Washington DC: The US State Department has made permanent a pilot program requiring citizens of 50 countries, most of them in Africa, to post a financial bond before applying for certain US visas. The department has also raised the maximum bond amount to $20,000.
A draft notice published Friday in the Federal Register said a review of nearly a year of the program “provided sufficient data” to demonstrate that it improved compliance with US visa conditions. The notice is scheduled for formal publication Monday, when the rule takes effect permanently. The State Department also said additional countries could be added to the list.
Under the program, passport holders from the designated countries must pay a refundable bond before attending an interview for B1 and B2 business and tourist visas. The bond is returned if the visa application is denied or, if approved, once the traveler complies with the terms of the visa.
The pilot program, introduced by the Trump administration in August 2025, had set the maximum bond at $15,000, with consular officers authorized to require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. Under the final rule, the maximum bond has been increased to $20,000, while the $5,000 option has been eliminated.
The Trump administration launched the measure as part of broader efforts to reduce visa overstays and curb illegal immigration. According to the State Department, the estimated cost of arresting and deporting a visitor who overstays a visa is approximately $18,000 per person.
State Department officials said the pilot program has been successful. The notice stated that nearly 45,500 visitors from the 50 participating countries overstayed their visas in 2024. During the first 10 months of the pilot bond program, however, fewer than 50 visa overstays were recorded among travelers covered by the requirement.
Critics argue that the policy places an undue financial burden on travelers from lower-income countries seeking to visit family, pursue education or conduct business in the United States.
Government estimates initially projected that about 2,000 visa applicants would be required to post a bond. However, the State Department later determined that nearly 20,000 applicants fell under the requirement.
Nearly half of those applicants chose not to pay the bond, contributing to an 83% decline in the number of B1 and B2 visas issued to citizens of the affected countries.
“The department expects that this final rule will contribute to the continued reduction of demand for B1/B2 visa applications from nationals of countries subject to the program,” the notice said.
With the rule now permanent, the United States has increased the maximum visa bond to $20,000 and signaled that more countries could be brought under the program in the future.
