Beginning in 2026, citizens of dozens of nations will need to post substantial bond payments to obtain entry visas to the United States under new State Department rules. The year-long visa bond pilot program, first announced in August 2025, requires tourists and business travelers from 38 countries to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 to receive B1/B2 visas.
The State Department can add or remove countries on a rolling basis; on January 21, 2026, it added 25 countries, more than doubling the list. The pilot runs for 12 months and currently does not apply to student visas or other longer-term visa categories.
Which countries are subject to the visa bond pilot program?
As of January 21, 2026, the following 38 countries are subject to the visa bond requirement. More countries may be added or removed over time.
– Algeria
– Angola
– Antigua and Barbuda
– Bangladesh
– Benin
– Bhutan
– Botswana
– Burundi
– Cabo Verde
– Central African Republic
– Cote d’Ivoire
– Cuba
– Djibouti
– Dominica
– Fiji
– Gabon
– The Gambia
– Guinea
– Guinea Bissau
– Kyrgyz Republic
– Malawi
– Mauritania
– Namibia
– Nepal
– Nigeria
– Sao Tome and Principe
– Senegal
– Tajikistan
– Tanzania
– Togo
– Tonga
– Turkmenistan
– Tuvalu
– Uganda
– Vanuatu
– Venezuela
– Zambia
– Zimbabwe
Which visas are affected?
The requirement applies to B1 (business) and B2 (tourism) visas—typically valid six months to a year. Student visas and many other categories are excluded from the pilot.
How much are the visa bonds?
Consular officers determine the bond amount for each applicant, with a minimum of $5,000 unless waived. Guidance advises setting bonds at $10,000 in most cases; some applicants may be assessed $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. Applicants receive an email from the State Department with a link to pay via the U.S. Treasury’s pay.gov service.
How are bonds refunded?
Applicants who comply with visa terms and depart the U.S. before their visa expires are automatically refunded. Those denied a visa or who do not travel before their visa expires are also refunded. Travelers who overstay or otherwise breach visa terms forfeit the bond. (DHS reported more than 500,000 visa overstays in 2023.)
Which airports participate?
Visa bond travelers must enter the U.S. through one of nine approved airports: Boston Logan (BOS), New York JFK (JFK), Washington Dulles (IAD), Newark Liberty (EWR), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Los Angeles International (LAX), Toronto Pearson (YYZ), and Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau (YUL). The two Canadian airports participate because they operate U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facilities, allowing immigration inspection before departure.
This story has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
