US visa bond of K88,000 now permanent for PNG citizens

 US visa bond of K88,000 now permanent for PNG citizens

Citizens of Papua New Guinea hoping to visit the United States for holidays or business meetings will have to set aside close to K88,200 as a refundable bond before their visa can be processed, following confirmation from Washington that the controversial scheme is here to stay.

The US State Department has made permanent a visa bond arrangement that was first rolled out as a pilot scheme in August of last year, targeting travellers from PNG and four other Pacific Islands Forum countries — Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu — who apply under the B-1 and B-2 visa classes for short business or tourist stays.

 

According to department officials, the bond, set at US$20,000, is specifically intended to curb the practice of visa holders remaining in the US after their approved travel period has expired. Applicants under other visa streams, such as the F-1 student category, are not subject to the bond, though they must still cover their own processing and tuition-related costs.

Officials from the department were careful to stress that the policy does not amount to a blanket restriction on travel from the five nations. Provided an applicant satisfies the usual visa requirements and can produce the bond amount, a visa can still be granted.

The decision to make the programme permanent, effective from Aug 3, came after the department reported near-total compliance during the trial year. Data released showed that out of close to 5,000 bonded visa holders, 98 per cent respected the terms of their visa and returned home before their authorised stay expired, a outcome the department described as a marked improvement compared to previous years.

Washington maintains that the wider push, under the current administration, is about reinforcing lawful travel and enforcing immigration law without compromise, while continuing to review screening, vetting and overstay data to protect national security and public safety.

The department added that the list of countries affected by the bond requirement will be revisited periodically, with any updates published on its website.

“Nationals of visa-bond countries may still be issued visas, as long as they meet the qualifications of the visa and pay the bond,” the spokesperson said.

“The visa bond programme only applies to travellers eligible for a B-1 or B-2 visa.”