WASHINGTON

The US will require citizens of 12 additional countries to post bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for certain visas, expanding the program to 50 countries, the State Department said Wednesday.

The measure, effective April 2, will apply to applicants from Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Tunisia.

The bond, set at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 depending on the applicant and consular officer’s discretion, is refundable if a visa is denied or if recipients comply with the terms of their stay and leave the US on time.

The State Department said the program is aimed at reducing illegal visa overstays, noting that nearly 97% of about 1,000 bonded travelers have returned home on time.

“The Department may continue to place Visa Bonds on countries based on a range of immigration risk factors,” it added.