WASHINGTON: The United States has made its visa bond program permanent for citizens of certain countries applying for visitor visas, while Pakistan has been excluded from the list of countries subject to the new requirement.
Under the policy, applicants from certain selected nations who apply for a B1 (Business) or B2 (Tourism) visa can be asked to furnish a refundable financial guarantee amounting to $10,000 – $20,000.
From the list that is made available in the US Federal Register, it appears that the nations of Pakistan and India have been exempted from this initiative, whereas other nations of South Asia have been included in the program.
The US State Department said the decision was taken after reviewing a pilot visa bond program launched in 2025. It was indicated that the project helped to substantially decrease the visa overstay rate and enhanced the compliance of participants with US immigration regulations.
State Department statistics indicate that there were 45,488 people who overstayed their visas in 2024 for the aforementioned countries. Nonetheless, throughout the ten-month period of the pilot phase, the number of overstays has stayed under 50 cases.
Under the new policy, US consular officers will have the authority to require selected applicants to provide a refundable bond before issuing a visitor visa, depending on individual circumstances.
The deposited amount will be returned if visa holders comply with all conditions and leave the United States within the permitted period. However, the bond may be forfeited in cases involving visa violations or unauthorized stays beyond the approved duration.
US officials said the measure is aimed at strengthening immigration compliance while ensuring that legitimate travellers continue to have access to the visitor visa process.
