The US State Department made its B-1/B-2 visa bond program permanent on August 3, 2026, ending a 12-month pilot and formally establishing a rule under which consular officers can require certain visa applicants to post a refundable cash bond before their visa is issued. For business and tourist travelers from the 50 countries currently covered, that bond can now run as high as $20,000.
What the program actually requires
Under the new permanent rule, consular officers may require B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourist) visa applicants from designated countries to post a bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 as a condition of getting their visa. This replaces the pilot program's tiers, which topped out at $15,000 and included a lower $5,000 option that has now been eliminated. The specific amount is decided by the interviewing consular officer, based on their assessment of overstay risk.
The bond is refundable — but only if the traveler complies with the terms of their visa. According to the State Department, visa holders receive a full refund if they depart the US on time, or if they timely file a proper request to extend their stay or change their immigration status. If the State Department makes a preliminary finding that someone didn't comply, the case is referred to the Department of Homeland Security, which makes the final call. A confirmed breach means the bond is forfeited to the government.
Which countries are affected
The program currently applies to nationals of 50 designated countries, many of them in Africa, though the list also includes countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, among others. The State Department has said the list can change on a rolling basis — it can add a country with 15 days' notice, or remove one immediately. The current, authoritative list is maintained on the State Department's travel website rather than fixed in the rule itself, so travelers from any of the affected regions should check it directly before applying.
Why the bond exists — and why it's staying
The State Department introduced the pilot in August 2025 under Executive Order 14159, aimed at countries it considers to have high visa overstay rates, weak information-sharing, or insufficient identity verification and document screening. Before making the program permanent, the department pointed to results from the pilot's first 10 months: fewer than 50 overstays were recorded among travelers from the covered countries, compared with 45,488 overstays from those same countries in fiscal year 2024.
The pilot also had a clear chilling effect on applications. Roughly 20,000 visa applications required a bond — ten times the 2,000 the department originally expected — and nearly half of those applicants chose not to pay it. Visa issuance to nationals of the covered countries fell 83 percent during the pilot's first 10 months compared with the same period the year before.
What this means if you're applying
If you're a B-1/B-2 applicant from one of the 50 designated countries, a few things are worth knowing before you apply:
The bond amount isn't fixed in advance — it's set by the consular officer during your interview, based on their assessment of your individual case, up to the $20,000 ceiling.
There's no formal waiver process built into the rule, though the assistant secretary for consular affairs (or a designee) has discretion to waive the requirement for an individual, a category of applicants, or an entire country if doing so serves the national interest.
The rule currently applies only to B-1/B-2 visitor visas, not to F-1 student visas or other visa categories — though it's worth noting the Department of Homeland Security separately ended "duration of status" admissions for F-1 students in a different rule announced July 17, 2026, which is a distinct policy change from the bond program.
Some entry conditions reported under the pilot — including single-entry visas, arrival through specific designated airports, and a maximum 30-day stay rather than the usual 180-day B-2 admission period — applied to bonded pilot travelers. Whether identical conditions carry over unchanged under the permanent program isn't fully confirmed in the final rule text, so applicants should confirm their specific visa conditions with their consular officer at the time of interview.
What happens next
The State Department has said it expects the permanent rule to further reduce demand for B-1/B-2 applications from nationals of the covered countries. Since the country list can change with as little as 15 days' notice, travelers from countries near the program's edges — those not currently listed but with overstay or compliance concerns — should watch for updates on the State Department's travel website rather than assuming their status is fixed.
FAQ
How much is the visa bond? Between $10,000 and $20,000, set by the individual consular officer based on their assessment of the applicant's overstay risk.
Do I get the bond money back? Yes, if you comply with your visa terms — meaning you depart the US on time, or file a timely, proper request to extend your stay or change your status. If the government determines you didn't comply, the bond is forfeited.
How do I know if my country is on the list? The State Department maintains the current list on its travel website. Because the list can change with as little as 15 days' notice, check it directly close to your planned application date rather than relying on older reporting.
Can I get the bond requirement waived? There's no formal waiver application process built into the rule, but the assistant secretary for consular affairs has discretion to waive it for an individual applicant, a group of applicants, or an entire country if it serves the national interest.
Does this affect student visas too? No — this specific bond program applies only to B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas, not F-1 student visas.