Trump Administration Weighs $100,000 Refundable Bond for Some Green Card Applicants

The Trump administration is considering requiring some green card applicants to post a $100,000 bond. The State Department is evaluating authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to require bonds from visa applicants likely to become a public charge, spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated. The bond would be collected from applicants or family members and returned later.

The administration previously attempted to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications. A federal judge struck down that fee, ruling the administration exceeded its authority. Standard fees remain far lower.

Applicants inside the U.S. pay a $1,440 filing fee for Form I-485. Applicants from outside the U.S. pay a $325 DS-260 fee and a $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee after approval. Since last August, visa holders from Malawi and Zambia have posted a $15,000 bond that is forfeited if they overstay or apply for another status such as asylum.

Fifty other African countries have been asked to comply with the policy. Trump administration officials said the $15,000 bond measure helped ensure 97 percent of visas did not overstay. State Department officials noted a drop in visas granted under the policy.

Pigott said expanding the bond program would give applicants with resources another option to demonstrate self-sufficiency.