As a result of the updates, the list now includes thirteen countries, and all but two of them are located in Africa, significantly complicating the visa application process for many applicants. Recently, the U.S. State Department added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan to this list. These changes took effect on January 1, as stated on the website travel.state.gov.
This initiative is part of the Trump administration's strategy to tighten visa regulations. In particular, citizens of all countries requiring a visa must now undergo personal interviews and provide information about their social media activity over the past years, as well as share details about previous trips and their family's living conditions.
U.S. authorities justify the introduction of a bond, which can range from $5,000 to $15,000, by stating that it helps prevent instances of visa overstays by citizens of these countries.
It is important to note that paying the bond does not guarantee visa approval; however, the money will be refunded in case of a visa denial or if the visa holder can confirm compliance with its conditions.
The new countries subject to this requirement join Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi, and Zambia, which were added to this list in August and October of last year.
