The State Department has announced that citizens from 12 more countries will soon have to post cash bonds of up to $15,000 to obtain tourist or business visas to the United States.
In an update on Wednesday, March 18, the U.S. State Department expanded the tough immigration enforcement tool aimed at reducing visa overstays to 50 countries.
The new additions, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia, will join 38 other nations already on the list.
Starting April 2, visa applicants from these countries seeking B1 (business) or B2 (tourism/medical) visas must pay the bond before their applications are approved. Consular officers will decide the exact amount —$5,000, $10,000, or $15,000—based on each person’s situation.
The bonds are fully refundable if the traveler leaves the U.S. on time when their visa expires. If they overstay and remain illegally, the money is forfeited to help cover deportation costs.
Also Read: U.S. Opens Visa Applications for Visitors Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 – How to Apply
Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson defended the program in a post on X, calling it a proven success.
“The visa bond program has already proven effective at drastically reducing the number of visa recipients who overstay their visas and illegally remain in the U.S.,” he wrote.
He pointed to early data: the department has issued about 1,000 visas under the bond requirement so far, and 97% of those travelers have returned home as required.
State Department officials say the expanded list will save American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually by offsetting deportation expenses for people who violate visa terms.
They estimate the overall savings could reach $800 million a year once the program is fully in place across the 50 countries.
The policy builds on a wider push under the current administration to tighten visa rules and reduce illegal immigration.
Other countries on the U.S. visa bond list
Earlier rounds added countries in waves, with some, like Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania, placed on the list as far back as last summer. Others, including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Cuba, Nigeria, and Venezuela, joined in January.
The full list now covers nations across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Latin America. Many are lower-income countries where visa overstay rates have historically been higher, according to government data.
For those opposed to the policy, bonds are seen as an unfair financial barrier, especially for people from poorer nations who may struggle to come up with thousands of dollars upfront.
Travel industry groups and immigrant rights advocates have called it discriminatory, saying it negatively affects genuine tourism and business travel.
Also Read: US Warns Visa Applicants on All Practices That May Lead to Appointment Cancellation
On the other side of the coin, supporters say it merely establishes a system that offers an incentive for compliance without preventing entry. According to them, it offers accountability.
This announcement is made in the midst of the immigration debate, with border crossings and visa overstays remaining at the forefront. The State Department is taking efforts like this to demonstrate results without relying on border wall funding or deportations.
Visitors from these newly added countries will have to take into consideration the cost of the bond when applying at U.S. embassies or consulates, and they will only be reimbursed after they show proof of timely departure.
The department stressed that these bonds apply only to non-immigrant B1/B2 visas and won’t affect other visa categories, such as student, work, or family-based petitions, unless specified later.
Travelers with pending appointments or upcoming trips are advised to check the latest requirements on travel.state.gov.
The move expands what has been a relatively small but growing program. If the high compliance rate holds, officials say it could become a model for addressing visa overstays more broadly.
