As the gears up to host FIFA World Cup matches next month, President Donald Trump’s administration has suspended a requirement that international visitors from countries that have qualified for the World Cup and have bought tickets for the soccer tournament pay as much as $15,000 in bonds to enter the country, the State Department said Wednesday (local time).
The department introduced the bond requirement last year for countries it said had high rates of overstays and other security concerns, as part of the Republican administration’s broader immigration crackdown, AP reported.
According to the previous requirement, travellers from at least 50 countries were mandated to pay the bond, and at least five of those countries have qualified for the World Cup — Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia.
US State Department suspends bond fee on travellers
Citizens from Algeria, Cape Verde, the Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia who have purchased tickets for the have now been exempted from the visa bond requirement. Previously, the department announced that World Cup team players, coaches, and some staff had already been exempt from the bond requirement as part of the administration’s orders to prioritize the processing of visas for the tournament.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said, “The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” and added, “We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets” and opted into the FIFA Pass system that allows expedited visa appointments as of April 15.
Trump administration offers waiver to visitors for FIFA World Cup
The recent waiver announcement is a rare relaxation of requirements under the Trump administration. Additionally, it will ease travel burdens for at least some of the visitors to Washington for the World Cup, which will commence on June 11 and is co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The report, citing US officials, noted that while those affected by the visa bond requirement were a relatively small group in April, just 250 people, the number was changing rapidly as more people bought tickets, and some ticket holders opted against traveling.
The officials added that requested the waiver, which had to be approved by the State Department and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and was a topic of discussion at several meetings at the White House and elsewhere in Washington over several months.
Trump administration announces dramatic steps to curb immigration
Separately, the administration has taken drastic steps to curb immigration in ways that critics say are at odds with the unifying message that a global sporting event such as the World Cup is supposed to project.
For instance, travellers from Iran and Haiti have been barred from entering the country. However, World Cup players, coaches, and other support staff are exempt. Additionally, travellers from the Ivory Coast and Senegal also face partial restrictions under an expanded version of that travel ban, even without the visa bond exemption.
International travellers are also facing new requirements to submit their social media histories, while the administration has deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement () agents at airports recently, when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel were not being paid.
Such measures prompted Amnesty International and several other US civil and human rights groups to issue a “World Cup travel advisory” warning travelers about the climate in Washington.
Advocacy group for US hotels blames restrictions for lower demand
Earlier this month, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the main advocacy group for in the country, blamed visa restrictions and other geopolitical issues for “significantly suppressing international demand,” leading to hotel bookings for the soccer tournament that are far below what had initially been anticipated.
The group said that travellers have flagged concerns regarding potentially lengthy visa wait times and increased fees, along with uncertainty about how they are being processed for entry into the country.
It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will introduce any further measures to curb immigration in the country during the FIFA World Cup.
(With agency inputs)
- The suspension of the visa bond requirement reflects a rare easing of immigration rules under the Trump administration.
- Concerns about visa processing and restrictions have impacted international demand for hotel bookings during the World Cup.
- The decision to lift the bond requirement was influenced by FIFA and is aimed at facilitating travel for fans.
