Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: A newly expanded policy from the Trump administration could re quire travellers from five World Cup-qualified countries to front a bond of up to $15,000 in order to enter the United States for the tournament, ac cording to a Guardian report.
Visa bonds operate like security deposits: a one-time payment meant to be refunded after a traveler exits the US under the terms of their visa.
The amounts generally run between $5,000 and $15,000, and are required for passport holders from certain countries to enter the US legally under B-1 or B-2 visas, the types required for business travelers or tourists.
The US state department has re quired these bonds since launching a pilot programme in late 2025, targeted at many of the same countries affect ed by the Trump travel ban along with others.
Last week, the state department announced an expansion of the pro gramme, with visitors from 50 countries including five who have qualified for the World Cup: Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia. The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11, with the final on July 19 in New Jersey.
