The United States has decided to permanently implement a visa deposit system that requires Nepali citizens to keep a deposit of up to Rs 30 Lakh before getting tourist or business visas.
The United States government has decided to permanently implement the “visa deposit” (visa bond) system for citizens of 50 countries, including Nepal. Under this new rule, Nepali citizens who are applying for B-1 and B-2 visas must keep a mandatory deposit of 10,000 to 20,000 US dollars before they get visa. In Nepali currency, this deposit amount can be up to Rs 30 Lakh.
The US Department of State decided to make this rule permanent after a one-year pilot test program was successful.
Changes in Deposit Amount
In the new rule, the previous option of 5,000 US dollars has been removed. Now, there are only two choices for the deposit amount which are 10,000 and 20,000 US dollars. During pilot program, visa officers could decide the deposit amount between 5,000 and 15,000 US dollars depending on their choice.
Applicants must deposit this money before visa interview. If visa application is rejected, or if the person goes to America and returns back to Nepal before their visa expires, the US Department of State will return the full deposit amount.
Targeted Visas and Countries
This rule is mainly for people who apply for B-1 and B-2 visas for travel, tourism, and business purposes. In South Asia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan are included in this list. Along with most of African countries, citizens of 50 countries around the world must follow this rule.
The United States brought this rule to control “visa overstay”, where people stay illegally after their visa expires. According to US government data, it costs around 18,000 US dollars per person to catch and send back an illegal overstayer to their home country. This is why they made the visa deposit system permanent.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
