The move follows a 12-month pilot programme launched on August 20, 2025, which the US State Department said helped reduce visa overstays among travellers from covered countries. The permanent rule came into effect on August 3, 2026.
What is a US visa bond?
A visa bond is a security deposit taken from certain visa applicants as a guarantee that they will follow US immigration rules.
Under the programme, a person applying for a B-1/B-2 visa, which covers temporary business visits and tourism, may be asked to deposit money with the US government. If the traveller follows all rules, the bond amount will be returned. If the person violates visa conditions, the money can be forfeited.
Who will the visa bond rule apply to?
The rule does not apply to all US visa applicants.
The requirement applies only to nationals of certain countries identified by the US government based on factors such as high visa overstay rates, lack of information sharing, weak identity verification systems, and concerns related to screening and travel documents.
The State Department will publish and update the list of countries covered under the programme. The initial pilot covered 50 countries, mainly in Africa, along with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
How much is the visa bond?
The bond amount can be set at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000.
The final amount will be decided by a US consular officer based on the applicant’s individual circumstances, including their travel purpose, employment, income, education and other details.
Does every tourist visa applicant have to pay the bond?
The US Visa Bond Programme was first introduced by the Trump administration in 2025 as a pilot project. At the beginning, it applied only to citizens of two countries – Malawi and Zambia. The programme was later expanded to cover 50 countries.
The list includes Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia and Grenada.
Other countries covered under the programme are Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga and Tunisia.
The list also includes Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Is India included in the list?
India is not included in the current list of 50 countries, which means that Indian citizens applying for US tourist or business visas will continue with the regular visa process and will not be required to submit a visa bond of up to $20,000.
