US to make visa bond programme permanent for people from dozens of countries

The US Department of State will implement a visa bond scheme that will make it mandatory for applicants from about 50 countries – mainly from Africa – to post bonds worth up to $20,000 while applying for US visas, states the federal notice published on the internet on Friday.

The notice on the Federal Register is in reference to B1 and B2 visas, which are meant for people who travel for business or tour purposes.

“Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers,” states the notice.

“Pursuant to the 2025 Visa Bond Pilot, which offered a way for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to determine the feasibility of implementing a visa bond program, sufficient data have been collected to demonstrate that a visa bond program is a useful enforcement measure against bonded visa holders.”

Under the pilot program, consular officers could impose a bond amount of $5,000, $10,000 or even $15,000. The new rule scraps the $5,000 bond and sets the maximum amount at $20,000.

This rule becomes effective on August 3 when it is expected to be published in the Federal Register. Out of the total of 50 countries listed here, 30 belong to Africa.

It is argued that the US administration intends to minimize visa overstays through this program. However, advocates of migration believe that the measure will discourage legitimate travel to the USA.

Advocates of rights say that President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration policies infringe on freedom of speech and due process, create a dangerous atmosphere for ethnic minorities, and encourage racial profiling. Trump, in turn, believes that it is absolutely necessary for the security of the nation.

Although Trump claims that he intends to stop illegal immigration, his government has actually made legal immigration even more difficult than before. Thus, it introduced new and expensive fees for some visa applicants and social media screening for both applicants and immigrants who are already living in the USA.

In early May, the State Department announced the nationals of the following 50 countries required to pay visa bonds: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Cote D'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.