US makes visa bonds of up to $20,000 permanent for nationals of 50 countries

The US visa bond program is no longer an experiment.

In a final rule published in the Federal Register on August 3, 2026, the State Department announced that its Visa Bond Program would become permanent. The system allows consular officers to require certain business and tourist visa applicants to post a financial bond before their visa is issued.

The measure took effect upon publication on August 3, 2026. It replaces the 12-month pilot program launched on August 20, 2025.

Visa bonds are now a permanent program

The program applies to nationals of countries designated by the State Department who apply for a B-1, B-2 or combined B-1/B-2 visa.

According to US authorities, the pilot conducted since August 2025 demonstrated that the system was feasible and could help reduce visa overstays among the travelers concerned.

A total of 50 countries were gradually added to the pilot program. The final rule states that their nationals will automatically remain subject to visa bond requirements under the new permanent program.

Bonds will be set at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000

The new regulations establish three bond amounts:

• $10,000;
• $15,000;
• $20,000.

Consular officers will generally set the bond at $15,000.

The amount may be reduced to $10,000 when an applicant’s financial circumstances make it difficult to post a $15,000 bond, provided the applicant still has sufficient funds to cover the cost of the trip to the United States.

Conversely, a $20,000 bond may be required when the officer determines that the standard amount would not provide sufficient assurance that the traveler will leave the country within the authorized period.

The assessment may take into account the purpose of the trip, the applicant’s employment, income, professional skills, education and ties to the United States.

Under the pilot program, bond amounts were set at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. The permanent version therefore raises both the minimum amount and the maximum, which will now reach $20,000.

Beginning October 1, 2027, the $20,000 ceiling may be adjusted for inflation. Further adjustments are then scheduled every seven years.

Which 50 countries are currently subject to US visa bonds?

The State Department currently lists the following countries:

• Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cambodia, Cabo Verde, 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, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The State Department may update the list over time. Any newly designated country must be announced at least 15 days before the requirement takes effect. A country may, however, be removed from the list immediately.

Factors used to select countries may include visa overstay rates, information-sharing arrangements with the United States, identity-screening procedures, access to criminal records and the security of travel documents.

Countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program cannot be added to the visa bond program. France and other participating European countries are therefore excluded, and their nationals traveling with an ESTA authorization are not subject to the bond requirement.

The bond is posted after the consular interview

Applicants should not post the bond when submitting their visa application.

During the interview, the consular officer first determines whether the applicant qualifies for a B-1/B-2 visa and whether the visa bond requirement applies.

The applicant is then informed of the amount and receives a link to a payment platform operated in coordination with the Treasury Department. The full amount must be paid in US dollars.

The applicant may post the bond personally, or a third party may do so on their behalf, such as a relative, friend or company.

Posting the bond does not guarantee that the visa will be issued. If the applicant is ultimately found ineligible after payment, the visa will be refused and the bond will be canceled.

The bond is returned when the traveler complies with the rules

The bond is not an additional visa fee. It must be returned when the traveler complies with the conditions of admission and leaves the United States within the authorized period.

A refund is provided when the visa expires without being used, when the holder leaves the United States on time, or when the traveler is found inadmissible upon arrival and US Customs and Border Protection cancels the visa.

The money is returned in US dollars to the original payment method. No interest is paid, and any bank charges or exchange-rate losses remain the responsibility of the person who posted the bond.

However, the entire amount may be forfeited if the traveler overstays or substantially violates the conditions attached to the visa or bond.

Travelers must enter and leave by air

Visa holders covered by the bond program must enter and leave the United States through an authorized commercial airport or a US Customs and Border Protection preclearance location outside the country.

Entry or departure through a land border or seaport is not permitted. The traveler’s final departure from the United States must be recorded at a commercial airport so that authorities can verify compliance with the authorized stay and initiate the bond refund.

Visas may be valid for three to 12 months

Once the bond has been posted and the application approved, the visa may be issued for three months with a single entry, three months with multiple entries, or up to 12 months with multiple entries, depending on the reciprocity rules applicable to the applicant’s nationality.

The visa’s validity period is not the same as the length of stay authorized in the United States. The permitted stay continues to be determined by US Customs and Border Protection officers upon each arrival.