The State Department is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, a move that may make the process unaffordable for many.

The State Department said in a notice that it is launching a "visa bond pilot program" that aims to curb overstays for visitors who come to the U.S. for business or tourism.

The US will propose some tourist and business visa applicants post a bond of up to $15,000 as part of an effort to clamp down on visitors who overstay their visas, the government said on Monday.