NEW US VISA RULE: SOME APPLICANTS TO PAY $15,000 BOND
United States adds 25 countries to visa bond list; citizens may need to post up to $15,000 for B1/B2 visa applications starting January 2026.
The United States government has expanded its visa bond requirements to include citizens of 25 additional countries, who may now need to post bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for B1/B2 visitor visas starting January 21, 2026.
The new measure, part of ongoing efforts to prevent visa overstays, brings the total number of countries on the bond list to 38, predominantly from Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Affected nations include Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and several others.
According to guidelines published on the US State Department website, bond amounts will be determined during visa interviews and can be set at $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. Applicants must use the official Pay.gov platform to submit Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and agree to bond terms, with strict warnings against using third-party payment services.
“A bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, the fees will not be returned,” the State Department emphasized in its announcement.
The policy requires citizens traveling on passports from listed countries to comply with the bond requirement regardless of where they apply, though payment should only be made after explicit direction from a consular officer.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
