(CTN News) – In accordance with a proposition that was put out by the State Department, persons who are applying for business or tourist visas would be required to pay a bond that could be as high as fifteen thousand dollars to get access into the United States.

At this stage, the overall cost of the visa application process is likely to increase for many people worldwide. It is possible that applicants for visas from countries that have high overstay rates and weak internal document security procedures may be required to pay bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 to be granted a visa, as stated in the notice that will be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.

This is a plausible possibility. In addition to that, the State Department press release added that the organization is going to initiate a pilot program that will be operational for a period of one year.

This comes as the Trump administration tightens visa application rules

There will be a significant increase in the number of individuals who are required to participate in an additional in-person interview, which was not previously required. This interview will be conducted in person.

This information was disclosed by the State Department of the United States of America at the beginning of the previous week. The government is also considering making it mandatory for individuals wishing to participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery to possess a valid passport from their country of citizenship.

The State Department purpose of the pilot program is to make certain that the United States government will not be held financially responsible in the event that a tourist violates the terms and conditions of their visa.

Monday was the day that a preview of the bond notice was made accessible on the website of the Federal Register. This preview was made available to the general public without any difficulty.

It was agreed that the commencement of the pilot program would take place exactly fifteen days after the notification was formally published from the official source. This conclusion was reached after careful consideration.

According to the announcement issued today, “Foreigners applying for temporary visitor visas for business or leisure from countries with high rates of visa overstays, poor screening information, or those that offer citizenship through investment without residency requirements, may be included in the pilot program for getting a visa.”

It is stated in the release that after the plan is officially put into action, a list of the countries that will be affected by the plan will be made available to the general public.

Depending on the State Department’s case, bail may be rejected.

Individuals who are citizens of countries that are participants in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows for travel for up to ninety days for either business or pleasure purposes, would not be required to post a bond while traveling. This program makes it possible for travellers for one of these reasons.

Although the remaining states are dispersed across Asia, the Middle East, and other regions, the majority of the 42 member nations are located in Europe. However, this is the case despite the fact that a number of countries are in different regions.

Visa bond proposals have been made over the years, but none have been implemented. Since a considerable amount of time ago, the State Department has been hesitant to make use of its authority to enforce the law.

The hesitation is primarily due to the lengthy process of posting and releasing bonds, as well as concerns that the general public may not understand the issue. This is the primary reason for hesitation.

According to the State Department government agency, the prior statement “is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period.”

The government agency’s earlier statement stands in stark contrast to this. The government agency made this argument in reaction to the reality that visa bonds have always been necessary.

SOURCE: AP