General information only, not legal or immigration advice. US visa rules are applied case by case by consular officers and CBP — check the official sources linked here, and consult a qualified US immigration attorney for anything specific to your situation. Verified as at 4 August 2026.
If you're applying for a US B-1 or B-2 visitor visa and you're a national of one of roughly 50 designated countries, you may now be required to post a refundable bond of up to $20,000 before you travel. This is no longer a pilot programme — as of 3 August 2026, it is permanent, legally binding US policy. This guide explains exactly what's required, how the bond amounts work, what counts as compliance versus breach, and one important caveat about a State Department webpage that hasn't caught up with the new rule yet.
The Programme Is Now Permanent
The US Department of State published a final rule titled "Visas: Visa Bond Program" in the Federal Register on 3 August 2026 (filed 31 July 2026), with document number 2026-15726 (91 FR 48757) (Federal Register 2026-15726; GovInfo PDF).
The rule states plainly: "This final rule is effective August 3, 2026" (Federal Register full text).
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Instrument | Final rule, Visa Bond Program, US Department of State |
| Document / citation | 2026-15726 / 91 FR 48757 |
| Public Notice / RIN | Public Notice 13089; RIN 1400-AG33 |
| CFR affected | 22 CFR part 41 (revising § 41.11(c)) |
| Signatory | Morvared Namdarkhan, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs |
| Statutory authority | INA § 221(g)(3), 8 U.S.C. 1201(g)(3); also 22 CFR 41.11(b)(2), 41.31(a)(1); 8 CFR 221.1; 8 CFR 103.6 |
| Policy driver | Executive Order 14159, "Protecting the American People Against Invasion" (90 FR 8443, 29 Jan 2025), Section 14 |
Source for all rows: GovInfo PDF; Federal Register full text.
This final rule finalises the temporary Visa Bond Pilot Program, which had been in effect since 20 August 2025 for a 12-month period ending 5 August 2026 (Federal Register full text; the original pilot rule is at GovInfo PDF, FR of 5 Aug 2025). In other words, the pilot didn't just get extended — it was replaced by a permanent programme, with new (higher) bond tiers, immediately before the pilot's own expiry date. Do not describe this as a pilot, temporary measure, or something due to expire — it is now permanent.
Who Is Covered: Scope of the Rule
- Visa classes covered: B-1/B-2 only. F (student) visas and other non-immigrant classes are not covered by this rule, even though the underlying statute would technically permit their inclusion (Federal Register full text).
- How countries are selected: the criteria are high visa-overstay rates, deficient information-sharing with the US, insufficient identity-verification or criminal-records capability, and/or a demonstrated need for improvement in screening, vetting, and travel/civil document security. Participation in the Visa Waiver Program automatically precludes a country from inclusion (Federal Register full text).
How Much Is the Bond?
| Tier | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard/default | $15,000 | The expected default tier for most covered applicants |
| Reduced | $10,000 | Where the applicant cannot pay $15,000 but can still demonstrate the trip is funded |
| Maximum | $20,000 | Where $15,000 would be insufficient given the individual case |
Source: Federal Register full text. These figures represent an increase from the pilot programme's tiers of $5,000/$10,000/$15,000.
The Department states these amounts were informed by the DHS Immigration Enforcement Lifecycle cost, estimated at approximately $18,042 per alien (Federal Register full text).
Future-proofing: starting 1 October 2027, and every 7 years thereafter, the $20,000 maximum will automatically adjust for CPI-U inflation, rounded up to the nearest $1,000 (Federal Register full text).
Visa Validity and Bond Mechanics
- The visa issued under this programme may be for a single entry, or for multiple entries within three months or up to 12 months from issuance, depending on reciprocity arrangements with the specific country. The visa itself is annotated to reflect the bond (Federal Register full text).
- Payment is made through the Visa Bond Program payment platform, operated by the Treasury Department (the pilot used Pay.gov). Payment is in US dollars only, made electronically, with funds held by a US financial institution acting as financial agent. The applicant bears any currency-exchange or card-processing fees, and no interest accrues on the bond while it's held (Federal Register full text).
