuring that visa holders comply with the terms of their visa and do not exceed the authorized period of stay.
For now, only citizens of Malawi and Zambia are affected.
Starting on the 20th, citizens with passports from Zambia and Malawi who apply for visas for temporary travel to the United States, including tourism or business, will be required to pay a bond ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. The measure was announced on Tuesday (5) by the U.S. State Department.
“Any citizen or national traveling with a passport issued by one of these countries and considered eligible for a B1/B2 visa [tourism and business] must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, determined at the time of the visa interview,” the U.S. government said in a statement.
As part of the application process, the applicant must also complete Form I-352 from the Department of Homeland Security, agreeing to the terms of the bond. This form can be filled out and submitted through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. It is important to note that this requirement applies regardless of the location of the application.
According to the statement, payment of the bond, in the amounts stipulated by the U.S. government, does not guarantee the issuance of a visa to the travelers who applied for the document. “If any individual pays fees without being instructed to do so by a consular officer, that money will not be refunded.”
The statement also states that all visa holders who meet the conditions for posting the bond must arrive in the United States through the following terminals: Boston International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport.
The total bond amount, according to the statement, will be refunded to the applicant if they comply with all the terms for obtaining a nonimmigrant visa and the terms established in Form I-352. The bond will be canceled and the amount automatically refunded in the following circumstances:
• The visa holder leaves the United States on or before the expiration date of their authorized stay in the country;
• The visa holder does not travel to the United States by the expiration date of their visa;
• The visa holder applies for and is denied entry at a U.S. port of entry.
The conditions that, according to the U.S. State Department, constitute a violation of the terms and, consequently, will result in the non-refund of the bond include:
• The visa holder leaves the United States after the date of their authorized stay in the country.
• The visa holder remains in the United States after the date of their authorized stay in the country.
• The visa holder applies for adjustment of nonimmigrant status, including asylum requests.
Understand
On Monday (4), the United States government announced a pilot project that provides for the collection of a bond of up to $15,000 to obtain tourist or business visas for the country. To date, only Zambia and Malawi have been mentioned, leaving Brazil out of the initial list.
The State Department reported that the measure will be tested for a 12-month pilot period, providing a sense of security, and applies to applicants for the B-1 visa, intended for temporary business activities, including participation in meetings and conferences, and the B-2 visa, for tourism, visits to family and friends, or medical treatment.
Source: Agência Brasil