The State Department is thinking about requiring certain green card applicants to pay substantial sums, as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing strategy to ensure that newcomers to the U.S. are financially independent.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, there’s consideration for mandating that individuals applying for lawful permanent residency provide a bond of $100,000 when they submit their applications at U.S. consulates abroad.
This bond amount could vary depending on specific circumstances, it’s said.
Green card holders presumably would get their money back once they achieve U.S. citizenship, a process that takes at least five years.
“President Trump has clearly stated that anyone wanting to immigrate to the U.S. needs to be financially self-sufficient,” remarked State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott, noting that the administration is looking into how bonds could be incorporated within existing laws. He also mentioned that relatives of applicants might be able to contribute to the bond as well.
This new deposit requirement builds on a pilot program for tourist visas, which started in August 2025. At its inception, applicants from Malawi and Zambia were asked to pay a refundable deposit of up to $15,000, with the penalty of forfeiture if they overstayed their visa or pursued different immigration statuses upon arrival, such as asylum.
The program has now expanded to include 50 countries, with a significant number in Africa.
Some immigration advocates, such as Sharvari Dalal Deini from the American Immigration Lawyers Association, have criticized this initiative as effectively creating a “pay-for-play” environment.
“The intention behind the bonds appears to be to exclude certain immigrants,” Deini told the Journal. “Only those with substantial means can visit, reunite with family, or pursue a better life.”
This news surfaced shortly after the Trump administration reintroduced the “public charge” regulations, which could lead to the denial of green cards for immigrants who utilize public assistance like food stamps, Medicaid, and housing vouchers.
Under these regulations, green card seekers must demonstrate that they will not impose financial burdens on taxpayers.
“We reaffirm the importance of self-sufficiency, protect public resources, and eliminate policies that foster dependency on hardworking American taxpayers,” stated the Department of Homeland Security in a post on X Thursday morning.
The utility rate rule was first put into effect in February 2020 during Trump’s initial term but was later rescinded by former President Joe Biden.
