The US has introduced a new visa policy that requires certain countries, including Malawi and Zambia, to provide a security deposit of up to US$15,000. This deposit is intended to serve as a financial guarantee for the US government, ensuring that visa holders comply with the terms of their visa and do not overstay their authorized period of stay.
At this point, only citizens of Malawi and Zambia are affected.
Starting on the 20th, citizens with passports from Zambia and Malawi who apply for visas for temporary travel to the United States, including tourism or business, will be required to pay a security deposit ranging from US$5,000 to US$15,000. The measure was announced this Tuesday (5) by the US State Department.
“Any citizen or national traveling with a passport issued by one of these countries and considered eligible for a B1/B2 visa [tourism and business] must submit a security deposit of US$5,000, US$10,000, or US$15,000, determined at the time of the visa interview,” the US government said in a statement.
As part of the application process, The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 agreeing to the terms of the bond. This form can be completed and submitted through the Treasury Department’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. It’s important to note that this requirement applies regardless of the location of the application.
According to the statement, payment of the bond, at the amounts stipulated by the U.S. government, does not guarantee the issuance of a visa to travelers who have applied for the document. “If any individual pays fees without being instructed to do so by a consular officer, this money will not be refunded.”
The statement also states that all visa holders who meet the conditions for paying the bond must arrive in the United States through the following terminals: Boston International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport.
The full amount of the security deposit, according to the statement, will be returned to the applicant if they comply with all the terms for obtaining a nonimmigrant visa and the terms established on Form I-352. The security deposit will be canceled and the amount will be automatically returned under the following circumstances:
• The visa holder leaves the United States on or before the expiration date of their authorized stay in the country;
• The visa holder fails to travel to the United States by the expiration date of their visa;
• The visa holder applies for and is denied entry at a U.S. port of entry.
The conditions that, according to the U.S. Department of State, constitute a violation of the terms and, consequently, will result in the non-refund of the security deposit include:
• The visa holder leaves the United States after the date of their authorized stay in the country.
• The visa holder remains in the United States after the date of their authorized stay in the country.
• The visa holder requests adjustment of nonimmigrant status, including asylum applications.
Understand
Last Monday (4), the United States government announced a pilot project that provides for the collection of a deposit of up to US$15,000 to obtain tourist or business visas to the country. So far, only Zambia and Malawi have been mentioned, leaving Brazil off the initial list.
The State Department reported that the measure will be tested for a 12-month pilot period, providing a sense of reassurance, and applies to applicants for the B-1 visa, intended for temporary business activities, including participation in meetings and conferences, and the B-2 visa, for tourism, visiting family and friends, or medical treatment.
Source: Agência Brasil