美国国务院宣布将签证担保金试点项目永久化，该项目针对来自50个国家（主要位于非洲）的公民申请商务和旅游签证（B1/B2签证）[1]。永久版本将最高担保金从15,000美元提高至20,000美元，同时移除5,000美元的最低限额[1]。该项目定于本周一正式生效，美国政府表示可能会向该计划添加更多国家[1]。
试点阶段的数据显示该项目效果显著。2024年，这50个项目国家的访客中有近45,500人存在签证逾期停留的情况[1]。自试点项目启动后的前10个月内，这一数字大幅下降至少于50人[1]。政府估计，逮捕和驱逐一名逾期停留访客的成本约为18,000美元[1]。
然而，该项目也对签证申请造成了实质性影响。约20,000名申请人受到担保金要求的影响，其中近一半选择不缴纳[1]。相应地，商务和旅游签证的发放数量下降了83%[1]。
The U.S. State Department is making permanent a visa bond pilot program that requires citizens from 50 countries, predominantly in Africa, to pay deposits when applying for business and tourist visas to the United States.[1] Under the permanent version, the maximum bond amount will increase from $15,000 to $20,000, and the previous $5,000 minimum threshold has been removed.[1] The program is set to take effect on Monday and may expand to include additional countries.[1]
The pilot initiative has demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing visa overstay violations.[1] During 2024, approximately 45,500 visitors from the 50 targeted countries overstayed their visas, but in the first ten months of the pilot program, that figure dropped to fewer than 50 people.[1] The government estimates that arresting and deporting a single visa overstay violator costs approximately $18,000.[1] However, the higher bond requirements have substantially reduced visa applications, with business and tourist visa issuances declining by 83 percent.[1] Approximately 20,000 applicants have been affected by the bond requirement, with nearly half choosing not to pay and thus not pursuing their visa applications.[1]