The administration of US President Donald Trump will require citizens of Zambia and Malawi to pay a deposit of up to $15,000 for certain tourist and business visas, as part of a pilot program that begins in two weeks, the State Department said on Tuesday.
“Effective August 20, 2025, any person traveling with a passport issued by one of these countries who otherwise meets the requirements for a B1/B2 visa will be required to pay a deposit of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, to be determined during the visa interview,” the State Department said on its website.
The program will allow US consular officers around the world to issue cash guarantees to visitors from countries with high overstay rates in the United States, but it did not specify which countries.
A State Department spokesman said on Monday that the selection of countries would depend on high overstay rates as well as foreign policy considerations.
The deposit will be refunded to visa holders if they leave the United States within the allowed time and comply with all visa conditions.
President Donald Trump has made combating illegal immigration a central focus of his presidency, increasing funding for border security and arresting people who are in the United States illegally.
In June, he imposed a travel ban that completely or partially bars entry to citizens from nineteen countries, citing national security concerns.
Several African countries, including Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo, also had high visa overstay rates, according to Customs and Border Protection data for fiscal year 2023.
