The President Donald Trump administration is considering requiring some people applying for US green cards abroad to pay a refundable bond of up to $100,000 to prove they can support themselves financially.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the proposed bond could be a fixed amount or vary depending on each applicant’s case. It may also be paid by a relative and refunded after the applicant becomes a US citizen.
Confirming the review, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said, “President Trump has made clear that those who wish to immigrate to the United States must be financially self-sufficient.”
The proposal would expand a pilot programme introduced in 2025 that requires some tourist visa applicants from selected countries to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000. The programme, which started with Malawi and Zambia, now covers 50 countries, more than half of them in Africa.
The development comes as the administration also revived the “public charge” rule, which can deny green cards to applicants who depend on public benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps and housing assistance.
Defending the move, the Department of Homeland Security said, “We are reaffirming the requirement of self-reliance, protecting public resources, and ending policies that encouraged dependency on hard-working American taxpayers.”