Britain's Home Office confirmed Monday it will demand a 3,000-pound ($4,630 or Rs. 2.75 lakh) refundable bond for visas for "high-risk" visitors from six former colonies in Africa and Asia - a pilot scheme that has brought warnings at home and abroad that it will damage trade.

Britain said in a statement Monday that it will go ahead with the pilot scheme despite the outrage, charges of discrimination and warnings of retaliation.

The statement sent by email did not say when the pilot would start. But it said it could apply the scheme in the future for all visas and any country. -- AP