The administration of Donald Trump has announced a temporary waiver of visa bond requirements for certain foreign visitors travelling to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The United States Department of State confirmed on Tuesday that the waiver applies to football fans from selected countries who have purchased valid World Cup tickets.
The visa bond policy was introduced last year as part of broader immigration enforcement measures targeting travellers from about 50 countries considered to have high visa overstay rates and security concerns.
Under the policy, affected applicants were required to pay refundable bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 before obtaining visas.
Countries affected by the policy included Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia — all of which qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, the new exemption now allows citizens of those nations who have secured official FIFA match tickets and enrolled in the FIFA Pass system for expedited visa appointments to bypass the bond requirement.
According to reports, the FIFA Pass arrangement became available from April 15 to ease visa processing ahead of the tournament.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar, said the waiver reflects the United States’ commitment to hosting a successful global football event.
“The United States is excited to organise the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history. We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets,” Namdar stated.
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Despite the temporary easing, the administration is maintaining several strict immigration controls. Reports indicate that travellers from Iran and Haiti still face entry restrictions, although exemptions remain in place for players, coaches, and certain tournament personnel.
Additional screening measures, including social media background checks, also remain active.
Meanwhile, rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have criticised some of the policies, arguing that they contradict the inclusive spirit of the World Cup.
Industry groups have also expressed concerns that visa-related restrictions could affect international attendance and tourism projections for the tournament.