U.S. mandates more foreign travelers to pay $15,000 visa bond deposits

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Visa bond mechanics and rationale

  • New policy requires many visitors from certain non–Visa Waiver countries to post a $15k bond, ostensibly tied to high visa overstay rates.
  • DHS data cited: Bhutan has ~21% in-country overstays vs ~2.2% average for non-waiver countries; commenters infer a mechanical “overstay-rate threshold” approach.
  • Some see this as collective punishment, consistent with a long‑standing pattern in US immigration: tougher rules for countries with lower compliance, or for political reasons.
  • Others argue the bond logically pre-pays costs of locating, processing, and deporting overstayers, but critics frame it as “pay-to-immigrate illegally” that screens for wealth.

Effects on legal vs illegal immigration

  • Multiple comments note visa overstays are now the dominant route for unlawful presence, more than border crossings.
  • Several argue the bond will mainly deter or block legal visitors who can’t front $15k, while doing little to stop people willing to overstay or cross illegally.
  • Expectation that bond/“insurance” companies will emerge, charging nonrefundable fees and possibly using collateral or monitoring, further raising costs.

Experiences and fears around visiting the US

  • Numerous non‑US commenters say they are reconsidering or have decided against visiting due to:
    • Border inspections described as intrusive, device searches, long detentions.
    • New forms demanding extensive social media and email histories, with anxiety about old political posts.
    • Stories of recent Border Patrol/ICE shootings and perceived impunity.
  • Some residents say day‑to‑day life feels normal if you ignore news; others call that out as overlooking risks, especially for non‑white visitors.

Cost, tourism, and alternatives

  • Complaints that travel to major US destinations (NYC, Disney, big events) has become prohibitively expensive: hotels, tickets, and attractions described as multiples of past prices.
  • Explanations offered: local regulatory capture (e.g. NYC hotel and Airbnb rules), “K‑shaped” recovery leading businesses to chase only affluent customers.
  • Many suggest alternatives: Asia, Canada, Europe, and rapidly developing tourism in places like India and the Gulf; some say US sights can be “visited” via video or VR instead.

Race, class, and enforcement priorities

  • Several posts argue outcomes “depend on skin color,” pointing to US refugee policies emphasizing white South African minorities and anecdotal legal advice that white, high‑earning overstayers are low priority.
  • Others counter that money, not race alone, is the primary filter, but agree poor migrants face the harshest enforcement.