Foto von Roberto Nickson auf Unsplash
Compliance: How and Where You Must Travel
This is one of the most operationally important — and easy to overlook — parts of the rule. Bond holders must both enter and depart the United States by commercial air, through a US commercial airport of entry or a CBP Preclearance location.
| Travel method | Permitted under a bonded visa? |
|---|---|
| Commercial airline, US commercial airport or CBP Preclearance | Yes — required |
| Charter air | No |
| General aviation | No |
| Land or sea ports of entry | No |
| Travel to contiguous territories (Canada/Mexico) after US entry | Permitted under automatic revalidation (22 CFR 41.122(d)), but final departure from the US must still be via a commercial airport |
Source: Federal Register full text.
Getting Your Bond Back: Cancellation Conditions
Under 8 CFR 103.6(c)(3) — the "substantial performance" standard — the bond is cancelled and returned in these situations (Federal Register full text):
- The visa expires and the holder never travelled at all.
- The visa expires, the holder is not in the US, they departed via a commercial airport, and they otherwise complied with the conditions.
- The holder departs on time via a commercial airport after the visa expired during a lawful stay.
- CBP finds the holder inadmissible and cancels the visa at the port of entry.
- The holder departs by an approved extended date, following an approved extension of stay or change of status.
Two practical notes: return of the bond principal is subject to potential offset or levy under the Treasury Offset Program, and manual cancellation is possible via a consular appointment if the holder never travelled. In cancellation cases, an Immigration Bond Cancelation Notice is issued (Federal Register full text).
Breach: What Causes You to Lose the Entire Bond
Forfeiture of the entire bond amount — not a partial deduction — occurs in any of these five situations (Federal Register full text):
| # | Breach condition |
|---|---|
| A | Remaining in the US after the temporary period of admission expires |
| B | Filing an untimely request for change of status |
| C | Not departing within 10 days of a denial of a timely, properly filed extension or change-of-status request |
| D | Filing an untimely request for extension of stay |
| E | Filing for asylum or other humanitarian protection on Form I-589 |
Breach determinations can be appealed following DHS instructions (Federal Register full text).
Condition E deserves particular attention because it is easy to underestimate: under this rule, filing Form I-589 for asylum or other humanitarian protection is itself defined as a breach event that forfeits the full bond — regardless of the merits of the underlying claim. Anyone considering a change in the purpose of their visit after arrival should understand this consequence clearly before doing so.
Waivers: There Is No Application Process for Travellers
Unlike some visa conditions, there is no waiver application process available to applicants themselves. The Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs (or a designate) may waive the requirement for an individual, a country, or a category, where doing so is not contrary to the national interest. Separately, consular officers may recommend waivers only in very limited circumstances — such as for US government employees or urgent humanitarian needs (Federal Register full text).
Posting a bond does not guarantee visa issuance — this is stated explicitly on the State Department's own country-list page (travel.state.gov).
Foto von litoon dev auf Unsplash
Which Countries Are Covered — and an Important Caveat About the Official List Page
The State Department maintains a list of covered countries at travel.state.gov, "Countries Subject to Visa Bonds", last updated 13 May 2026.
Read this caveat before relying on that page for bond amounts. As observed on 4 August 2026, the travel.state.gov list page still reflects the pilot programme's parameters — bond amounts of $5,000/$10,000/$15,000, and references to Form I-352 and Pay.gov. It has not yet been updated to reflect the final rule's new $10,000/$15,000/$20,000 tiers. For current bond amounts, rely on the Federal Register final rule, not the State Department list page. Use the State Department page only for the country list itself, and note that the page's own update date is 13 May 2026 (travel.state.gov; Federal Register full text).
