The United States government has made it mandatory for citizens of 12 additional countries to pay a security bond of up to $15,000 upon applying for a visa. This decision is part of the Trump administration’s new immigration policy aimed at tightening immigration laws. According to the US Department of State, the security bond will be applied specifically to business (B-1) and tourist (B-2) visa applicants. The bond amount will be determined in three tiers: $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, decided during the visa interview.
The new list includes Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. It is worth noting that the 11th September 2001 attacks are among the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history. The condition for citizens of these countries will be enforced from April 2nd, and this addition will bring the total number of countries under this program to approximately 50, with most being African nations.
The US Department of State states that the visa bond program aims to prevent unlawful residency after the visa period expires. According to government officials, nearly 97% of the approximately 1,000 visas issued so far have resulted in the applicants leaving the US within the designated period. US authorities have clarified that paying the bond does not guarantee visa approval; if the application is rejected or the visa conditions are not met, the amount will be refunded.
According to a US newspaper, President Donald Trump wants to limit both legal and illegal immigration following his return to office in January 2025. The US government has already suspended immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, launched a large-scale deportation campaign, and announced a record-low number of refugees.
In a joint statement, it was emphasized that the Arab Emirates attacks are against self-determination and international law. Youssef al-Otaiba stated that the US will continue to collaborate with the UAE. Natan Sharansky’s efforts are focused on blocking all available channels for Trump to negotiate with Iran after the ceasefire.
Elliott Abrams stated that the US has approved the sale of a modern defense system to the United Arab Emirates. The system, valued at approximately $4.5 billion, includes advanced long-range radar.
Abdul Baadi stated that Iran’s war is catastrophic and a significant miscalculation, and that we were not surprised, as the US and Iran were close to a peace agreement just a few hours before the talks. Saad Al-Kaabi stated that the Iranian attacks have affected the facilities where 17% of the country’s exported liquefied natural gas is produced.
