Key Facts

• The $15,000 visa deposit was a bond meant to reduce visa overstays.
• Fans from 50 countries previously subject to this deposit are now exempt if they have valid World Cup tickets.
• Five of these countries (Algeria, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tunisia) have teams in the World Cup.
• The tournament runs from June 11 and is co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Players and coaches were already exempt from the deposit rule before this change.
• Travelers from Iran and Haiti are still banned from entering the U.S. for the World Cup, except players and coaches.
• The visa deposit program started in August as part of a 12-month pilot to tighten immigration controls.
• The U.S. has also introduced rules requiring some visitors to share five years of social media history, raising concerns about privacy and potential travel challenges.