In a surprise after-hours update to its public website late on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of State confirmed that it has quietly tripled the size of its visa-bond pilot program, adding 25 new countries and bringing the total to 38. Beginning 21 January 2026, B-1/B-2 business and tourist visa applicants from the newly listed nations—including Venezuela, Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, Nigeria, Nepal and several African states—must lodge refundable bonds of US $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 before a visa can be issued. Consular officers set the exact amount during the interview and travellers must pay online through the Treasury’s Pay.gov portal. No bond is refunded until the traveller departs the United States on time or the visa is formally refused.
Washington first unveiled the bond concept in August 2025, arguing that significant financial stakes would deter short-term visitors from overstaying. Business groups and human-rights advocates immediately branded the requirement an entry tax that discriminates against entire nationalities rather than targeting individual risk. The State Department nevertheless says early indicators show “improved compliance” among the pilot’s original 13 countries, leading officials to expand the scheme.
Unlike the Trump-era travel bans that block visa issuance altogether, the bond program still allows qualified travellers to obtain visas—provided they can front thousands of dollars for several weeks or months. The requirement does not apply to student, exchange, crew or work visas, nor to citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries. Entrants approved under the bond pilot must arrive through Boston, New York-JFK or Washington-Dulles, adding another layer of complexity for corporate mobility managers.
![U.S. Expands $5,000–$15,000 Visa-Bond Pilot to 25 More Countries]()
Travelers, recruiters and HR departments who need hands-on assistance with the new bond requirements can streamline the process through VisaHQ. The firm’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) tracks changing State Department rules in real time, guides applicants through Pay.gov bond payments, and coordinates courier delivery of supporting documents—saving both time and potential re-scheduling fees.
For global employers the immediate concern is cost and cash-flow disruption. A mid-sized consulting company that routinely hosts Venezuelan technicians for six-week rotations calculated it would need to park roughly US $300,000 in bonds each quarter—funds it cannot use for payroll or project expenses. “This is essentially an interest-free loan to the U.S. government,” its mobility director told Reuters. Travel managers are also bracing for processing delays as consulates adjust workflows, and for the possibility that disgruntled travellers simply reroute business meetings to Canada or the EU.
Legal experts note that the bond pilot was created by regulation, not statute, giving the next administration flexibility to end or enlarge it. In the meantime, companies should update invitation letters, educate travellers on the Pay.gov process, and factor bond outlays into budgeting and per-diem advances. Failure to do so could result in denied boarding at origin airports or, worse, refusals at U.S. ports of entry.
Washington first unveiled the bond concept in August 2025, arguing that significant financial stakes would deter short-term visitors from overstaying. Business groups and human-rights advocates immediately branded the requirement an entry tax that discriminates against entire nationalities rather than targeting individual risk. The State Department nevertheless says early indicators show “improved compliance” among the pilot’s original 13 countries, leading officials to expand the scheme.
Unlike the Trump-era travel bans that block visa issuance altogether, the bond program still allows qualified travellers to obtain visas—provided they can front thousands of dollars for several weeks or months. The requirement does not apply to student, exchange, crew or work visas, nor to citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries. Entrants approved under the bond pilot must arrive through Boston, New York-JFK or Washington-Dulles, adding another layer of complexity for corporate mobility managers.
Travelers, recruiters and HR departments who need hands-on assistance with the new bond requirements can streamline the process through VisaHQ. The firm’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) tracks changing State Department rules in real time, guides applicants through Pay.gov bond payments, and coordinates courier delivery of supporting documents—saving both time and potential re-scheduling fees.
For global employers the immediate concern is cost and cash-flow disruption. A mid-sized consulting company that routinely hosts Venezuelan technicians for six-week rotations calculated it would need to park roughly US $300,000 in bonds each quarter—funds it cannot use for payroll or project expenses. “This is essentially an interest-free loan to the U.S. government,” its mobility director told Reuters. Travel managers are also bracing for processing delays as consulates adjust workflows, and for the possibility that disgruntled travellers simply reroute business meetings to Canada or the EU.
Legal experts note that the bond pilot was created by regulation, not statute, giving the next administration flexibility to end or enlarge it. In the meantime, companies should update invitation letters, educate travellers on the Pay.gov process, and factor bond outlays into budgeting and per-diem advances. Failure to do so could result in denied boarding at origin airports or, worse, refusals at U.S. ports of entry.
