Washington: The U.S. visa bond programme, launched August 4, 2025, slaps $15,000 bonds on travellers from Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, and others, igniting a global firestorm from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while India pushes for Global South fairness and U.S. hardliners cheer a tough immigration stance. Malawi calls it “punitive,” Zambia a “financial blockade,” Nigeria and Kenya decry economic barriers, China and Brazil flag trade and migration woes, Indonesia and Colombia cite tourism and labour hits, and the UN warns of mobility risks, per reports and diplomatic sources. European allies, spared by Visa Waiver exemptions, watch warily. Aiming to curb ~400,000 B-1/B-2 visa overstays reported in FY 2023 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the 12-month pilot, effective August 20, 2025, rides on President Donald Trump’s executive order. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on EWTN’s The World Over on August 7, defends its precision, but a 2020 pilot’s flop and fears of a $200 billion tourism hit fuel doubts. This policy’s bold swing demands scrutiny for its global toll.
The programme, authorised by the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 221(g)(3), requires applicants from designated countries to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, set by consular officers based on financial status or travel purpose, via DHS Form I-352 on Pay.gov within 30 days of notification. Entry is restricted to ports like Boston Logan, JFK, or Washington Dulles within 30 days of visa issuance, with bonds refunded for timely departure or legal status adjustment, but forfeited for overstays, as determined by DHS. Affecting ~2,000 applicants, the programme excludes Visa Waiver Programme countries (over 40, mostly European), Canada, and Mexico. A $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” for nonimmigrant visas, starting in 2026, adds a non-refunded layer for overstays.
Rubio stressed the programme’s focus on high-overstay countries, not all nations, as a targeted enforcement tool. In the EWTN interview, he addressed delays in religious visas for Catholic priests and nuns, noting fraud in unaccompanied minor visas under the Biden administration conflated categories, reducing slots for religious workers. Rubio is collaborating with U.S. cardinals and bishops to streamline a standalone process, ensuring churches don’t close due to visa shortages. “We don’t want headlines that some Catholic church had to close because it couldn’t get their priests here,” he said, pledging a fix.
Rubio also defended revoking student visas under the INA, which allows termination for speech compromising “compelling foreign policy interests” or for any reason. Citing cases like a student justifying the October 7th attacks as “necessary,” Rubio argued visas are a privilege, not a right, and revocations are routine if new information warrants denial. Facing a lawsuit from Stanford’s newspaper and a free speech group alleging First Amendment violations, Rubio dismissed it, stating the issue is the impact on U.S. interests, not speech itself. “If I wouldn’t have let you in had I known this, why wouldn’t I be able to revoke your visa?” he said, emphasising national security.
The bond programme and visa revocations, driven by DHS’s overstay data and security priorities, aim to tighten U.S. borders but send shockwaves worldwide, threatening economic ties and human dreams. From blocking African entrepreneurs to stalling Indian students, these measures—intended to curb ~400,000 annual overstays—risk alienating allies, slashing tourism, and splitting families. Critics warn the policies’ blunt force could erode U.S. global standing, igniting a fierce clash over access and equity that resonates from Nairobi to New Delhi.
The controversy crackles with global economic, diplomatic, and domestic heat.
Africa Reacts
- Malawi’s foreign ministry branded the bonds “punitive,” threatening reciprocal visa curbs.
- Zambia’s tourism board warned of a 20% drop in U.S. travel, hitting safari operators, small hotels, and cultural tours, per local reports.
- Nigeria’s foreign affairs spokesperson called it an “economic barrier,” projecting a 15% dip in U.S.-Africa trade shows, critical for tech and textile sectors, per African news outlets.
- Kenya’s tourism ministry warned of a $100 million loss in U.S. visitor revenue, impacting wildlife reserves, per local media.
- South Africa’s trade ministry decried restricted labour mobility, fearing impacts on seasonal workers.
- The African Union flagged disruptions to U.S.-Africa trade summits, citing $500 million in annual deals at risk.
Global Outrage
- India’s external affairs ministry, balancing U.S. ties, pressed for Global South fairness, citing barriers to 50,000 Indian students and $10 billion in tech exchanges, per diplomatic sources.
- China’s commerce ministry warned of strained U.S.-China business travel, vital for $700 billion in trade, per state media.
- Brazil’s foreign ministry noted the barriers for migrant workers, risking $20 billion in U.S.-Brazil agricultural deals, per diplomatic briefs.
- Indonesia’s tourism board feared a 12% drop in U.S. visitors, hitting Bali’s resorts, per local reports.
- Colombia’s labour ministry highlighted impacts on 3,000 seasonal workers, per news outlets. Mexico’s foreign ministry noted barriers for cross-border workers, estimating 5,000 affected families, per reports.
- The Philippines’ tourism department projected a 10% drop in U.S. visitors, impacting beach resorts, per local media.
- The UN’s migration office cautioned that bonds could undermine global mobility, per policy briefs.
- The Cato Institute’s Alex Nowrasteh warns the bonds could gut budget tourism, projecting a $50 billion loss in visitor spending, creating a “two-tiered” system favoring wealthier applicants. David Bier calls it “draconian,” potentially barring U.S. citizens’ relatives, while CAIR’s Robert S. McCaw decries it as discriminatory.
- The American Immigration Council estimates 10,000 U.S. families with African ties could face separation. U.S. labour unions, like the AFL-CIO, warn of 50,000 job losses in tourism-dependent states like Florida. Supporters, backed by groups like the Heritage Foundation and U.S. online sentiments, praise it as a vital crackdown on overstays. European diplomats, relieved at the exemption, worry about precedent for future policies.
- A 2020 pilot faltered due to COVID-19 and complexity, and similar policies in New Zealand and the UK were scrapped, amplifying feasibility concerns.
Yet Rubio insists the programme is a pragmatic step to tackle a persistent challenge.
The visa bond programme, alongside student visa revocations, underscores the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, but its success hinges on balancing deterrence with accessibility. The policy’s promise to reduce overstays faces scepticism, leaving observers wary of its impact on U.S. relations and genuine visitors.
– global bihari bureau
