Five countries—Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia—that are subject to the visa bond policy have qualified for the World Cup. Ticketholders from those countries are now exempt from the visa bonds, according to an update to the State Department’s website on Wednesday.
The visa bond will be waived for citizens of competing countries who have purchased FIFA World Cup tickets and opted into the fast-track visa processing system, FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS), by April 15.
“We remain committed to strengthening U.S. national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar told the Associated Press.
Read More: Calls for a Boycott of the World Cup Grow
The Trump Administration previously waived the bond requirement for “qualifying team members, including players, coaches, and support staff who otherwise meet all requirements for entry into the U.S.,” Namdar said.
Immigration concerns
The bond requirement was estimated to affect around 250 people as of early April, officials told the AP.
While the waiver provides relief to some fans attending the World Cup, other immigration and travel restrictions remain in place.
Visitors to the U.S. will also be subject to new screening requirements, potentially including a proposed rule requiring tourists to submit their social media histories.
The White House at the time called the advisory “ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media.”
Critics have also raised concerns over the involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at other sporting events. ICE agents were part of security operations for the U.S. delegation at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics earlier this year, although they did not play an immigration role. A Department of Homeland Security official also threatened to send immigration agents to the Super Bowl, where Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performed the Halftime Show in February.
ICE agents were also deployed to airports during the partial federal shutdown in March when Transportation Security Administration personnel were not paid and shortstaffed. White House “border czar” Tom Homan said last month that immigration agents could play a longer-term role at airports despite TSA workers expressing anger at the move.And DHS said it is offering ICE agents to local police departments and federal agencies to provide security for the World Cup. Officials told NBC this week that the agents will not be screening people for immigration status, although they have not been expressly prohibited from making arrests at the matches.
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