US Makes Visa Bond Program Permanent For 50 Countries. Is India On The List?

The US State Department has decided to make its visa bond programme permanent after running it as a pilot scheme. The policy applies to citizens of 50 countries, mainly in Africa, as well as Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. India is not currently on the list. Under the new rule, visa applicants may be required to post a bond of up to $20,000.

According to a notice published in the Federal Register, a year-long review found that the programme was effective in helping ensure visa holders comply with the terms of their stay. The rule will take effect on Monday, and more countries could be added to the list in the future.

The Federal Register notice applies to B-1 and B-2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel.

For The Complete List Of Countries Covered Under The US Visa Bond Programme, Click Here.

"Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers," the notice said.

"The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond programme, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond programme is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders."

Under the pilot programme, consular officers could require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or up to $15,000. The final rule removes the $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond amount to $20,000.

The rule will take effect on August 3, when it is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register. Of the 50 countries currently covered by the programme, 30 are in Africa.

US officials say the policy is intended to reduce visa overstays. Immigration advocates, however, argue that it could discourage legitimate travel to the United States.

Rights advocates say President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown undermines free speech and due process while creating an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities and encouraging racial profiling. Trump has defended the measures as necessary to strengthen national security.

While Trump says he wants to curb illegal immigration, critics argue that his administration has also made legal immigration more difficult, including by imposing higher fees for certain visa applicants and enforcing social media vetting for visa applicants and immigrants already in the country.

(With inputs from Reuters)