US imposes US$20,000 visa bonds on 30 African nations

The United States permanently adopted its controversial visa bond programme, requiring travellers from Zimbabwe and 29 other African countries to pay refundable deposits of up to US$20,000 for certain visitor visas. The policy, previously piloted, now applies to applicants deemed higher risk of overstaying. Critics argue the programme unfairly targets African nations and imposes prohibitive costs on legitimate travellers. The US government defends the measure as a necessary tool to enforce immigration compliance. The core vulnerability: The bond effectively prices out most African applicants, reducing travel and business exchanges between the US and the continent.