Some visitors to the US must now post a $15,000 bond to get a visa

The US State Department will start a 12-month pilot program requiring some temporary visitors to post a bond of up to $15,000 to get a visa. This applies to visitors from countries with high visa overstay rates or those offering "Citizenship by Investment" programs without residency requirements.

The US has long struggled with visa overstays, but this is a new approach to enforcement. Instead of just denying visas, the government is now putting a direct financial cost on potential overstays. This could significantly reduce the number of visitors from targeted countries, even for legitimate business or tourism.