The US is making permanent a visa bond programme that requires certain short-term visa applicants to post a refundable bond before receiving a visa, after a review found the measure helped reduce visa overstays.
The State Department has decided to convert the pilot initiative into a permanent rule for applicants from 50 countries seeking B-1 and B-2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism.
Under the revised framework, eligible applicants may be required to post a refundable bond of up to $20,000 as a condition for receiving a visa.
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India is not currently among the countries covered by the programme, meaning Indian applicants for B-1 and B-2 visas are not affected by the new bond requirement.
Applicants required to post the bond will receive a refund if they comply with the conditions of their visa, including leaving the US within the authorised period. If a visa application is rejected, the bond will also be refunded.
The earlier pilot programme allowed consular officers to set bond amounts of $5,000, $10,000 or up to $15,000. The final rule removes the lowest $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond amount to $20,000.
The programme was introduced by the Trump administration in August last year as part of efforts to curb visa overstays and strengthen immigration enforcement.
According to the State Department, nearly 45,500 visitors from the 50 participating countries overstayed their visas in 2024. During the first 10 months of the pilot, however, fewer than 50 overstays were recorded among applicants who were subject to the bond requirement.
Countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Algeria, Venezuela, Georgia, Zimbabwe and Senegal are among the 50 nations covered under the programme.
The department said in its notice, "The department expects that this final rule will contribute to the continued reduction of demand for B-1/B-2 visa applications from nationals of countries subject to the program."
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The State Department had initially estimated that around 2,000 applicants would be covered by the programme. Instead, the pilot ultimately applied to around 20,000 applicants. Nearly half chose not to pay the bond, contributing to an 83% decline in business and tourist visas issued to citizens of the participating countries.
Critics say the policy could increase the financial burden on travellers from developing countries visiting the US for business, tourism or family reasons.
While Indian applicants are not covered by the programme, the rule underscores the US administration's continued focus on reducing visa overstays through stricter immigration measures.
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