Hawaiʻi Job Losses, Tourism Downturn Signal Mild Recession

[leilanidude]

the current travel restrictions kept most out of the US
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There are also only a few airports - JFK, BOS, IAD that those travelers can enter through, but it does not affect all India travelers. A company I recently contracted to for a large Kubernetes deployment has 4,000 folks in Mumbai.

Why can't Indians arrive at other US international airports? As long as they have a legitimate visa, why can't they arrive at LAX, SEA, ORD, HNL etc?

The limited airport arrival locations are ONLY for those with the travel agency that has to maintain the bond, due to large amounts of past fraud with the agency - Indians arriving on a travel visa and never leaving.

[TomK]

the current travel restrictions kept most out of the US
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There are also only a few airports - JFK, BOS, IAD that those travelers can enter through, but it does not affect all India travelers. A company I recently contracted to for a large Kubernetes deployment has 4,000 folks in Mumbai.

Why can't Indians arrive at other US international airports? As long as they have a legitimate visa, why can't they arrive at LAX, SEA, ORD, HNL etc?

The limited airport arrival locations are ONLY for those with the travel agency that has to maintain the bond, due to large amounts of past fraud with the agency - Indians arriving on a travel visa and never leaving.

Why do Indians need visa bonds? Why do they only have three airports they can use?

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/...bonds.html

It seems to me there's no reason that legitimate Indian citizens can't visit Hawaii via any international airport in the US. An Indian told me that it's too expensive, which is why nearly all the Indian tourists I saw at the Naniloa actually lived on the West Coast of the American mainland.

[leilanidude]

Why do Indians need visa bonds? Why do they only have three airports they can use?
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Third time now.

Not all Indian citizens are required to have travel bonds. Only those who utilize a specific group of travel agencies, that have a history of fraudulent apps, are required to have the bond. Those three airports have Hindi and Bengali language interpreters that conduct the in-person interviews.

Indians tend to utilize "middlemen" (travel agencies) to book flights and arrange visas because it can be complex to handle by themselves. May seem odd to you/me but it is what they do.

[TomK]

We're going around in circles. You don't understand the points I've made and keep making up claims that are wrong. There's no point continuing this.

[leilanidude]

What did I state that is wrong? I have answered the questions yet you keep asking the same questions over and over.

Travelers from India only have to enter through those 3 airports IF they are coming in with a visa arranged by one of the travel agencies that are on the list of "suspect agencies". Those travelers also have to pay for a bond that helps to ensure that they leave before their visa expires. Not all India travelers utilize travel agencies, and not all of the travel agencies are on the list of those required to supply bonds.

If the traveler fills out their own visa app or uses a travel agency that has been vetted as OK by the USA, they do not have to pay the bond and can enter via any international airport for their visit. Filling out your own visa app means there is no bond requirement for an Indian traveler.

It is a cultural thing for Indians to use a travel agency that helps them with the required visa applications.

[Durian Fiend]

I believe he is correct, Tom. So dude, why would any Indian use one of those suspect travel agencies?

"...Beginning August 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State will launch a visa bond pilot program targeting nationals from countries with high visa overstay rates. Those applying for a B‑1/B‑2 tourist or business visa may be required to post a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. To further complicate matters, a clause in the Federal Register notice notes these travelers will be restricted to flying into and out of only a select number of U.S. airports..."

And then there's the $250 "integrity" fee. https://liveandletsfly.com/visa-bond-air...trictions/

[leilanidude]

why would any Indian use one of those suspect travel agencies?
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It is a good question. Many of them may not know that they can avoid the bond by filling out the forms themselves or maybe those agencies lie and tell them that all agencies are required to do so? I suspect though that if you are putting up the bond, the thought process may be that you are more likely to be approved. I will ask some of the folks I work with but they may not know as they are here on H-1B work visas so it doesn't apply to them.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Many of them may not know that they can avoid the bond

Some travelers may not want to get into the details, or may not know about the details.  The last time I flew to Japan I filled out all of my entry info on their government website.  Passport photo, and some pages of questions about my background, and that I wasn’t carrying guns or samurai swords.  When I arrived at immigration the line for people who had filled out the form and had a QR code was maybe a dozen people, I breezed through in no time.  The line for people without the QR code was everyone else who had arrived on international wide body flights at Haneda in the last hour.  They had to fill out the form on paper.  Hundreds and hundreds of people in that line.

[TomK]

If Indians are forced to travel to the US via travel agencies, I get it. If not, and I haven't used a travel agency in decades, what is the issue? This is where I don't get it. Is there a reason Indian people can't book their own travel and arrange their own visas? If I've missed the link to that particular rule, please let me know.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/....html/visa

"Entering the United States

A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the United States. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. If you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Learn more about admissions and entry requirements, restrictions about bringing food, agricultural products, and other restricted/prohibited goods, and more by reviewing the CBP website.

What am I missing? Why does an Indian citizen wishing to visit the US for a vacation need to go through a travel agency?

[Chas]

What am I missing?

The clear and concise replies...