The United States has significantly expanded its controversial visa bond program, with travellers from 38 countries now potentially required to lodge bonds of up to US$15,000 to obtain entry visas.
The expansion was confirmed this week by the U.S. Department of State, which added 25 new countries to the original list announced in August 2025, bringing the total number of affected nations to 38. The updated measures will come into force on 21 January.
The visa bond requirement applies to selected applicants seeking B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visas and forms part of a 12-month pilot program aimed at reducing visa overstays.
How the visa bond program works
Under the scheme, US consular officers have discretion to require eligible applicants from designated countries to post a bond of US$5,000, US$10,000 or US$15,000, depending on the perceived risk of overstaying.
The Department of State has indicated that US$10,000 will generally be the standard bond amount, though higher sums may be imposed at the officer’s discretion during the visa interview. Importantly, payment of a bond does not guarantee visa approval.
If all visa conditions are met and the traveller departs the United States on time, the bond will be fully refunded.
Travellers subject to the bond must also enter and exit the US through one of three designated airports:
Boston Logan International Airport
New York JFK
Washington Dulles International Airport
Failure to comply with these entry and exit requirements may result in denied entry or improper registration of departure records.
The State Department has confirmed that the list of affected countries may be updated on an ongoing basis.
Growing industry concerns
The expanded visa bond program presents an additional challenge for the US inbound tourism sector, which has yet to return to pre-pandemic visitor levels. Throughout 2025, monthly inbound arrivals consistently remained below 2019 benchmarks.
Several newly added African nations — including Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, and Senegal — have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an event expected to attract millions of international visitors to the United States.
At the same time, fans from Haiti and Iran, who have also qualified for the World Cup, remain unable to obtain visas due to separate US travel bans, further intensifying concerns around accessibility and visitor deterrence.
Adding to industry unease, reports late last year suggested the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering requiring travellers entering under the Visa Waiver Program to provide up to five years of social media history — a move tourism bodies fear could further suppress demand.
Countries currently subject to US visa bonds
Africa (24):
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Asia:
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
North America:
Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica
South America:
Venezuela
Oceania:
Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
