US Permanent Visa Bond Policy: Who Must Pay Up to USD 20,000 and Why?

The US State Department has permanently adopted its visa bond programme following a year-long pilot, allowing consular officers to require certain applicants for business and tourist visas to post bonds of up to USD 20,000 before a visa is issued. The policy comes into force on Monday and currently applies to citizens of 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, though India is not on the list.

Why The Programme Was Made Permanent

The decision follows a review that found the programme helped improve compliance with visa conditions, according to a notice published in the Federal Register. The government has also indicated that additional countries could be added to the programme in the future.

The Federal Register notice stated that the 2025 visa bond pilot, which allowed the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of such a programme, provided sufficient data to show that a visa bond programme is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders. Will Donald Trump’s Proposed USD 100,000 OPT Fee Hit Indian Students? Here’s What We Know.

Who Will Be Affected

The programme applies to applicants seeking B-1 and B-2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel. Under the rule, consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to USD 20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, at the discretion of the consular officer handling the case.

Bond Amount Increased Under Final Rule

During the pilot phase, consular officers could require applicants to post bonds of USD 5,000, USD 10,000, or up to USD 15,000. Under the final rule, the USD 5,000 option has been removed, while the maximum bond amount has been increased to USD 20,000. The rule is scheduled to take effect on August 3, when it will be published in the Federal Register. H-1B Visas Could Be Paused for 3 Years Under New US Bill; What It Means for Indians Professionals.

Full List Of Countries Under The Visa Bond Programme

The Department of State has designated nationals of the following countries as subject to the visa bond programme, with the date in parentheses indicating when the requirement came into effect for each.

Africa (30): Algeria (January 21, 2026), Angola (January 21, 2026), Benin (January 21, 2026), Botswana (January 1, 2026), Burundi (January 21, 2026), Cabo Verde (January 21, 2026), Central African Republic (January 1, 2026), Cote D'Ivoire (January 21, 2026), Djibouti (January 21, 2026), Ethiopia (April 2, 2026), Gabon (January 21, 2026), The Gambia (October 11, 2025), Guinea (January 1, 2026), Guinea-Bissau (January 1, 2026), Lesotho (April 2, 2026), Malawi (August 20, 2025), Mauritania (October 23, 2025), Mauritius (April 2, 2026), Mozambique (April 2, 2026), Namibia (January 1, 2026), Nigeria (January 21, 2026), Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025), Senegal (January 21, 2026), Seychelles (April 2, 2026), Tanzania (October 23, 2025), Togo (January 21, 2026), Tunisia (April 2, 2026), Uganda (January 21, 2026), Zambia (August 20, 2025), and Zimbabwe (January 21, 2026).

Asia (9): Bangladesh (January 21, 2026), Bhutan (January 1, 2026), Cambodia (April 2, 2026), Georgia (April 2, 2026), Kyrgyz Republic (January 21, 2026), Mongolia (April 2, 2026), Nepal (January 21, 2026), Tajikistan (January 21, 2026), and Turkmenistan (January 1, 2026).

North America / Caribbean (4): Antigua and Barbuda (January 21, 2026), Cuba (January 21, 2026), Dominica (January 21, 2026), and Grenada (April 2, 2026).

Oceania (5): Fiji (January 21, 2026), Papua New Guinea (April 2, 2026), Tonga (January 21, 2026), Tuvalu (January 21, 2026), and Vanuatu (January 21, 2026).

Latin America (2): Nicaragua (April 2, 2026) and Venezuela (January 21, 2026).

Reactions To The Policy

US officials say the visa bond programme is designed to reduce the number of travellers who overstay their visas. Immigration advocates, however, argue that the measure could discourage legitimate travel to the US.

Rights groups have also criticised President Donald Trump's broader immigration policies, saying they undermine free speech and due process, create an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities, and encourage racial profiling. Trump has defended the measures, saying they are necessary to strengthen national security.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2026 06:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).