The Trump administration has announced it will exempt football fans from 50 countries from a $15,000 (£11,000) visa deposit requirement, provided they hold valid match tickets for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. According to Antigua News Room, the waiver applies to fans travelling specifically for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico beginning June 11.
Five of the 50 affected countries — Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia — have qualified for the tournament, giving the announcement particular significance for fans across the African continent.
"We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets," Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said in a statement to the BBC.
The bond requirement, introduced last year as a 12-month pilot programme launched in August, was designed to reduce visa overstays. According to the State Department, it also targeted cases where "screening and vetting information is considered deficient." The bond would be refunded at the end of a visitor's stay.
While players and coaches had already been exempt from the requirement, ordinary fans with confirmed World Cup tickets were not included in that exemption until Wednesday's announcement.
FIFA welcomed the decision, saying it reflects ongoing collaboration with the White House. "We are grateful to the Administration for the ongoing partnership," FIFA said in a statement, adding that the move demonstrates commitment to delivering "a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable global event."
Despite the waiver, significant restrictions remain in place for some travellers. Visitors from Iran and Haiti remain barred from entry entirely, though players and coaches from those countries are exempt for World Cup-related travel. Fans from Ivory Coast and Senegal — both World Cup qualifiers — face partial restrictions under an expanded travel ban.
Additionally, the US government announced late last year that tourists from dozens of countries could be required to submit a five-year social media history as a condition of entry, a policy that may affect World Cup visitors.
Rights groups have warned travellers that such policies could result in denied entry, arrest risks, expanded travel restrictions, racial profiling, and increased surveillance.
