The U.S. State Department has made permanent a visa bond program requiring travelers from 50 countries to post a bond of up to $20,000 when applying for business or tourist visas.
The program, which primarily affects countries in Africa, was initially launched as a year-long pilot in Aug. 2025. According to the Associated Press, the State Department determined that the pilot provided sufficient data to support making the program permanent.
The final rule was published in the Federal Register and took effect Aug. 3.
Established to Reduce Overstays and Visa Compliance
Under the program, eligible applicants for business and tourist visas may be required to post a bond of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 at the discretion of a consular officer. The bond is refunded if the visa application is denied or, if approved, once the traveler complies with the visa terms and departs the U.S. as required.
The permanent program raises the maximum bond from $15,000 under the pilot and eliminates the previous $5,000 option. The State Department says the measure is intended to reduce visa overstays and encourage compliance with U.S. visa requirements.
According to data cited by the State Department and reported by news outlets, fewer than 50 visa overstays were recorded among travelers from the affected countries during the first 10 months of the pilot program, compared with more than 45,000 during fiscal year 2024.
At the same time, the program had a significant effect on travel demand: visa issuances to applicants from the designated countries fell by 83 percent during the pilot, according to the State Department.
The State Department has said the bond requirement applies to designated countries based on factors including visa overstay rates and other screening and vetting considerations.
For a full list of the countries subject to the permanent visa bond program, click here.
