US expands $15,000 visa bond policy to 50 countries

The United States has expanded its visa bond policy to 50 countries, requiring certain short-term travellers to post up to $15,000 as a refundable guarantee.

This was as authorities intensify efforts to curb visa overstays following a reported 97 per cent compliance rate under the scheme.

The U.S. Department of State, through its Bureau of Global Public Affairs, disclosed in a statement published on March 18 that nearly 1,000 visas have so far been issued under the initiative, with the vast majority of beneficiaries returning to their home countries in line with visa conditions.

Officials said the high compliance level highlights the effectiveness of the programme, particularly when compared to previous overstay trends.

In the final year of Joe Biden, a former President’s administration, more than 44,000 visitors from countries now under the bond scheme overstayed their visas.

Buoyed by the results, the State Department confirmed that the visa bond requirement will be expanded to cover 50 countries starting April 2, 2026.

“Under the revised policy, affected travellers applying for B1 (business) or B2 (tourism) visas will be required to post a refundable bond of up to $15,000 before entering the United States.

“The bond will be returned if the traveller complies with visa terms or decides not to travel.

“The expansion will bring in 12 additional countries, including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Tunisia.

“These nations will join 38 others already under the programme, among them Nigeria”, the statement noted.

It noted that the policy primarily targets countries identified as having relatively high rates of visa overstays, forming part of broader U.S. efforts to strengthen immigration compliance and border security.

Recent reports indicate that the bond amount may vary between $5,000 and $15,000 depending on individual assessments by consular officers, although the upper threshold remains $15,000.

According to the State Department, the visa bond acts as a financial guarantee that travellers will adhere to the terms of their stay. Beneficiaries who depart the U.S. within the approved timeframe—or who are denied visas or choose not to travel—will receive full refunds.

However, those who overstay or violate visa conditions risk forfeiting the bond and facing further immigration penalties.

The programme, launched as a pilot in 2025, applies only to short-term B1/B2 visas and does not guarantee visa approval even after payment.

U.S. authorities also highlighted the financial implications of visa overstays, noting that it costs an average of over $18,000 to remove an individual illegally residing in the country.

According to the statement, by improving compliance, the visa bond initiative is projected to save American taxpayers up to $800 million annually in enforcement and removal costs.

Officials maintain that the policy has already “drastically reduced” the number of overstays and will play a critical role in ongoing immigration reforms as the programme expands.