On January 6, the U.S. Department of State announced the addition of 25 countries to the list of nationalities required to post a visa bond when applying for entry to the United States, bringing the total to 38 countries. The policy will take effect on January 21.
Under the rule, applicants holding passports from the listed countries who qualify for B1/B2 visas may be required to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or up to $15,000, with the specific amount determined during the visa interview.
The newly added countries are primarily from Africa, Latin America, and South Asia, including Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, Nigeria, Venezuela, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Applicants must agree to the bond conditions and submit payment through Pay.gov, the official U.S. Treasury payment platform. Posting a bond does not guarantee visa approval. However, the bond will be refunded if the visa is denied or if the traveler departs the U.S. on time and complies with all visa conditions.
The U.S. government launched the visa bond program as a pilot in August 2025, citing concerns over visa overstays. The expansion reflects a broader tightening of U.S. immigration and entry policies under the Trump administration, including stricter screening and documentation requirements.
