The proposed requirement would apply to some visa applicants considered likely to become public charges and would use existing immigration law to require proof that they can financially support themselves.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The State Department is considering requiring certain green card applicants to post bonds of as much as $100,000 before receiving lawful permanent residence in the United States.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the Trump administration is examining whether to use longstanding authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to impose the bond on applicants considered likely to become dependent on government assistance.
The proposal is part of a wider effort to tighten immigration requirements, protect taxpayer-funded benefit programs and reinforce the principle that immigrants seeking permanent residence should be able to support themselves financially, according to a July 17 statement reported by The Epoch Times.
Pigott said the administration was working “to introduce commonsense and effective procedures to enforce U.S. laws, restore the integrity of our immigration system, and protect American public benefits programs from the financial burden of foreigners who arrive with major, expensive medical or other needs.”
“As part of this comprehensive initiative, the Department is exploring the use of a long-standing legal authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to require certain visa applicants—those who are otherwise ineligible for a visa because they are likely become a public charge—to post a bond as a way to demonstrate they have access to the funds needed to support themselves,” Pigott said.
The State Department did not immediately provide details about which applicants would face the requirement, how officials would determine the bond amount or whether the money would eventually be returned.
A $100,000 bond would represent a substantial increase over the fees currently charged to people applying for permanent residency.
Green card costs vary depending on the applicant’s category and whether the application is submitted from inside or outside the United States.
Applicants filing Form I-485 from within the United States generally pay $1,440. Additional charges may apply for employment authorization and travel documents unless those requests are filed concurrently under qualifying circumstances.
Applicants seeking an immigrant visa from outside the country through Form DS-260 pay $325.
After an immigrant visa is approved, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services charges a separate $235 immigrant fee to process the application and produce the physical green card.
The proposed six-figure bond would be distinct from those application and processing fees. Rather than functioning as a routine charge for all applicants, it would be intended to demonstrate that certain people considered likely to become public charges have sufficient financial resources.
Federal immigration law has long allowed officials to consider whether an applicant is likely to depend on government assistance when determining eligibility for permanent residence.
The proposed bond would provide an alternative for people who might otherwise be denied a visa on public-charge grounds.
The Trump administration previously attempted to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, but a federal judge blocked the policy.
The court concluded that the administration had exceeded its authority and intruded on Congress’s constitutional powers to establish immigration policy and impose taxes.
H-1B visas allow employers to hire qualified foreign workers temporarily. Those visa holders may legally live and work in the United States but do not possess permanent residency unless they later receive green cards.
The State Department’s new proposal relies on a different legal argument by treating the payment as a bond authorized under the Immigration and Nationality Act rather than a general application fee.
The possible bond is one of several immigration and visa policies announced by the administration.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a policy July 16 restricting visas for foreign nationals associated with organizations the administration describes as “far-left terrorist” groups and their allies.
“Foreigners who finance, incite, or aid and abet Far-Left Terrorists are enemies of our civilization,” Rubio wrote in a post on X. “They are not welcome in the United States.”
The State Department said those restrictions are being imposed under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
That provision authorizes the secretary of state to deny entry to foreign nationals whose admission could create serious consequences for U.S. foreign policy.
The Department of Homeland Security also announced July 16 that it had eliminated what it called the “duration of status” loophole.
That policy had permitted foreign students, exchange visitors and members of the international media to remain in the United States for the duration of their approved activities without receiving fixed departure dates or undergoing routine extensions.
The administration said the change would increase government oversight and prevent foreign nationals from remaining “indefinitely without routine government oversight.”
The proposed green card bond has not yet been formally adopted, and the State Department has not released implementation rules or a timetable.
If imposed, the requirement could face legal challenges similar to those brought against the administration’s attempted H-1B fee.
Supporters are likely to argue that the bond would protect public resources while allowing otherwise inadmissible applicants to demonstrate self-sufficiency.
Critics could contend that a $100,000 requirement would place permanent residency beyond the reach of lower- and middle-income applicants and create a financial barrier resembling a wealth test.
For now, the State Department says it is exploring the authority as part of a broader immigration initiative rather than announcing a finalized policy.
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