The U.S. State Department on Wednesday expanded its list of countries whose citizens will be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for U.S. business or tourist visas.
The department added 12 nations to the growing list — Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Tunisia. Starting April 2, passport holders from these countries must pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, which is refunded if the visa application is denied or, if granted, the traveler complies with the terms of the B1 or B2 visa.
The cost of the bond depends on the applicant's circumstances and is determined at the discretion of a consular officer during the visa interview. The requirement was first rolled out by the Trump administration last year as part of an effort to crack down on visa overstays and illegal immigration, according to officials.
With the latest additions, citizens from 50 countries will be subject to the bond requirement beginning April 2. The majority of the countries are in Africa, which officials say have higher visa overstay rates, though the list also includes nations in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere.
What the Right Is Saying
The Trump administration has defended the visa bond requirement as an effective tool to reduce illegal immigration and visa overstays. Administration officials argue the policy is a reasonable measure to ensure visitors comply with their visa terms.
The State Department stated that the program has already proven effective at drastically reducing the number of visa recipients who overstay their visas and illegally remain in the United States. Officials note that nearly 97% of roughly 1,000 individuals who posted bonds complied with visa terms and did not overstay.
What the Left Is Saying
Immigration advocates and Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the visa bond policy, arguing it creates financial barriers that disproportionately affect citizens of lower-income nations. Critics have described the requirement as discriminatory, noting that the majority of affected countries are in Africa.
Progressive advocacy groups have argued that such policies punish entire nationalities for the actions of a small number of visa overstays. Some Democrats have pushed for more targeted approaches that address compliance without creating broad financial hurdles for legitimate travelers.
What the Numbers Show
The expanded list now includes 50 countries subject to the bond requirement as of April 2. The latest additions include 12 nations: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Tunisia.
Bond amounts range from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the applicant's circumstances, as determined by consular officers. The bond is fully refunded if the visa application is denied or if the traveler complies with B1/B2 visa terms during their stay.
According to the State Department, approximately 1,000 individuals have posted bonds under the program since its implementation. Of those, nearly 97% complied with visa terms and did not overstay their authorized stay.
The Bottom Line
The visa bond requirement represents one of several policy tools the administration has deployed to address visa overstays, which officials cite as a significant factor in illegal immigration. The State Department points to high compliance rates among bond posters as evidence of the program's effectiveness.
Critics argue the policy unfairly targets citizens of certain countries and creates financial barriers for legitimate travelers. Supporters say it provides a reasonable mechanism to ensure visa compliance without blocking legal travel entirely.
Travelers from affected countries should be aware that bond requirements will apply to visa applications processed starting April 2. Those who receive visas and comply with terms will have their bond amounts refunded after departing the United States.