U.S. Begins Charter Evacuations as Iran Conflict Disrupts Middle East Air Travel 
Trump and Merz Meet at White House Amid Iran Strikes and Trade Tensions 
Rubio Says U.S. Would Not Target School After Deadly Iran Strike Reports 
Middle East Air War Triggers Massive Flight Cancellations and Global Airline Disruptions 
U.S. Imposes Steep Countervailing Duties on Solar Imports from India, Indonesia and Laos 
Supreme Court Backs GOP Lawmaker in New York Redistricting Fight Ahead of Midterms 
CFTC Asserts Authority Over Prediction Markets Amid Insider Trading Concerns 
U.S. Officials Review Tencent’s Stakes in Epic Games, Riot Games Over Security Concerns 
Ecuador Raises Tariffs on Colombian Imports to 50% Amid Border Security Dispute 
Australia Targets AI Platforms With Strict Age Verification Rules 
Anthropic Refuses Pentagon Request to Remove AI Safeguards Amid Defense Contract Dispute 
Melania Trump Chairs Historic U.N. Security Council Meeting on Children Amid Iran Conflict 
Trump Offers U.S. Insurance and Naval Escort for Tankers as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Oil Trade 
Venezuela Amnesty Law Frees Nearly 2,200 Prisoners, Says Jorge Arreaza 
Israel Declares State of Emergency as Iran Launches Missile Attacks 
U.S. Middle East Strikes Raise Indo-Pacific Security Concerns for Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan 
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump has expanded a controversial visa bond policy, adding 25 more countries to a list of nations whose citizens may be required to post a bond of up to $15,000 in order to apply for entry into the United States. According to information published on the U.S. State Department website on Tuesday, the total number of affected countries has now reached 38, with the policy for the newly added nations set to take effect on January 21.
The expanded list primarily includes countries from Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Among them is Venezuela, which drew heightened attention after its former leader, Nicolas Maduro, was reportedly seized by U.S. forces over the weekend and brought to New York. The inclusion of Venezuela underscores the broader geopolitical and immigration-related tensions shaping U.S. policy under the Trump administration.
Under the program, citizens or nationals traveling on passports issued by any of the listed countries who are otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa for tourism or business purposes may be required to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The exact bond amount is determined during the visa interview process. Applicants must agree to the bond conditions and submit payment through Pay.gov, the U.S. Treasury Department’s official online payment platform.
The visa bond requirement was initially introduced as a State Department pilot program in August, targeting a smaller group of countries. U.S. officials have said the measure is designed to discourage visitors from overstaying their visas, a long-standing concern in immigration enforcement.
Since taking office last January, President Trump, a Republican, has pursued a hard-line immigration agenda. His administration has implemented aggressive deportation efforts, revoked visas and green cards, and expanded screening procedures, including reviews of social media activity and past public statements made by immigrants.
Human rights organizations have strongly criticized these immigration and travel policies, arguing that they undermine due process rights and restrict free speech. Trump and his supporters, however, contend that the measures are necessary to strengthen national security and ensure compliance with U.S. immigration laws.
