US lifts costly visa bond requirement for some World Cup travelers, Trump administration says

Citizens of a prime radical of countries who person purchased tickets to this summer’s World Cup matches successful the U.S. volition nary longer beryllium required to supply thousands of dollars successful visa bonds to participate the state and be the tournament.

On Wednesday, the State Department confirmed the Trump medication is waiving a anterior mandate requiring visitors from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia to station visa bonds of up to $15,000 to participate the U.S.

The section imposed the enslaved request past twelvemonth for countries it said had precocious rates of visa overstays and different information concerns arsenic portion of a broader migration crackdown. Travelers from astatine slightest 50 countries are taxable to the enslaved requirement, but the 5 aforementioned nations' teams person qualified for this year’s World Cup.

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The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed extracurricular the White House successful Washington, D.C., up of the FIFA World Cup Draw connected Dec. 2, 2025. (Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images)

World Cup squad players, coaches and immoderate unit already had been exempt from the enslaved request arsenic portion of the administration’s orders to prioritize the processing of visas for the tournament.

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"The United States is excited to signifier the biggest and champion FIFA World Cup successful history," Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said. "We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets" and opted successful to the FIFA Pass strategy that allows expedited visa appointments arsenic of April 15.

In its ain statement, FIFA said the announcement shows "our ongoing collaboration with the U.S. authorities and the White House task unit for the FIFA World Cup to present a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable planetary event" and thanked the medication for the partnership.

President Donald Trump draws the United States paper during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw astatine the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts successful Washington, D.C., connected Dec. 5, 2025. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)

However, the medication has barred travelers from Iran and Haiti, though World Cup players, coaches and different enactment unit are exempt. Travelers from the Ivory Coast and Senegal look partial restrictions nether an expanded mentation of that question ban, adjacent without the visa enslaved exemption.

The World Cup begins June 11 and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Some measures from the medication prompted Amnesty International and dozens of U.S. civilian and quality rights groups to contented a "World Cup question advisory" that warns travelers astir the clime successful the U.S.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hands the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy to President Donald Trump during an announcement successful the Oval Office of the White House successful Washington, D.C., connected Aug. 22, 2025. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

In a study this month, the main advocacy radical for U.S. hotels blamed visa barriers and different geopolitical issues for "significantly suppressing planetary demand," starring to edifice bookings for the shot tourney that are acold beneath what had initially been anticipated.

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As of aboriginal April, the fig of World Cup fans affected by the enslaved request was believed to beryllium comparatively small, possibly lone astir 250 people, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to remark publically and spoke connected information of anonymity. But they said that fig was changing rapidly arsenic much radical bargain tickets and immoderate with tickets opt against traveling.

FIFA had requested the waiver, which had to beryllium approved by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, officials said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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