US makes visa bond program permanent for 50 countries, mostly in Africa

The US State Department has made permanent a visa bond program that could require applicants from 50 countries, mostly in Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking US visas, according to a federal notice posted online on Friday.

The final rule, published in the Federal Register, applies to B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel. Under the new regulations, 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 move follows 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. The department said the pilot provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders.

In the pilot program, consular officers could require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or up to $15,000. The final rule eliminates the $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond to $20,000, with bonds now ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.

The final rule goes into effect on August 3, when it is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register. Of the 50 countries whose citizens are covered by the program, 30 are from Africa, according to the list published in the Federal Register.

US officials say the policy is intended to reduce visa overstays. Immigration advocates argue it will deter legitimate travel to the United States.

The State Department said the decision followed a review of the 2025 pilot program, which it said significantly reduced visa overstays among travellers from participating countries and improved compliance with US immigration rules. According to the department, there were 45,488 overstays from these 50 countries in 2024. In the first 10 months of the pilot, the number of overstays was fewer than 50. The visa bond requirement has also resulted in a decrease in visa issuance, as some applicants appear to self-select by not paying a bond.

Key countries included and excluded

The list of 50 countries does not include Pakistan, according to the Federal Register notice. Diplomatic sources also confirmed to Dawn that Pakistan is not on the list of countries covered by the program.

Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh and Nepal are covered by the program, while India is not. Afghanistan and Iran are not included because the United States does not maintain normal diplomatic relations with either country.

The program applies to applicants for B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas from countries covered by the scheme. Under the new rules, US consular officers may require selected applicants to post a refundable bond before issuing a visa.

Advocates' concerns

Rights advocates say President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown violates free speech and due process, while creating an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities and encouraging racial profiling. Trump has defended the measures as necessary to bolster national security.

While Trump says he wants to curb illegal immigration, his administration has made legal immigration more difficult, for example, by imposing new and expensive fees for applicants of certain visas and by enforcing social media vetting for applicants and immigrants already in the country.