The United States is set to make permanent a visa bond programme that could require applicants from about 50 countries, most of them in Africa, to pay bonds of up to 20,000 U.S. dollars when applying for visas.
According to a federal notice published on Friday by the U.S. State Department, the measure applies to B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel.
According to the notice, “Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers.
“The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond program, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders.”
Under the pilot scheme, consular officers could require visa applicants to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or up to $15,000. The new rule removes the $5,000 option and increases the maximum bond amount to $20,000.
The rule will take effect on August 3, the same day it is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register. Of the 50 countries covered by the programme, 30 are in Africa.
U.S. officials say the policy is designed to reduce visa overstays, while immigration advocates argue it will discourage legitimate travel to the United States.
President Donald Trump’s administration has tightened legal immigration by introducing higher application fees for some visa categories and expanding social media screening for visa applicants and immigrants already living in the United States.
Reuters
