The Trump administration has expanded its visa bond programme to include Bangladesh, bringing the total number of countries under the scheme to 36. The programme will take effect for Bangladeshi nationals from January 21 and will apply only to applicants seeking B1/B2 (business and tourist) visas.
Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan are the three South Asian countries included in the latest expansion. The programme, introduced by the government of United States President Donald Trump, has already been in effect for Bhutan since January 1.
Under the scheme, a US consular officer will determine the bond amount—set at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000—on a case-by-case basis. Payment will be made through the US government’s Pay.gov platform. Payment of the bond does not guarantee the issuance of a visa.
Visa holders subject to the bond will be permitted to enter the US only through three designated airports: Boston Logan International Airport, John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport.
The bond will be forfeited automatically if any condition is violated, including overstaying the authorised period or making an unauthorised adjustment of immigration status. Any breach will be reported to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for enforcement action.
A senior official of Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said higher rates of visa overstays and a larger proportion of welfare recipients among immigrants were key factors behind the decision.
Meanwhile, Trump claimed on Monday via his Truth Social platform that 54 per cent of Bangladeshi immigrants in the US receive government welfare benefits.
According to the claim, these benefits include medical assistance, food support, housing subsidies, school-related aid and other social services. The welfare application process, he said, is relatively simple and does not involve stringent verification, relying primarily on self-declared income status.
