Tourists and business travelers from Zambia and Malawi must pay a deposit of up to $15,000 when seeking a US visa, the State Department has announced, in a move likened to a visa ban for the African nations,

The bonds will be collected by the Treasury Department, per the cable, and travelers will recoup their money if they exit the United States within the timespan of the visa and use specific ports of entry to enter and depart. Travelers affected must also enter the United States within 30 days of the visa being issued.