The 50 Countries and Their Implementation Dates
| Country | Implementation date | Country | Implementation date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 21 Jan 2026 | Malawi | 20 Aug 2025 |
| Angola | 21 Jan 2026 | Mauritania | 23 Oct 2025 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 21 Jan 2026 | Mauritius | 2 Apr 2026 |
| Bangladesh | 21 Jan 2026 | Mongolia | 2 Apr 2026 |
| Benin | 21 Jan 2026 | Mozambique | 2 Apr 2026 |
| Bhutan | 1 Jan 2026 | Namibia | 1 Jan 2026 |
| Botswana | 1 Jan 2026 | Nepal | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Burundi | 21 Jan 2026 | Nicaragua | 2 Apr 2026 |
| Cabo Verde | 21 Jan 2026 | Nigeria | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Cambodia | 2 Apr 2026 | Papua New Guinea | 2 Apr 2026 |
| Central African Republic | 1 Jan 2026 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 23 Oct 2025 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 21 Jan 2026 | Senegal | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Cuba | 21 Jan 2026 | Seychelles | 2 Apr 2026 |
| Djibouti | 21 Jan 2026 | Tajikistan | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Dominica | 21 Jan 2026 | Tanzania | 23 Oct 2025 |
| Ethiopia | 2 Apr 2026 | Togo | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Fiji | 21 Jan 2026 | Tonga | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Gabon | 21 Jan 2026 | Tunisia | 2 Apr 2026 |
| The Gambia | 11 Oct 2025 | Turkmenistan | 1 Jan 2026 |
| Georgia | 2 Apr 2026 | Tuvalu | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Grenada | 2 Apr 2026 | Uganda | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Guinea | 1 Jan 2026 | Vanuatu | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1 Jan 2026 | Venezuela | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 21 Jan 2026 | Zambia | 20 Aug 2025 |
| Lesotho | 2 Apr 2026 | Zimbabwe | 21 Jan 2026 |
Source: travel.state.gov.
Remember the list is not static. New countries can be added with just 15 days' advance notice, while removals take effect immediately. Countries already covered under the pilot remain covered on the permanent rule's effective date without needing to be re-added (Federal Register full text).
The Bond Applies Regardless of Where You Apply
The State Department page also confirms: the bond requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is made — it is tied to nationality and consular assessment, not to your location at the time of application (travel.state.gov).
A Notable Exception: FIFA World Cup 2026
The same page describes specific waivers connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup: for athletes, team members, coaches, support staff and immediate relatives of competing nations; and for nationals of competing countries who, by 15 April, had purchased World Cup tickets and opted into the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS) (travel.state.gov).
Did the Pilot Actually Work? The Government's Own Figures
The final rule itself cites pilot-period outcome data to justify making the programme permanent (Federal Register full text):
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Countries added during the pilot's first 10 months | 50 |
| FY2024 overstays from those 50 countries | 45,488 |
| Overstays in the pilot's first 10 months from those same countries | Fewer than 50 |
| Change in visa issuance to those nationals (as of July 2026, vs. same 10-month period the year before) | Down 83% |
| FY2024 Suspected In-Country Overstays (all countries) | 427,204 |
| Visa Waiver Program overstay rate (for comparison) | 0.44% |
Practical Guidance If You're Applying From a Covered Country
- Check the current country list on travel.state.gov, but get your bond amount expectations from the Federal Register final rule, not the list page, since the page hasn't been updated for the new tiers yet (travel.state.gov; Federal Register full text).
- Plan your itinerary around commercial air travel only. Land, sea, charter, and general-aviation entry or exit will breach the compliance conditions (Federal Register full text).
- Only pay when a consular officer directs you to, using the official payment platform — never a third-party site (travel.state.gov).
- Understand that posting a bond does not guarantee your visa will be issued (travel.state.gov).
- If your plans might change once in the US, know the consequences in advance — overstaying, filing late extension or change-of-status requests, or filing Form I-589 for asylum will each trigger forfeiture of the full bond (Federal Register full text).
- There's no self-service waiver request. Waivers are discretionary and initiated by consular officers or the Assistant Secretary, not by applicant petition (Federal Register full text).
Key Takeaways
- The Visa Bond Program is now permanent, effective 3 August 2026 — it is not a pilot and not expiring (Federal Register full text).
- It covers B-1/B-2 visas only, for nationals of roughly 50 designated countries, at bond tiers of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 (Federal Register full text).
- The State Department's country-list page still shows the old pilot bond amounts as of its 13 May 2026 update — rely on the Federal Register for current figures (travel.state.gov; Federal Register full text).
- Compliance requires commercial-air entry and exit; breach — including filing for asylum on Form I-589 — forfeits the entire bond (Federal Register full text).
- There is no applicant-facing waiver process, and posting a bond never guarantees visa issuance (Federal Register full text; travel.state.gov).
