Trump wants to force immigrants to pay up to $250,000 for a visa
10 August 22:32
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is launching a pilot program under which certain immigration visa applicants will be required to post a bond of up to $250,000 to prove their financial solvency and obtain a visa. This was reported by the American publication Washington Free Beacon, citing a U.S. State Department spokesperson, according to
The program took effect on August 5 and , in its initial phase , applies to certain citizens of the Dominican Republic who are applying for immigrant visas. It may be expanded to citizens of other countries in the future.
This applies to applicants whom U.S. consular authorities have already determined are likely to become a “public charge”—a financial burden on the state. This status applies to people for whom there are grounds to believe they will be unable to support themselves and may rely on public assistance.
How the New System Will Work
According to the State Department, consular offices will determine the amount of the bond on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific circumstances of each applicant.
In the first cases currently under review, the bond amounts are $100,000 or $250,000.
The State Department explains that it is exercising the authority provided by the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This mechanism allows applicants who would otherwise not meet the requirements for a visa due to the risk of becoming a financial burden to provide a bond as proof of access to funds for their own support.
Thus, the bond effectively becomes an additional opportunity for people who were previously denied a visa due to their financial status.
The bond may be released after the fifth anniversary of the immigrant’s entry into the United States, provided that during that period the immigrant has not received public financial assistance to supplement their income or been institutionalized at public expense for an extended period.
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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will determine whether the bond conditions have been met and whether the bond can be released.
The State Department stated that the program’s goal is “to protect U.S. social assistance programs from an additional financial burden and to establish a requirement that people immigrating to the U.S. must be able to support themselves.”
The Dominican Republic was chosen for the pilot project due to the significant volume of immigration visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. At the same time, the State Department has not ruled out expanding the program to citizens of other countries.
The Washington Free Beacon also cites researchers’ estimates regarding immigrants’ use of social programs. According to the study, in 2023, immigrants received approximately $401.6 billion in social benefits and other government assistance, of which about $125.2 billion went to non-U.S. citizens and $310.1 billion to naturalized citizens.
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As reported by
