In a controversial move aimed at tightening immigration controls, the United States has announced that citizens from Malawi and Zambia will now be required to pay a $15,000 deposit when applying for tourist or business visas. The new rule, part of a 12-month pilot program introduced by the US State Department, is designed to discourage visa overstays and enhance vetting for travelers from countries considered to have “deficient” screening protocols or high overstay rates.
The policy applies specifically to B-1 and B-2 visa applicants those visiting for business or tourism and the hefty deposit will be refunded only if the visitor leaves the US within the permitted time frame. This requirement is set to be enforced at the discretion of consular officers, who will determine on a case-by-case basis whether the bond is necessary.
According to data released by the US Department of Homeland Security in 2023, approximately 14% of visitors from Malawi and 11% from Zambia overstayed their visas. These rates are among the highest for African nations and surpass the US’s acceptable thresholds for overstay risks. Other countries with notably higher overstay percentages include Haiti (31%), Myanmar (27%), and Yemen (20%).
The pilot program stems from broader efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce stricter immigration rules in his second term. On his first day back in office in January, Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding policies that target illegal immigration and visa misuse. The $15,000 bond rule is one of several immigration measures being pursued, including enhanced screening protocols and tougher visa issuance policies.
The visa bond may also be extended to nationals from other countries with similar overstay or vetting issues, or where Citizenship by Investment programs allow individuals to acquire nationality without residency, raising concerns about identity verification.
Critics argue the policy unfairly penalizes travelers from low- and middle-income countries and could deter legitimate business and tourism. Immigration attorneys also report that many recent visa revocations have been linked to factors as minor as traffic violations or involvement in peaceful political activism, particularly in support of Palestine, prompting concerns over civil liberties and discrimination.
The US has also continued to enforce travel bans affecting citizens from a dozen countries and has imposed partial restrictions on travelers from an additional seven nations. In recent months, visa cancellations and detentions of international students have also increased, with some students being held without notice or access to appeals, raising alarm among human rights organizations and academic institutions.
As the pilot visa bond program rolls out, Malawians and Zambians traveling to the US must now prepare to meet not only the usual visa criteria but also the significant financial hurdle of a $15,000 deposit, further signaling the administration’s aggressive stance on immigration compliance.
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