US to make visa bond requirements permanent, affecting mostly African countries

The U.S. State Department is moving to make permanent a pilot program that requires citizens from 50 countries, primarily located in Africa, to post financial bonds in order to apply for a U.S. visa. Along with permanence, the department is raising the cost of these bonds to as much as $20,000.

Details of the policy shift emerged following a draft notice published on a Friday in the Federal Register.