U.S. State Department Makes Visa Bond Program Permanent, Requiring Bonds Up to $20,000 for Applicants from 50 Countries

The U.S. State Department will make permanent a visa bond program that could require applicants from 50 countries, primarily in Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking U.S. visas. The federal notice, scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on August 3, applies to B1 and B2 visas for business and tourism travel. This final rule eliminates the $5,000 bond option from a previous pilot program and raises the maximum bond to $20,000, with officials stating the policy aims to reduce visa overstays.