Overview
- The Department of State on Monday made permanent a pilot bond program that lets consular officers require B‑1/B‑2 applicants from a designated group of countries to pay a cash bond before a visa is issued.
- The rule sets three fixed bond levels—$10,000, $15,000 or $20,000—with each applicant’s specific amount set at consular discretion and payment made only through the Treasury’s Pay.gov link provided by the consulate.
- Bonds will be returned if travelers comply with the terms of admission but may be forfeited for overstays, filing an asylum claim after entry, or late change‑of‑status requests, and consular refusal under Section 221(g) can suspend a visa until payment is made.
- About 50 countries are covered now, including Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, and the list can be updated with at least 15 days’ notice; collected funds may be used to offset deportation and removal costs.
- Immigration lawyers warn the requirement could impose large costs on families, reduce travel and lower visa applications from affected countries, and the rule includes an automatic inflation adjustment to the maximum bond starting October 2027.