Bangladeshis will have to pay a security bond of up to $15,000 to obtain a US visa

Travelers going to the United States for business and tourism purposes will now be required to provide a security deposit. The US State Department has introduced this new measure to prevent visa misuse. Under this policy, citizens of 38 countries, including Bangladesh, will be required to submit a security bond ranging from USD 5,000 to USD 15,000 when applying for B1 and B2 category visas. However, the exact amount of the bond will be determined by the visa-issuing consular officer. For Bangladesh, this rule will come into effect from January 21.

According to the interim final rule published by the US Department of State in the Federal Register on August 5 last year, this program is intended for citizens of countries whose visa holders have historically had higher rates of overstaying in the United States. However, if travelers comply with the bond conditions, the deposited amount will be refunded. The pilot phase of this program began on August 20. Initially launched with two countries, the United States added 36 more countries to the list yesterday. In South Asia, only Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh are included.

Other countries on the list include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

A non-immigrant visa holder remaining in the United States beyond the authorized period is considered a visa overstay. This new measure has been introduced by the Trump administration to curb such overstays. The US Department of State has stated that anyone holding a passport from one of these countries who is likely to be issued a B1 or B2 visa must provide this security bond. The bond amount is determined during the visa interview. Applicants must submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352. Applicants must also agree to the bond conditions through the US Treasury Department’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. Payments can only be made online through Pay.gov.

According to the rules, applicants must submit Form I-352 to post the bond only after being instructed by a consular officer. Applicants will receive a direct link to make the payment through Pay.gov. However, posting the bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If a fee is paid without the instruction of a consular officer, the fee will not be refunded.

As a condition of the bond, all visa holders who post a visa bond must enter and exit the United States through designated ports of entry. Failure to do so may result in refusal of entry or exit. The three designated ports of entry are Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

US Homeland Security records entries and exits from the United States. If a visa holder departs within the authorized period or on the final day of validity, the bond amount will be refunded. In addition, the bond will be refunded if the visa holder does not travel within the visa validity period or if the visa application is denied. However, remaining in the United States beyond the visa validity period or applying for asylum will be considered a violation of the bond conditions.