- The State Department will make visa bonds permanent for fifty designated countries starting August third, twenty twenty-six.
- Travelers may face guarantees up to $20,000 for B-one business and B-two tourist visa applications.
- The policy aims to deter visa overstays following a pilot program that saw issuance fall by eighty-three percent.
The State Department will make its visa bond program permanent on Monday, raising the maximum guarantee to $20,000 for visitors from 50 designated countries, most of them in Africa. A draft notice published Friday in the Federal Register sets the change to take effect August 3, 2026.
The program applies to B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas. Consular officers can require applicants to post a bond during their visa interviews, with the amount set at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000.
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A nearly year-long review of the pilot found that it sharply reduced both visa issuance and reported overstays. The State Department said the review “provided sufficient data” to show that the requirement enforces compliance with visa terms.
The department also said the policy will reduce applications.
“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 ties the policy to the cost of enforcement. Arresting and deporting one visitor who overstays costs the government about $18,000, officials estimate. The bond is intended to deter violations and reduce those expenses.
The pilot began in August 2025 under the Trump administration as part of broader efforts to curb illegal migration. During its first 10 months, fewer than 50 visitors from the covered countries overstayed, compared with nearly 45,500 in 2024.
The permanent system removes the $5,000 option
The permanent rules eliminate the pilot’s lowest bond tier. Applicants will face three possible amounts:
- $10,000
- $15,000
- $20,000
The highest amount rises from the pilot’s previous $15,000 maximum. Officers will decide whether a bond applies and which tier fits the case.
The process adds a separate financial requirement to the ordinary visa assessment. Applicants required to post a bond must submit DHS Form I-352, titled Immigration Bond, and make the payment through the U.S. Treasury’s Pay.gov system.
The money can return to the traveler. The bond is refundable in full if the visa application is denied or if the traveler leaves the United States on time and complies with all status requirements. The government will not pay interest on returned funds.
The rule currently covers 50 countries. The list includes Nigeria, Angola, Ethiopia and Tanzania, along with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. The State Department can add or remove countries using rolling 12-month overstay data.
The department has published a list of countries subject to visa bonds.
Visa issuance fell as overstays dropped
The pilot produced a steep decline in visas issued to nationals of the covered countries. The number fell by 83%, as many applicants could not or would not pay the required sums.
The program reached more people than officials first expected. The government initially projected that 2,000 applicants would face the requirement, but approximately 20,000 applicants came under it during the pilot year.
The figures present two effects at once. Reported overstays dropped to fewer than 50, while access to the covered visa categories fell sharply. The State Department cited the reduction in demand as an intended result of the permanent rule.
Customs and Border Protection’s Entry/Exit Overstay Reports supply the overstay data used to identify high-risk populations. The reports are available through the Department of Homeland Security.
The pilot’s comparison uses nearly 45,500 overstays recorded in 2024 among visitors from the 50 affected countries and fewer than 50 during its first 10 months. The department used those results to support continuation of the policy.
Critics warn the bonds will block ordinary visitors
Critics call the requirement an “unnecessarily harsh burden” on people from impoverished countries. They say the sums could prevent families from visiting relatives and stop small business owners from pursuing legitimate trade and business opportunities in the United States.
The policy shifts part of the government’s concern about whether a visitor will return into an upfront financial guarantee. Applicants must either produce the money or accept that the visa may not be issued under the bond requirement.
The impact falls most heavily on African countries because most of the 50 designated countries are in Africa. The list also reaches South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
The number of people affected exceeded the original estimate by a factor of 10. That expansion occurred during the pilot year, when approximately 20,000 applicants faced the bond instead of the 2,000 initially projected.
A limited World Cup exception will apply
The administration has announced a limited waiver for athletes, coaches and support staff competing in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Those travelers must still satisfy every other visa eligibility requirement.
The exception does not remove the broader country-based system. Consular officers will continue deciding whether applicants need bonds, and the department will continue using rolling 12-month overstay data to adjust the list of covered countries.
The notice is scheduled for formal publication on August 3, 2026. Its three bond levels, the DHS Form I-352 filing requirement and the Pay.gov payment system will then govern the permanent program.
