- Pakistan is currently excluded from the program following the U.S. State Department’s finalization of the visa bond rule.
- Consular officers can demand refundable deposits up to $20,000 from applicants belonging to fifty designated countries.
- The permanent program follows a pilot that saw visa issuance drop 83 percent in covered nations during 2025.
The U.S. Department of State finalized a permanent visa bond program on August 3, 2026, and Pakistan did not appear on the list covering B-1/B-2 visitor visa applicants from 50 designated countries. As of August 4, 2026, Pakistani applicants are outside the new requirement, even though some visitors from other countries can be asked for refundable deposits of up to $20,000 before a visa is issued. Pakistan is out, for now.
Under the rule, consular officers may set three bond amounts: $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000. The requirement applies only to applicants from the covered countries. Others do not face it. The money is refundable if the traveler complies with the terms.
Free toolSchengen Short-Stay Visa Calculator
The permanent version followed a 12-month pilot that began on August 20, 2025. That earlier test used bond amounts from $5,000 to $15,000, so the permanent rule widened the top tier. The new rule keeps the same basic structure. It raises the ceiling.
The authority comes from Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. In its Federal Register notice, the department said the pilot had "The 2025 visa bond pilot. has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders." It also said, "Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance." The notice was explicit.
The department said there were 45,488 overstays from the 50 covered countries in 2024. During the first 10 months of the pilot, bonded travelers produced fewer than 50 overstays. Visa issuance in the covered countries dropped 83%, and nearly 50% of people asked to post a bond walked away instead of paying. Those figures are now part of the record.
The country list reaches far beyond South Asia. It covers 50 countries, 30 of them in Africa. A quick comparison helps place Pakistan among its neighbors and other outliers. The split is regional.
| Country | Status |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | Not included |
| India | Not included |
| Bangladesh | Included |
| Nepal | Included |
| Afghanistan | Outside the program |
| Iran | Outside the program |
Refunds hinge on a commercial airport exit
The bond is refundable, but only if the traveler leaves through a designated commercial airport and follows all visa terms. Land and sea exits are generally off-limits for bonded travelers, which means the departure has to match the rule exactly. Miss the exit test, and the money stays locked up. That rule matters.
The State Department can still change the roster fast
The program is now permanent, but the list can still move. The department can add countries with 15 days’ notice or remove countries immediately, leaving room for quick changes. Pakistan has a pass today. The list can change fast.
