WASHINGTON: The United States has decided to make its visa bond programme permanent as part of stricter immigration measures, requiring citizens of certain countries to deposit a bond of up to $20,000 to obtain a US visa.
According to international media reports, the new policy will apply to B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourist) visas. Under the programme, US consular officers will be authorised to require visa applicants from designated countries to pay a refundable security bond as a condition for visa issuance.
The US State Department said the pilot programme launched in 2025 proved effective in improving compliance with US visa regulations and reducing the number of visitors who overstay their authorised period of stay.
Under the earlier pilot scheme, applicants could be required to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. However, the revised policy eliminates the $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond amount to $20,000.
The new rule will take effect after its formal publication in the Federal Register on August 3. Officials said the programme will initially cover 50 countries, nearly 30 of which are in Africa.
According to US authorities, the primary objective of the programme is to reduce the number of visitors who remain in the country illegally after their visas expire.
The visa bond programme is part of a broader tightening of US immigration policies in recent years, which has also included additional visa-related fees and enhanced scrutiny of applicants, including reviews of their social media accounts.
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