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Is $20,000 visa bond the next US travel hurdle? What wider rollout could mean for visitors
The US Travel Association is worried the visa bond program may discourage visitors, as international tourism faces challenges.
The US travel industry is warning that a broader expansion of the Trump administration’s visa bond program could discourage international visitors and hurt the US economy, after the State Department made the program permanent for travelers from dozens of countries.
The US Travel Association said it is concerned the visa bond requirement could eventually extend beyond the 50 countries currently covered. The program allows US consular officers to require certain tourist and business visa applicants to post refundable bonds of up to $20,000.
Geoff Freeman, president of the US Travel Association, told Reuters that there were indications the administration could expand the program to additional countries where visas are required. He warned that such a move could have a significant impact on the travel sector and the wider US economy.
Visa issuances plunge in pilot countries
The visa bond program was initially introduced as a pilot in August 2025 and was made permanent this month. It currently applies to nationals of 50 countries, most of them in Africa, along with countries in Asia, the Caribbean, Central Asia and Latin America.
Under the rules, eligible applicants for tourist and business visas may be required to pay a refundable bond of as much as $20,000. The bond can be forfeited if the traveler overstays or violates other conditions of their US immigration status.
The administration says the policy is intended to address visa overstays and concerns about information-sharing, security screening and document integrity in countries with higher overstay rates.
According to the administration, visa issuances to nationals of the 50 pilot countries fell 83% during the first 10 months of the program. Overstays from those countries also dropped sharply, from 45,488 in fiscal year 2024 to fewer than 50 during the pilot period.
The State Department can add countries to the program with 15 days' notice.
US travel numbers already under pressure
The travel industry says the visa bond program comes as international tourism to the United States is already facing headwinds.
Freeman said the 50 countries currently covered account for less than 2% of visitors to the United States, but he pointed to broader declines in international travel. Travel from Canada has fallen 25%, according to the association, while travel from Asia is running at about half its 2019 level.
Preliminary figures from the National Travel and Tourism Office show that overseas travel to the United States fell 4.3% year-to-date through June. International arrivals also declined 1.8% in June, during the FIFA World Cup.
The industry had expected the tournament to generate stronger international demand and provide a boost to U.S. tourism.
Freeman said the results raised concerns about the effect of policies that could make visiting the United States more difficult or expensive.
Industry urges policies that attract visitors
The travel association is urging policymakers to focus on measures that encourage international visitors, particularly as the United States prepares for major global sporting events and other tourism opportunities.
The concern is that expanding visa bonds could add another financial hurdle for travelers who must already navigate the U.S. visa application process.
For travelers required to post the bond, the amount can reach $20,000, although the money is refundable if the visitor complies with the terms of their stay.
The administration, however, has pointed to the sharp decline in overstays among travelers covered by the pilot as evidence that the program is achieving its intended purpose.
The debate now centers on how widely the policy could be applied. If the program remains limited to the countries currently designated, its effect on overall US tourism may be relatively contained. A much broader rollout could have a far greater impact on international travel demand, the industry says.
