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Visas: Visa Bond Program

🇺🇸 United StatesVisitor Visas1 recorded versionLast change 3 Aug 2026
ConfidenceVery high · 90%

Current rules

The Department of State (DOS) has established a permanent Visa Bond Program. Under this programme, consular officers are authorised to require a visa bond from certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants. The bond amount can be up to $20,000. The programme identifies visa applicants based on criteria such as being nationals of countries with high overstay rates, deficient information sharing, or insufficient identity verification. The DOS will announce covered countries on https://www.travel.state.gov at least 15 days before the programme applies to them. Modifications to this list will also be announced, with additions taking effect 15 days after announcement and removals taking effect immediately. The programme includes three levels for the bond amount, selected by the consular officer based on individual circumstances. It also defines terms and conditions for visa bonds, including procedures for applying, setting, paying, and cancelling bonds, as well as bond breaches and appeals.

Overview

This rule finalises the temporary final rule that went into effect on 20 August 2025, establishing a permanent visa bond programme. Consular officers may require B-1/B-2 visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance.

Who is affected by the latest change

  • Nationals of countries designated under the U.S. Visa Bond Program
  • Applicants for B-1 business visas
  • Applicants for B-2 tourist visas
  • Applicants seeking combined B-1/B-2 visitor visas
  • Consular officers processing covered applications
  • The State Department's current country list includes 50 countries
  • Countries have been added to the programme in stages
  • The State Department's published list includes countries such as:
  • Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia
  • The complete State Department list should be used rather than relying on a static country list, because additional countries may be designated

What changed in the latest version

Before

Before this final rule, a temporary final rule started on 20 August 2025. It created a 12-month Visa Bond Pilot Programme. This pilot allowed the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to see if a visa bond programme could work. During the pilot, consular officers could also ask certain nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visa applicants to pay a bond.

After

The Department of State (DOS) has started a permanent Visa Bond Programme. Under this programme, consular officers can ask for a visa bond from certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants. The bond can be up to $20,000. The programme chooses visa applicants based on things like their home country's high rates of people overstaying, poor information sharing, or not enough identity checks. The Department of State will announce which countries are covered on https://www.travel.state.gov. This announcement will happen at least 15 days before the programme applies to them. Changes to this list will also be announced. New countries will be added 15 days after the announcement. Countries removed from the list will be taken off straight away. The programme has three levels for the bond amount. The consular officer chooses the amount based on each person's situation. It also sets out the rules for visa bonds. This includes how to apply for, set, pay, and cancel bonds. It also covers breaking bond rules and how to appeal.

This policy change matters because it makes a temporary visa bond rule permanent. This shows a long-term plan to use bonds to make sure immigration rules are followed. For B-1/B-2 visa applicants from certain countries, this means they might have to pay up to $20,000. This is a condition for getting their visa. This directly affects their travel plans and how much money they need. For consular officers, this rule gives them permanent power and rules for asking for visa bonds. This affects how they decide on certain B-1/B-2 visa applications. The policy aims to reduce people overstaying their visas. This could lead to stricter rules for issuing visas to people from countries with high overstay rates or security worries.

Explained simply

Imagine you're planning a trip to the U.S. for a holiday or business meeting. Usually, getting a B-1/B-2 visa involves an application, an interview, and a decision. But now, if you're from certain countries, the U.S. Department of State might ask you for an extra step: a 'visa bond.' Think of it like a security deposit, just like when you rent an apartment or a car. You pay a certain amount—it could be up to $20,000—and you get it back when you leave the U.S. on time and follow all the rules of your visa. This is meant to make sure everyone with a B-1/B-2 visa leaves when they're supposed to. The U.S. government will decide which countries need this 'security deposit' and will let everyone know on their travel website. So, before you apply, it's a good idea to check that website to see if this applies to you. If it does, be ready to pay that deposit as part of getting your visa.

Version history

  1. v1Effective 3 Aug 2026EffectiveHigh impact
    Visas: Visa Bond Program

    This rule makes the temporary visa bond programme permanent. It started on 20 August 2025. Consular officers can now ask B-1/B-2 visa applicants to pay a bond of up to $20,000. This is a condition for getting their visa.

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