The United States has tightened the noose for foreign travellers looking to enter the country. The Trump administration has now widened a visa rule that requires applicants from certain countries to post a hefty financial bond, adding 7 more countries to the list.The changes, were made without a formal which were reflected in a notice on the travel.state.gov website, came into effect on January 1. With this addition, the number of countries under this regulation has risen to 13, with 11 of them being in Africa.The newly added countries by US State Department are:

These join Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia, which were added to the list in August and October last year. The move has raised concerns that the cost of applying for a US visa has become unaffordable for many applicants. Under the policy, visa applicants from listed countries may be asked to post a bond ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. US officials argue that the measure is designed to discourage visa overstays and ensure compliance with immigration rules. However, even paying the bond does not ensure that a visa will be issued. The amount is refunded if the application is rejected or once the traveller proves they have followed the terms of their visa. The bond requirement forms part of a broader tightening of US entry rules under the Trump administration. Recent measures include compulsory in-person interviews for visa applicants from all countries that require visas, along with demands for extensive disclosures of social media use and detailed records of applicants’ own travel histories and those of their family members.