US to issue single-entry visas of up to 3 months for Bangladeshis

The United States has announced a new visa policy for Bangladeshi nationals, under which they will receive single-entry visas valid for a maximum of three months. A much-discussed ‘visa bond’ or security deposit system has also been introduced to curb visa overstays.

The US Embassy in Dhaka said in a press release on Monday that the pilot programme targets countries whose citizens have a higher tendency to remain in the United States beyond their authorised stay. Bangladesh was added to the list on January 7.

According to the embassy, the key features of the visa bond process include a requirement to pay the bond within 30 days of visa approval. If deemed eligible after the interview, applicants will be instructed by a consular officer to make the payment directly through a pay.gov link.

For Bangladeshi applicants, the bond amount can be as high as 15,000 US dollars, approximately Tk 1.8 million. The bond will be automatically refunded if the visa holder returns to Bangladesh within the permitted time and does not engage in any employment while in the United States.

The US government said the initiative aims to identify and deter individuals from overstaying their visas illegally.

Bangladeshis subject to the visa bond programme will be allowed to enter and exit the United States only through three designated airports: John F Kennedy International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport.

Failure to use these designated airports will constitute a violation of the bond conditions and may result in forfeiture of the deposit.

The new rules are expected to make the US visa process more costly and complex for tourists, students and business travellers. With immigrant visas currently suspended, many Bangladeshi families are already facing uncertainty.

Besides Bangladesh, the pilot programme also includes Bhutan, Nepal, Cuba, Fiji and Nigeria. The US Embassy said the primary objective is to identify visa overstayers and encourage timely return to their home countries.