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US Introduces Up to $15,000 Visa Bonds for Travelers From Select Nations

The 12-month pilot will require bonds of $5,000 to $15,000 from visa applicants of targeted nations starting August 20.

Ankunftsbereich im Flughafen von Newark
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Overview

  • The State Department’s trial targets non-Visa Waiver Program applicants from countries with high overstay rates in a program running from August 20, 2025 to August 19, 2026.
  • Consular officers will set bond levels at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 based on individual risk assessments.
  • Nationals of the 42-member Visa Waiver Program, including Germany, remain exempt from the bond requirement.
  • Full refunds are issued when travelers depart before their visas expire while overstays lead to forfeitures that may fund removal proceedings.
  • The pilot initially applies to travelers from Malawi and Zambia and could extend to other high-overstay countries such as Chad, Eritrea, Myanmar, Yemen and Haiti.