Trump’s New U.S. Visa Rules: $15,000 Bond, Higher Fees, Mandatory Interviews from Sept 2025

The U.S. under President Donald Trump has announced sweeping visa changes, tightening rules for tourists, students, and immigrants. Key measures include a $15,000 visa bond for applicants from high-risk countries, a $250 Visa Integrity Fee for non-immigrant visas, stricter scrutiny of marriage-based green cards, new surcharges like a $24 I-94 fee, and the rollback of interview waivers. From September 2025, nearly all applicants must attend in-person interviews. Indian travellers face visa costs tripling to $472. Critics say the changes will burden legal immigrants and discourage genuine applicants while aiming to curb visa misuse.