The United States has expanded its visa bond programme to cover nationals of 50 countries seeking certain tourist and business visas, with applicants potentially required to deposit USD 10,000, USD 15,000 or USD 20,000.
Indian passport holders are not included in the updated list, while neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal are among those covered.
Under the programme, applicants who are otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa may be required to post a financial bond before the visa is issued. The amount is decided by a consular officer during the visa interview, and applicants must submit DHS Form I-352 and agree to the bond conditions through the US Treasury’s Pay.gov system.
The US State Department has advised applicants not to make any payment until a consular officer specifically directs them to do so. It also clarified that paying the bond does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.
The programme operates under Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, with the current framework established through a final rule issued on August 3. The State Department said the countries covered were identified using B1/B2 visa overstay data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Entry/Exit Overstay Report.
Bangladesh and Nepal were added to the programme from January 21, while Bhutan has been subject to the requirement since January 1. The list also includes countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Applicants required to post a bond will also face specific travel conditions, including the use of designated commercial aviation facilities and Customs and Border Protection preclearance locations for entry and departure. The measure is aimed at addressing visa overstays among visitors travelling to the US for temporary business or tourism.
