Zambia and Malawi Tourists First to Face $15,000 Visa Bonds Under New US Immigration Rule
The United States has officially named Zambia and Malawi as the first countries whose citizens will be required to pay up to $15,000 in visa bonds to travel to the US for tourism or business, under a controversial new immigration policy announced by the US Department of State.
The bond scheme, which takes effect on August 20, 2025, is part of a 12-month pilot programme aimed at deterring visa overstays, a longstanding concern of US immigration authorities. The measure will require travelers from the two African nations to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 as a refundable deposit during the visa application process.
If travelers depart the US within the terms of their visa, the full amount will be refunded. However, if the visa is overstayed, or the traveler applies for asylum or another immigration-related status, the US federal government will retain the bond.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights groups and immigration advocates, who say the rule unfairly targets poorer nations with limited travel volumes while overlooking higher-volume countries with more overstays in absolute terms.
“This is not about national security,” said Robert McCaw, Director of Government Affairs at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “It’s about weaponising immigration policy to extort vulnerable visitors, punish disfavored countries, and turn America’s welcome mat into a paywall.”
CAIR labeled the policy a “legalised shakedown,” warning it could further isolate African travelers and damage diplomatic relations.
According to the 2024 Department of Homeland Security report, Zambia and Malawi were flagged for having relatively high visa overstay rates. In fiscal year 2023, 14.3% of Malawian visitors and 11.1% of Zambian visitors on business or tourism visas overstayed their permitted stay.
Though the absolute numbers are small, just 237 Malawians and 388 Zambians, the percentages were deemed sufficient to trigger bond requirements under the new programme. In contrast, countries like Brazil and Colombia, with tens of thousands of overstays, were not included in the initial rollout, prompting accusations of bias and inconsistency.
The bond programme was authorized under US President Donald Trump’s renewed hardline immigration stance following his return to the White House earlier this year. On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which has since underpinned a series of stricter immigration controls.
“This targeted, common-sense measure reinforces the administration’s commitment to US immigration law while deterring visa overstays,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Travelers from countries that are part of the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will not be affected by the bond scheme.
Critics argue that requiring travelers from low-income countries to front thousands of dollars just to obtain a visa will effectively make travel to the US financially inaccessible, especially for students, tourists, and small business owners.
The decision comes amid broader debates over fairness in US immigration policy, especially regarding how the government balances enforcement with equitable treatment of international visitors.
More countries with similar overstay rates may be added to the visa bond list as the pilot programme progresses, according to officials.
