The U.S. State Department has made permanent a program requiring certain tourist and business visa applicants to post a refundable cash bond before they can travel, and it raised the top bond amount to $20,000. The rule took effect August 3, 2026.
What Happened
The Department of State published a final rule in the Federal Register on August 3, 2026, establishing a permanent Visa Bond Program for B-1/B-2 visitor visa applicants from designated countries. The rule converts what had been a pilot program, launched in August 2025 under Executive Order 14159, into a standing requirement.
According to the Federal Register notice, the department concluded that the pilot generated enough data to show a visa bond program is an effective compliance tool for bonded visa holders.
The Numbers
Under the permanent program, consular officers may require bonds of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, depending on an applicant’s circumstances. Those tiers are higher than the pilot’s $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000, according to analyses from law firms Ogletree Deakins and Fragomen.
The program targets nationals of countries flagged for high visa overstay rates, deficient information sharing, inadequate identity verification, or other screening concerns. Berry Appleman and Leiden reported the current list covers roughly 50 countries, many of them in Africa, and the State Department may revise it on a rolling basis with at least 15 days’ notice posted to travel.state.gov.
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Who Is Affected
The requirement applies only to B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) applicants from designated countries. It does not reach students, temporary workers, or immigrant visa applicants.
Bonded travelers also face extra conditions. They must generally enter and leave the United States through commercial airports, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance locations. Visas may be issued for single or multiple entries for up to 12 months, depending on reciprocity with the traveler’s country.
Bond money is returned when the traveler substantially complies with the terms of admission and departs as required. It can be forfeited if the traveler overstays, files certain untimely immigration requests, or otherwise breaches the bond’s conditions.
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What This Means for You
If you are planning to bring a parent, sibling, or business contact to the United States on a visitor visa, check the State Department’s designated-country list before anyone books a flight. A $10,000 to $20,000 bond is a real financial barrier, and the money stays tied up for the life of the visa.
Confirm whether the traveler’s country is currently designated. The list changes, and new designations take effect at least 15 days after they are announced on travel.state.gov.
Plan the itinerary around the airport requirement. Bonded travelers generally cannot enter or exit by land or sea.
Understand the forfeiture triggers before posting the money. Overstaying, even briefly, puts the bond at risk, and so do certain late filings.
Immigration attorneys expect the country list to grow, so families in countries with high overstay rates should watch for updates even if they are not affected today.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice.
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What Comes Next
The rule is already in force, so there is no comment period and no grace window. The most likely near-term development is a change to the country list, and the State Department’s 15-day notice commitment is the only planning runway applicants will get.
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