In a major update on the US potentially charging a significant, one-time bond for immigrant visas, the Department of Homeland Securityreportedly launched a pilot program to that effect.
The Washington Beacon reported on Wednesday that the program would go into effect starting Tuesday and will apply to "certain immigrants from the Dominican Republic." A State Department official told the outlet that it will start rolling out in the consular offices in the Caribbean nations.
The official clarified that the program will be applicable to immigrants who have been found "ineligible on public charge grounds to post a bond with USCIS in order to be issued an immigrant visa." It primarily affects USCIS rejections on grounds of suspected inability to financially support oneself in the US.
Additionally, while the program is not being officially rolled out as such, US consulates in the Caribbean, which decide bond amounts for visas, are considering cases in the range of $100,000 or $250,000, the report states.
Which Visa Applicants Does It Affect?
{{/usCountry}}Which Visa Applicants Does It Affect?
{{/usCountry}}Thus, prospective Dominican immigrants whose visa applications were rejected over suspicion that they will not be able to financially sustain themselves in the US are set to get a chance to submit the exorbitant bond amount to get their US citizenship now. It will not apply to prospective immigrants from other countries seeking US visas.
The State Department official told the Washington Beacon: “As part of this comprehensive initiative, the Department is implementing a long-standing legal authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to require certain visa applicants—those who are otherwise ineligible for a visa because they are likely to become a public charge—to post a bond as a way to tangibly demonstrate they have access to the funds needed to support themselves.”
It adds that the bond amount raised this way will go towards protecting "American public benefits programs from the financial burden of foreigners who arrive with major medical expenses or other needs."
Visa Bond Program To be Permanent For 50 Countries
On July 31, the US State Department announced that it will make permanent a visa bond program requiring applicants from 50 countries, mostly in Africa, to post a bond of up to $20,000 to seek a US visa. A Federal Register notice was sent accordingly, with the new rule now applying to B1 and B2 visas.
"Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers," the notice read.
"The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond program, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders."