US demands up to $20,000 visa bond from 50 countries; India left out

US visa bond programme requires eligible B1/B2 applicants from 50 countries to post financial guarantees of up to $20,000.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Oct 5, 2026 09:30 AM IST

The mandate has encompassed South Asian nations like Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. (Photo: AI generated)

The US Department of State introduced a visa-bond programme that designated nationals from 50 countries as requiring financial guarantees up to $20,000 in order to receive tourist and business visas.

The mandate has encompassed South Asian nations like Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

How the US visa bond programme works

Pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 221(g)(3), under which the visa bond programme has been established, a consular officer may require posting of a visa bond before visa issuance.

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The final rule, issued on August 3 by the State Department, states that any citizen or national travelling on a passport that falls under the list of 50 countries and is eligible for B1/ B2 visa is required to post a bond for $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000, adding that the amount is determined at the time of the visa interview.

Visa overstay rates determine eligibility

As per the INA section, the visa overstay rates are based on the B1/ B2 overstay rates from the Department of Homeland Security’s entry/ exit overstay report, the US State Department stated. Apart from the visa bond requirements, the applicants must also submit a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-352. Eligible citizens can pay the required amount through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov.

Express InfoGenIE · US immigration

US visa bond: India not on list as 50 countries face up to $20,000

The US can require eligible B1/B2 applicants from 50 countries to post bonds of up to $20,000. India is not on the current list.

Based on US State Department rules and published reporting

US VISA BOND · UP TO

$10,000$15,000$20,000

Eligible B1/B2 visa applicants from 50 countries can be required to post a bond of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000.

INDIANot on the currentvisa-bond list

The list

50 countries, four regions

Tap a region. The bond amount is set for each applicant at the visa interview, not by country.

All 50Africa (30)Asia (9)Americas & Caribbean (6)Pacific (5)

30Africa

9Asia

6Americas & Caribbean

5Pacific

AlgeriaBond may apply

AngolaBond may apply

Antigua and BarbudaBond may apply

BangladeshBond may apply

BeninBond may apply

BhutanBond may apply

BotswanaBond may apply

BurundiBond may apply

Cabo VerdeBond may apply

CambodiaBond may apply

Central African RepublicBond may apply

Cote d'IvoireBond may apply

CubaBond may apply

DjiboutiBond may apply

DominicaBond may apply

EthiopiaBond may apply

FijiBond may apply

GabonBond may apply

GeorgiaBond may apply

GrenadaBond may apply

GuineaBond may apply

Guinea-BissauBond may apply

Kyrgyz RepublicBond may apply

LesothoBond may apply

MalawiBond may apply

MauritaniaBond may apply

MauritiusBond may apply

MongoliaBond may apply

MozambiqueBond may apply

NamibiaBond may apply

NepalBond may apply

NicaraguaBond may apply

NigeriaBond may apply

Papua New GuineaBond may apply

Sao Tome and PrincipeBond may apply

SenegalBond may apply

SeychellesBond may apply

TajikistanBond may apply

TanzaniaBond may apply

The GambiaBond may apply

TogoBond may apply

TongaBond may apply

TunisiaBond may apply

TurkmenistanBond may apply

TuvaluBond may apply

UgandaBond may apply

VanuatuBond may apply

VenezuelaBond may apply

ZambiaBond may apply

ZimbabweBond may apply

AlgeriaBond may apply

AngolaBond may apply

BeninBond may apply

BotswanaBond may apply

BurundiBond may apply

Cabo VerdeBond may apply

Central African RepublicBond may apply

Cote d'IvoireBond may apply

DjiboutiBond may apply

EthiopiaBond may apply

GabonBond may apply

The GambiaBond may apply

GuineaBond may apply

Guinea-BissauBond may apply

LesothoBond may apply

MalawiBond may apply

MauritaniaBond may apply

MauritiusBond may apply

MozambiqueBond may apply

NamibiaBond may apply

NigeriaBond may apply

Sao Tome and PrincipeBond may apply

SenegalBond may apply

SeychellesBond may apply

TanzaniaBond may apply

TogoBond may apply

TunisiaBond may apply

UgandaBond may apply

ZambiaBond may apply

ZimbabweBond may apply

BangladeshBond may apply

BhutanBond may apply

CambodiaBond may apply

GeorgiaBond may apply

Kyrgyz RepublicBond may apply

MongoliaBond may apply

NepalBond may apply

TajikistanBond may apply

TurkmenistanBond may apply

Antigua and BarbudaBond may apply

CubaBond may apply

DominicaBond may apply

GrenadaBond may apply

NicaraguaBond may apply

VenezuelaBond may apply

FijiBond may apply

Papua New GuineaBond may apply

TongaBond may apply

TuvaluBond may apply

VanuatuBond may apply

Source: US Department of State. Listed countries as published; India does not appear.

South Asia

India’s neighbours are on the list. India isn’t.

NEPALBOND MAY APPLY

BHUTANBOND MAY APPLY

BANGLADESHBOND MAY APPLY

INDIANOT ON THE LIST

Schematic, not to scale.

Step by step

How the visa bond works

Apply for a B1/B2 visa

↓

Attend the visa interview

↓

Consular officer decides if a bond is neededand sets it at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000

↓

Pay only through Pay.govusing the officer’s instructions

↓

Travel to the US by commercial airentering and leaving through designated airports

Source: US Department of State

Don’t confuse the two

It’s a bond, not a visa fee

VISA FEE

Paid by every applicant

Not refunded

VISA BOND

Only if a consular officer requires it

Returned if the traveller complies with the visa’s conditions

Leave on time and follow the visa rules: the bond is cancelled and returned.

It can be forfeited if the traveller substantially violates the conditions, for example by overstaying or seeking asylum or certain other humanitarian protections.

