Akoni TV For your Socio-Politcial, Business, Sport and Entertainment News
Related Articles
The United States government on Tuesday waived visa bond requirements for football fans from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia who purchased tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in order to ease travel for supporters attending the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The US State Department said eligible fans using the FIFA Pass system for visa appointments would no longer pay the refundable visa bonds.
The bond policy, introduced last year under the Trump administration, required travelers from 50 countries with high visa overstay rates to pay between $5,000 and $15,000.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar, said the waiver was introduced to support travel for the World Cup.
“The United States is excited to organise the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” Namdar said.
The waiver applies only to qualified fans from the five African countries, while other immigration restrictions remain in place.
The report noted that countries such as Iran and Haiti still face travel restrictions, although players and team officials are exempt.
Human rights groups have criticised some of the immigration measures, warning that they could discourage international visitors from attending the tournament.
