Overview
- The State Department quietly added seven countries effective January 1: Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan.
- With the additions, 13 countries are now covered by the requirement, and all but two are in Africa.
- Bonds range from $5,000 to $15,000 and are refundable if a visa is denied or if the traveler complies with the terms of the visa.
- Payment of a bond does not guarantee visa approval, according to U.S. officials.
- The expansion follows earlier phases in August and October 2025 that added Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia, and it aligns with broader entry-rule tightening such as mandatory in-person interviews and expanded social-media and travel-history disclosures.