Source: US Department of State, via American Bazaar

The reasoning

Why did the US introduce it?

Overstay rates and screening concerns

→

Country placed on the list

→

A bond may be required at interview

The State Department says bonds could improve compliance among affected travellers. Being on the list does not mean every applicant from that country has overstayed, or that every applicant will be asked for a bond.

Source: US Department of State; Federal Register

Who is affected

This does not apply to every US visa

B1 · BusinessCovered

B2 · Tourism / visitCovered

F-1 · StudentNot part of this programme

H-1B · WorkNot part of this programme

Immigrant visasNot part of this programme

The programme concerns B1/B2 applicants. Source: Federal Register

DON’T PAY A RANDOM WEBSITE

1Visa interview

2The officer tells you if a bond is needed

3Pay only via Pay.gov, using the officer’s instructions

The State Department warns applicants not to post a bond on any website other than the one US officials direct them to.

Reference

All 50 countries on the list

01Algeria

02Angola

03Antigua and Barbuda

04Bangladesh

05Benin

06Bhutan

07Botswana

08Burundi

09Cabo Verde

10Cambodia

11Central African Republic

12Cote d'Ivoire

13Cuba

14Djibouti

15Dominica

16Ethiopia

17Fiji

18Gabon

19Georgia

20Grenada

21Guinea

22Guinea-Bissau

23Kyrgyz Republic

24Lesotho

25Malawi

26Mauritania

27Mauritius

28Mongolia

29Mozambique

30Namibia

31Nepal

32Nicaragua

33Nigeria

34Papua New Guinea

35Sao Tome and Principe

36Senegal

37Seychelles

38Tajikistan

39Tanzania

40The Gambia

41Togo

42Tonga

43Tunisia

44Turkmenistan

45Tuvalu

46Uganda

47Vanuatu

48Venezuela

49Zambia

50Zimbabwe

Source: US Department of State list as compiled by Boston University ISSO, March 2026; American Bazaar, October 2026.

Sources: US Department of State; Federal Register; Boston University ISSO; American Bazaar

Express InfoGenIECreated by Aniruddha Dhar

US warns applicants about visa bond scams

The department has alerted applicants not to post the bond on any website not specifically listed in the instructions received from the consular officer and that the administration would not be held responsible for any money paid outside of its systems.

India exempt from US visa-bond requirement

In a major respite for Indian nationals, holders of Indian passports have been exempted from the visa-bond obligation. The department’s website shows that Nepal and Bangladesh have faced the mandate since January 21, whereas Bhutan was added beginning January 1.

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Countries covered under US visa-bond programme

Algeria (January 21, 2026)
Angola (January 21, 2026)
Antigua and Barbuda (January 21, 2026)
Bangladesh (January 21, 2026)
Benin (January 21, 2026)
Bhutan (January 1, 2026)
Botswana (January 1, 2026)
Burundi (January 21, 2026)
Cabo Verde (January 21, 2026)
Cambodia (April 2, 2026)
Central African Republic (January 1, 2026)
Cote D’Ivoire (January 21, 2026)
Cuba (January 21, 2026)
Djibouti (January 21, 2026)
Dominica (January 21, 2026)
Ethiopia (April 2, 2026)
Fiji (January 21, 2026)
Gabon (January 21, 2026)
The Gambia (October 11, 2025)
Georgia (April 2, 2026)
Grenada (April 2, 2026)
Guinea (January 1, 2026)
Guinea-Bissau (January 1, 2026)
Kyrgyz Republic (January 21, 2026)
Lesotho (April 2, 2026)
Malawi (August 20, 2025)
Mauritania (October 23, 2025)
Mauritius (April 2, 2026)
Mongolia (April 2, 2026)
Mozambique (April 2, 2026)
Namibia (January 1, 2026)
Nepal (January 21, 2026)
Nicaragua (April 2, 2026)
Nigeria (January 21, 2026)
Papua New Guinea (April 2, 2026)
Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025)
Senegal (January 21, 2026)
Seychelles (April 2, 2026)
Tajikistan (January 21, 2026)
Tanzania (October 23, 2025)
Togo (January 21, 2026)
Tonga (January 21, 2026)
Tunisia (April 2, 2026)
Turkmenistan (January 1, 2026)
Tuvalu (January 21, 2026)
Uganda (January 21, 2026)
Vanuatu (January 21, 2026)
Venezuela (January 21, 2026)
Zambia (August 20, 2025)
Zimbabwe (January 21, 2026)

Nischai Vats

Nischai Vats is a Deputy Copy Editor at The Indian Express. His work primarily covers US politics and visa and immigration policy, alongside broader international developments, with an emphasis on accuracy, verification, and clear explainers. Experience Nischai joined The Indian Express in May 2024 where he works on writing, editing, and refining high-impact stories for digital platforms. His role involves ensuring editorial consistency, factual accuracy, and clarity in coverage of complex policy-driven subjects. Earlier in his career, he worked across Indian digital newsrooms in reporting and editing roles, including stints at Inshorts, Newslaundry, Tiranga TV, and Catch News. His newsroom experience spans rapid digital publishing, ground reporting, and copy editing across national, civic, and policy beats. Expertise His core areas of focus include: US politics and governance: Coverage of American political developments, executive actions, and policy shifts. US visa and immigration policy: Reporting and editing stories on visa categories, regulatory changes, and immigration pathways affecting global audiences. Editorial accuracy and copy editing: Ensuring clarity, language precision, and verification in fast-paced digital news environments. Authoritativeness and trustworthiness Nischai's journalism is grounded in verified sources, official documentation, and clear attribution, in line with The Indian Express’ editorial standards. His background across reporting and editing enables him to translate complex policy updates into reliable, reader-friendly coverage. ... Read More

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