Yvonne Ravula 
Mohammed Ishaq. [Photo: YVONNE RAVULA]
Fijians are raising concerns over the newly introduced United States visa bond requirement, saying it will place added financial strain on ordinary citizens, particularly those travelling to visit family.
Seventy-year-old market vendor Mohammed Ishaq says the policy will make it difficult for many Fijians to continue travelling to the US.
Ishaq, who has travelled to the United States more than 15 times, says the additional cost comes at a time when airfares are already expensive.
“Nowadays it’s very hard to even pay for airline tickets, and now we have to arrange another five or ten thousand dollars for a bond.”
He says the bond amount is unrealistic for working-class families and elderly travellers who depend on savings to visit loved ones overseas.
Ishaq also highlighted concerns about restrictions on entry airports, saying the change will make travel more complicated, especially for elderly and uneducated travellers.
He says the new requirement may prevent him from spending Christmas with his family this year.
“My whole family is in the US, but now it’s very hard for us to travel.”
The new visa bond has sparked discussion online, with many Fijians questioning how low-income earners will afford the added cost.
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