Citizens from 50 countries still face restrictions on their entry into the United States.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump decided that people with tickets to attend World Cup matches in U.S. stadiums will be exempt from paying the thousands of dollars in bonds that the United States had been requiring from citizens of certain nationalities to enter the country.

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“We are exempting eligible fans who have purchased World Cup tickets and enrolled in the FIFA Pass program as of April 15, 2026, from visa bonds,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said.

The measure represents an easing after the immigration requirements had greatly complicated the entry into the United States of thousands of fans who had already purchased tickets for the tournament.

Previously, the State Department imposed a requirement to pay bonds of up to $15,000 on citizens of 50 countries that it considers to have high rates of temporary visa overstays or to pose national security concerns. Among those countries, which include Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, five qualified for the World Cup: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia.

The rule requires citizens of those countries to pay deposits of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when applying for B1 visas (short-term business stays) or B2 visas (short-term tourist stays).

To qualify for the exemption, applicants must have enrolled in the FIFA Pass program, a priority visa appointment system for fans with tickets to the 2026 World Cup launched by the State Department last November in an effort to address long wait times for visas at U.S. consulates abroad.

The State Department also exempted members of teams — including players, coaches and support staff — from the visa bond requirement, provided they meet all requirements for entry into the U.S.

“We remain committed to strengthening U.S. national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament,” Namdar added.

The organization of the World Cup in the U.S. has faced heavy criticism over the tightening of immigration policies imposed by Trump since 2025, which has also declined to rule out the possibility that raids could be conducted during the tournament to detain migrants who may be in the country illegally.

As of May 13, the Department of State still required “visa bonds” for citizens of the following countries:

Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique , Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: EFE – Reuters – The Department of State

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