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“I wanted my parents to be present during my convocation. But now it’s almost impossible,” a PhD student currently studying in the US told BBC Bangla.
He said this while expressing his disappointment at the inclusion of Bangladesh in the new visa bond list of the United States.
According to the visa bond rules, each person has to pay 5 to 15 thousand US dollars to get a B1 or B2 visa to go to the United States.
That is, if someone from Bangladesh applies for a business visa (B1) and a tourist or visit visa (B2) and if they are qualified to get these two visas, then they will have to pay around Tk 6 to 19 lakh as security in Bangladeshi currency, which will be considered an extra burden for many.
Seven countries were first on the list of countries with visa bond conditions. But on January 6, the US State Department increased that list several times to 38.
In case of Bangladesh, it will be launched from next 21st January. This bond system is currently a 12-month pilot program, which was launched last year August 20th।
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What is visa bond?
A visa bond is a type of financial security, which is refundable.
The US now requires this bond or security before issuing temporary visas in both categories.
The US issues a large number of visas to students, tourists and business travelers every year. The duration of these visas can be from a few weeks to a few years.
This decision is for those who will get visa to leave the US within the stipulated time.
Staying in the United States for longer than the authorized period is considered a violation of the country’s immigration laws or visa bond.
According to the rules, citizens of these 38 countries may be required to submit a ‘visa bond’ of between five and 15 thousand dollars to obtain a US visa.
And, the bond amount will be decided at the time of visa interview. It will be determined in three phases. Five thousand, 10 thousand or 15 thousand US dollars.
The visa officer will determine who will pay the amount. He will determine this based on the applicant’s personal circumstances and interview.
Again, if he wants, he can give B1 or B2 visa to someone outside the scope of the bond.
Kamruzzaman Roni, owner of a private travel agency in Bangladesh, told BBC Bangla, “When the visa officer is sure that he will grant you a visa, he will ask you to deposit the money. It is not that you have to pay the money at the time of application.”
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Process of giving bond, not deposited without instructions
According to the State Department, after the consular officer instructs the applicant, the applicant must submit the ‘I-352’ form to the US Department of Homeland Security.
They must agree to the terms of the bond through Pay.gov, the US Treasury’s online payment platform. This rule applies to all those two categories.
The State Department also said no third-party websites can be used to post bonds. The US Government is not responsible for payments made outside the US Government’s own system.
And if anyone pays the bond fee without the instructions of the consular officer, that money will not be refunded either. When the consular officer asks to submit the bond, the applicant will be sent a direct link to make the payment. You have to enter it and deposit the money.
However, they also stated that submitting a bond does not guarantee a visa.
But according to Kamruzzaman Roni, “In the beginning, we have studied the process of granting visas to the seven countries for which the bond was applicable. Asking to give a bond means that the visa is guaranteed.”
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Getting the bond money back will be complicated
Airports have been designated for those who will get visas by submitting bonds.
They are – Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) located in New York, New York and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
That is, these three airports are now allocated for Bangladeshis in case of entering or leaving the United States. Cannot enter or exit through any other airport outside of it, regardless of destination within the United States.
If one enters or exits through any other airport, it will be considered a violation of the bond rules and will create complications in getting the bond money back.
In addition, if the traveler leaves the United States after that period of time authorized to travel to the United States; or, if staying in that country for more than the permitted period; or remain; or apply for asylum or any other visa, the United States deems the bond conditions to have been violated.
In these cases, the United States Department of the Interior will send the information of the concerned person to the US Immigration Office.
However, if the visa holder leaves the United States within the approved period, does not travel to the United States before the visa expires, or is not allowed to enter the United States airport, the bond will be automatically canceled and the money deposited will be returned, according to the State Department.
However, it has not been informed how long the money will be returned.
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Reasons for introduction of bond system
The report has already mentioned that the US has taken this measure to prevent immigration.
The Trump administration in particular has been vocal on immigration policy from the start. Since taking office for a second term in January, Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders to curb immigration.
On his first day in office in January, he issued an order ending birthright citizenship benefits for children of parents living illegally.
Appointments of thousands of aspirants were canceled during that time. He has been tightening the US-Mexico border since January to prevent immigration.
Last March, the United States announced the cancellation of temporary legalization of 530,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
According to the decision last September, applicants to the United States as a skilled foreign worker or under the H-1B visa program have to pay an additional 100,000 dollars.
According to the report of the US-based public opinion survey and research institute ‘Pew Research Center’, immigration to the United States will increase by 1.6 million in 2023. No increase in immigration has been seen in more than 20 years.
More than 14 percent of the US population are immigrants, the highest level of immigration since 1910.
Trump also undertook a visa bond program during his first term, but it was later canceled due to travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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How will it affect Bangladesh?
A number of US visa aspirants and Bangladeshis staying in the United States are expressing their apprehension about the large amount of visa bond. They say it would be difficult for many families to leave such a large amount of money to go anywhere.
According to Kamruzzaman Roni, the visa bond will significantly increase the cost of traveling abroad, creating a major barrier for middle-class and lower-middle-class travelers.
“Applications for tourist and visit visas in particular are likely to drop. This will have a direct impact on travel agencies, airlines, tour operators and related services. Legitimate businesses and common people’s right to travel abroad will suffer,” he added.
He thinks that Bangladesh’s name appearing in that list means damage to Bangladesh’s international image.
“The message may go abroad that Bangladeshi travelers are high risk. This may lead to the visa process of foreign countries becoming more stringent,” he said.
Note, this list includes Cuba, Venezuela, Congo, Algeria, Djibouti, Fiji, Nigeria, Senegal, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and many more countries.
Apart from Bangladesh in South Asia, countries like Nepal and Bhutan are also included in this list.
https://www.bbc.com/bengali/articles/ce8gj6z5qj7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
