On March 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that, effective April 2, 2026, it will be expanding its Visa Bond Pilot Program to include twelve (12) additional countries. Impacted countries include: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. The Pilot Program requires posting of bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 prior to the issuance of a B1/B2 visa for business and tourism in the United States.
Effective April 2, 2026, the U.S. DOS has expanded its Visa Bond Pilot Program to include twelve (12) additional countries, increasing the total number to fifty (50) countries. Citizens of impacted countries applying for B1/B2 visas for business or tourism in the United States are required to post a Maintenance of Status and Departure Bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 depending on their circumstances and the discretion of the consular officer processing the application. The bond will be returned to visa recipients who return home in compliance with the terms of the visa and the bond or who ultimately do not travel. The twelve additional countries include Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia.
These countries join the 38 nations that are already included in the visa bond program. Those countries include: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Citizens of the added countries are subject to the Visa Bond Pilot Program as of April 2, 2026.
Individuals from all affected countries who are subject to the bond will be eligible for an annotated, single-entry visa with a 3-month validity period. Once the consular officer has set the bond, applicants will need to submit a Form I-352 to post a bond after being directed to do so by an officer. Applicants will be provided a direct link and must pay via Pay.gov—applicants must not use any third-party website for posting.
Bonds will be refunded if travelers arrive, and leave the US on a timely basis using designated ports of entry: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). Bonds will also be refunded if the visa holder does not travel to the United States prior to the visa expiration date, or is denied admission to the United States at the port of entry.
The bond will be considered in breach if the visa holder departs the United States after the granted duration of stay, does not depart the United States, or applies to adjust status, including claiming asylum. For more information, please refer to the Department of State website. Vialto will continue to monitor the impact of this policy change and provide further updates once they are available.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Manish Daftari
Partner
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