The United States has launched a new pilot programme requiring some immigrant visa applicants to pay bonds of up to $250,000 before they can receive their visas.
The policy, which takes immediate effect, currently applies to certain immigrant visa applicants from the Dominican Republic who were found ineligible on “public charge” grounds.
US authorities, however, say the programme could be extended to other countries.
The US Department of State announced the initiative on Wednesday, saying it is aimed at ensuring immigrants can support themselves financially and do not become dependent on government welfare.
“Immigrating to the United States is a privilege, not a right. Those who seek that privilege must demonstrate that they will contribute to our nation rather than become a burden,” the department said.
The latest measure comes just days after the Trump administration made permanent its $20,000 visa bond programme for certain non-immigrant visa applicants from 50 countries, including Nigeria, to discourage visa overstays.
According to the State Department, the new programme targets applicants who were initially denied immigrant visas because officials believed they were likely to rely on public assistance after arriving in the US.
Consular officers will determine the bond amount on a case-by-case basis, taking into account each applicant’s financial circumstances.
Officials said some applicants are already being asked to provide bonds of $100,000 or $250,000.
The department explained that the policy is based on long-standing provisions of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows authorities to require financial guarantees from applicants considered likely to become a public charge.
The bonds are intended to protect US public benefit programmes from the cost of supporting immigrants who may require government-funded welfare or expensive medical care.
The State Department said the programme also gives applicants who were previously denied visas on public charge grounds another opportunity to prove they have the financial means to support themselves.
Under the scheme, the bond can be cancelled after five years if the immigrant does not receive public cash assistance or long-term government-funded institutional care during that period.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services will decide whether the bond should be released or forfeited if its conditions are breached.
The Dominican Republic was chosen for the pilot because of the high volume of immigrant visa applications processed at the US Embassy in Santo Domingo.
The programme follows another immigration policy introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration, which permanently requires certain business and tourist visa applicants from 50 countries, including Nigeria and 29 other African nations, to pay a refundable $20,000 visa bond.
Travellers who comply with their visa conditions and leave the United States before their authorised stay expires will receive a refund. Those who violate immigration rules risk losing the bond.
That permanent programme replaced a 2025 pilot scheme, under which selected non-immigrant visa applicants were required to post visa bonds of up to $15,000 to reduce visa overstays.
