2 weeks ago
US travel industry warns visa bond expansion could hurt tourism
Many people visit the United States from other countries.
The government worries that some visitors stay longer than their permission allows, which is called overstaying.
To stop this, it started a rule in August 2025.
Visitors from 50 countries may now have to give the government up to $20,000 before their trip.
That money is a bond, and it is returned if they follow the rules but lost if they overstay.
The government says the program works because far fewer people overstay now.
People who work in travel and tourism disagree.
They say the rule scares away visitors, including good ones.
They worry the government will add even more countries to the program.
They believe that would hurt tourism and jobs that depend on visitors.
The US Travel Association warned the Trump administration could expand the visa bond programme to additional countries, or perhaps all visa-required countries.
The State Department made permanent a visa bond programme, piloted since August 2025, requiring refundable bonds of up to $20,000 from visa applicants in 50 designated countries.
Visa issuances to covered countries fell 83% during the pilot's first 10 months, while overstays dropped from 45,488 in fiscal 2024 to fewer than 50.
Covered countries account for less than 2% of US visitors, but international travel is already declining, with Canada down 25% and Asia at about 50% of 2019 levels.
Total overseas travel to the US fell 4.3% year-to-date through June, and international travel fell 1.8% in June despite the FIFA World Cup.
- Who
- The US Department of State under the Trump administration, the US Travel Association and its president Geoff Freeman, and the National Travel and Tourism Office.
- What
- The administration could expand the refundable $20,000 visa bond requirement beyond the 50 countries it covers, which the travel industry warns could hurt US tourism and the economy.
- Where
- The United States; the 50 covered countries are predominantly in Africa, with others in Asia, the Caribbean, Central Asia and Latin America.
- When
- The programme, piloted since August 2025, was made permanent this month; travel data cited runs through June.
- Why
- The administration says the programme addresses visa overstays, information-sharing, security vetting and document systems, while the travel industry says expansion could discourage legitimate visitors and worsen an existing decline in international tourism.
Travel Industry's View
Administration's View
Expanding the visa bond program
Travel Industry's View
Expanding the program to more or all visa-required countries would have an extraordinarily detrimental effect on the US economy and the travel industry.
Administration's View
The program addresses visa overstays and concerns about information-sharing, security vetting and document systems, and countries can be added with 15 days' notice.
Impact on tourism
Travel Industry's View
International arrivals are already falling, with Canada down 25% and Asia at about 50% of 2019 levels, and expansion would discourage legitimate travelers further.
Administration's View
Visa issuances to covered countries fell 83% and overstays dropped from 45,488 to fewer than 50, showing the program is working.
Key facts
- Program
- Visa bond programme made permanent by the US State Department
- Bond amount
- Up to $20,000, refundable
- Countries covered
- 50 designated countries, predominantly in Africa
- Pilot launch
- August 2025
- Visa issuances drop
- 83% in the first 10 months
- Overstays
- Fell from 45,488 (fiscal 2024) to fewer than 50
- Overseas travel to US
- Down 4.3% year-to-date through June
- Expansion notice
- Countries can be added with 15 days' notice
Quotes
Geoff Freeman
President of the US Travel Association
“There are already rumblings of expanding this program to additional countries where visas are required, perhaps all countries where visas are required, that would have an extraordinarily detrimental effect on the US economy, on the travel industry.”
livemint.com
Sources
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