The ‘Land of the free’ just became land of the $15,000 fee

The US State Department is piloting a controversial Trump-era scheme requiring citizens from Malawi and Zambia to pay a $15,000 security deposit for tourist or business visas, purportedly to prevent overstays. Critics argue this policy, seen as discriminatory and costly, undermines America’s reputation as a welcoming nation and overlooks that less than 2% of visitors overstay their visas.

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