Washington: The US has broadened its visa bond policy, mandating that specific visitor visa applicants from 38 countries post refundable security bonds of up to $15,000, as announced by the State Department on Tuesday. This adjustment will take effect on January 21, requiring nationals from newly included countries applying for tourist and business visas to comply with the bond mandate, with amounts ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, determined by consular officers during visa interviews.

According to Anadolu Agency - English, the State Department's website states that posting a bond does not ensure visa issuance. Applicants paying the bond without a consular officer's approval will not be eligible for a refund. Visa recipients are required to enter the US through designated airports: Boston Logan, John F. Kennedy, or Washington Dulles International Airport.

The recent expansion incorporates 25 additional countries into the program, totaling 38 nations now subject to the visa bond requirement. The majority of the newly added countries are located in Africa, with others from Latin America and Asia. The new additions include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

These countries join the existing list of Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, and Zambia, which have been under the policy since January 1. The bond requirement affects certain B1/B2 visa applicants and does not modify other US entry programs, as clarified by the State Department.

The bond initiative, initially launched as a pilot program in August 2025, has been expanded as part of broader efforts by the administration to enhance immigration and entry regulations.