Travelling to America just got costlier for Nigerian/African travellers as the administration of United States President Donald Trump recently ramped up its immigration policies, expanding the U.S visa bonds program.
The U.S visa bonds program now requires citizens from 38 countries—24 of them African—to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000 when applying for tourist or business visas.
What is Visa Bond?
A U.S visa bond is a refundable financial deposit required from certain nonimmigrant visa applicants to ensure they depart the United States at the end of their authorized stay.
The program is authorized under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and acts as a monetary guarantee against visa overstays.
In this ongoing pilot program (running through August 2026), consular officers may require eligible B1/B2 applicants from designated countries to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000—determined during the visa interview.
Announced on January 6, 2026, this policy targets B1/B2 visa applicants from countries with historically high rates of overstay, according to a notice posted on the travel.state.gov website.
The U.S visa bonds program originated as a pilot program in August 2025, initially covering a handful of countries.
Which Travelers Must Post the $15,000 Bond?
The requirement applies to citizens or nationals using passports from designated countries who are otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visas. The full list includes numerous African nations such as Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Other countries include Bhutan, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Cuba, Venezuela, and several small island states like Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.
Exemptions exist for visa waiver program countries, diplomats, and certain other categories. Waivers may be granted in national interest cases.
The U.S. visa bonds program, rooted in Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, applies exclusively to B1 (business) and B2 (tourism/pleasure) visas, often combined as B1/B2 for temporary visitors.
According to official State Department guidelines, any national from the listed countries who is otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa may be required to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, as determined by a consular officer during the interview.
The specific amount is determined by a U.S consular officer during the visa interview, based on a risk assessment of the applicant.
This requirement does not extend to other visa categories, such as student (F/M), work (H-1B), or family-based immigrant visas.
It was gathered that the focus on B1/B2 stemmed from Department of Homeland Security data highlighting elevated overstay rates in these temporary visitor categories, where individuals enter for short stays but remain beyond authorized periods.
How do Applicants Pay and Get Refunds?
Applicants determined to need a bond during their visa interview must submit Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and pay via the U.S. Treasury’s Pay.gov platform.
Also, payment of the U.S visa bond does not guarantee visa approval.
The bond is automatically triggered for a refund if:
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records the traveler’s departure on or before the authorized date.
• The visa application is ultimately denied.
• The visa expires without the traveler ever using it.
If a traveler overstays by even a single day or violates other visa conditions, the entire bond amount is forfeited to the U.S. government.
Port of Entry for Bond Payers
All visa holders who have posted a visa bond must enter and exit the United States through the designated ports of entry listed below. Not doing this might lead to a denied entry or a departure that is not properly recorded:
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Impact of Visa Bonds on Africans
24 countries of the 38 countries affected by the U.S visa bonds are in Africa. Nations like Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, and Uganda now face steep upfront costs. In many affected countries, $15,000 exceeds average annual incomes.
U.S. officials defend the measure as a targeted tool to deter overstays, citing Department of Homeland Security data on overstay rates. “This ensures compliance without broadly restricting travel,” a State Department spokesperson noted in official notices.
The bonds, they argue, provide a financial incentive for timely departure while being fully refundable for compliant visitors.
Critics, however, contend that U.S visa bonds disproportionately burden African travelers, where the maximum $15,000 amount often exceeds annual household incomes in many affected countries.
In Nigeria, for instance, average annual earnings hover around $2,000–$3,000 in many sectors, making even the minimum bond a prohibitive sum.
Critics also argued that the U.S visa bonds program will make U.S travel “unaffordable” for the average citizen, effectively creating a wealth-based entry system.
Also, the bond is expected to affect Africans who go on trade missions to the U.S. Short-term academic programs and trade missions are expected to see a sharp decline in African participation.
Similarly, relatives wishing to attend weddings, funerals, or graduations of their family members in the U.S will now have to face sudden, massive upfront costs, a situation that could affect family ties.
