By Black Star News
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
Business leaders and tourists coming to America from Malawi and Zambia will now be required to pay upwards of $15,000 for a visa–and this payment “does not guarantee visa issuance,” the U.S. State Department notice says. The new Trump Administration directive starts Aug. 20.
The State Department said the fees will be returned under certain conditions.
“The bond will be canceled and the bond money will be automatically returned in the following circumstances: The visa holder departs from the United States on or before the date to which he or she is authorized to remain in the United States; or the visa holder does not travel to the United States before the expiration of the visa; or the visa holder applies for and is denied admission at the U.S. port of entry.”
The visa bond is coming on the heels of a $250 “visa integrity fee” that oversees travelers must pay.
Malawi’s Human Rights Commission lawyer Habiba Osman, a frequent traveler to the US, told CNN the visa bond was “unfair” and “a serious financial burden” for legitimate visitors. “The bond is inhumane for a country like Malawi. This move is punishing those who travel in good faith,” added Osman.
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