US to make visa bond requirements permanent, affecting mostly African countries

The US State Department is making permanent a pilot program requiring citizens from 50 countries, mostly in Africa, to post a visa bond for B1/B2 business and tourist visas.

The maximum bond amount is raised from $15,000 to $20,000, and the $5,000 low-end option is removed.

The bond is refunded if the visa is denied or if the applicant complies with visa terms; the program aims to reduce visa overstays.

In the first 10 months of the pilot, overstays from the affected countries dropped to fewer than 50, compared to nearly 45,500 in 2024.

Critics argue the program unfairly burdens applicants from impoverished countries, and nearly half of the 20,000 applicants didn't pay the bond, leading to an 83% decline in visas issued to those countries.