Key Takeaways
- The U.S. State Department will make a visa bond program permanent, affecting applicants from 50 countries.
- B1 and B2 visas, issued for business and tourism travel, could require bonds of up to $20,000.
- The policy aims to reduce visa overstays but faces criticism from immigration advocates.
The U.S. State Department has announced that a visa bond program will be made permanent for travelers from 50 countries, mostly from Africa, when seeking U.S. visas.
This new policy applies to B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel, and could require applicants to post bonds of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance.
Consular officers will have the discretion to determine whether to require a bond based on individual circumstances, with the maximum amount raised from $15,000 in the pilot program to $20,000 under the final rule.
The policy is intended to reduce visa overstays and was part of the 2025 visa bond pilot program that provided data suggesting its effectiveness in enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders.
Of the 50 countries included in the program, 30 are from Africa. The Federal Register notice states that the final rule will go into effect on August 3 when it is published.
Immigration advocates argue that this policy will deter legitimate travel to the United States and create an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities, while rights advocates claim it violates free speech and due process.
President Donald Trump has defended these measures as necessary to bolster national security, despite criticism from those who see them as part of his aggressive immigration crackdown.
