US visa bond pilot program is going to be implemented from today. The United States has implemented visa bonds for short-term tourists. Before a visa may be issued, travelers must post a bond of up to $15,000, which will be decided by the consulate officials.
The Department of State has announced a 12-month trial program for visa bonds. The trial program for visa bonds will run from August 20, 2025, to August 5, 2026.
Starting August 20, 2025, any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of the country on the list who is otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, as assessed during the visa interview.
The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 agreeing to the terms of the bond, through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of the place of application.
Who will it apply to
Foreigners applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure (B-1/B-2 visas) who are nationals of countries identified by the Department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, or offering Citizenship by Investment, where the foreigner obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program.
Visa overstay is defined as “a nonimmigrant who was lawfully admitted to the United States for an authorized period but stayed in the United States beyond their authorized admission period.”
Which Countries are on the List
The United States has picked two countries whose citizens will be required to purchase a refundable bond before entering America.
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s FY 2023 Overstay Report, the Department of State has identified Malawi and Zambia as two nations whose nationals would be subject to visa bonds based on their B1/B2 overstay rate. This list may be amended throughout the pilot, with 15 days from announcement to enactment.
Overstay Rates
According to the report, for FY 2023, B1/B2 Overstay Rates for Malawi were 14.32% ( by land) and 4.17% (by air, sea). For students entering the US holding F-1 Study visa, M, and J visas, the overstay rate was 19.71%. Even Zambia has overstay rates of over 10%.
Comparatively, in 2023, for India, there were 3,822 overstays recorded, with a total overstay rate of 1.58%. For B1/B2 visas, the overstay rate was 1.29%.
Visa Bond Compliance
The full visa bond amount will be returned to the applicant if the applicant complies with all the terms of the nonimmigrant visa status and with the terms of the visa bond.
The bond will be cancelled and the bond money will be automatically returned in the following circumstances:
The visa holder departs from the United States on or before the date to which he or she is authorized to remain in the United States; or
The visa holder does not travel to the United States before the expiration of the visa; or
The visa holder applies for and is denied admission at the U.S. port of entry.