U.S. visa bond 2026: who may pay up to $20,000

The United States made its visa bond program permanent on August 3, 2026. A covered B-1, B-2 or combined B-1/B-2 applicant can be told to post $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 after the visa interview. The final amount is set by the consular officer. It is separate from the normal visa application fee.

The bond is meant to be returned when the traveler follows its conditions, including leaving the United States on time through an approved commercial-air route. It can still tie up a large sum for months, and posting it does not guarantee visa issuance or admission at the border.

The short answer: do not pay a visa bond before a consular officer tells you to. Check the current country list, attend the interview, use only the official payment link sent for the case, and plan both arrival and final departure by commercial air. The visa and Form I-94 dates need separate checks.

This page explains the public rule and travel steps. It cannot predict an individual consular decision or replace instructions attached to a visa case.

What changed on August 3, 2026?

The final visa bond rule replaced a 12-month pilot with a permanent program. The pilot used $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000 tiers. The permanent rule removes the $5,000 tier and adds a $20,000 tier.

There is an important source mismatch to understand. The State Department's current country and payment page was last updated on May 13 and still displays the pilot amounts of $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000. The later final rule sets the permanent tiers at $10,000, $15,000 and $20,000. Use the country page for the current designation list, the final rule for the permanent amount framework, and the officer's written notice for the actual case.

Which countries are on the current visa bond list?

The State Department page listed 50 countries when checked on August 12, 2026. The requirement follows the nationality and passport used for the application, not the country where the person lives or attends the interview.

Africa

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Asia and the Caucasus

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Caribbean and Latin America

Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Pacific

Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

That list is dated evidence, not a permanent promise. Recheck the official country page shortly before the interview. A country can be added after a notice period or removed immediately.

Who does not fall under this program?

The permanent program is written for designated-country nationals applying for B visitor visas. It does not turn every U.S. visa applicant into a bonded traveler.

The final rule does not currently cover:

• travelers using the Visa Waiver Program and an approved ESTA;
• applicants whose nationality is not on the current bond list;
• student, exchange, work or immigrant visa categories solely because they are visa applicants;
• U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents returning to the United States.

A person can still face other entry, visa or travel restrictions. Being outside the bond program does not establish visa eligibility, and paying a bond does not overcome another reason for refusal.

When and how is the bond paid?

The normal visa process comes first. The applicant completes the application, pays the ordinary visa application fee and attends the interview. If the officer finds the applicant otherwise eligible and within the bond program, the case can be refused temporarily under section 221(g) while the bond is posted.

The officer sets one of the three fixed amounts and sends the payment instructions. The final rule says $15,000 is the expected amount. An officer can use $10,000 when the applicant cannot reasonably pay $15,000 but still has enough money for the planned trip. The $20,000 tier can be used when the officer concludes that $15,000 would not provide enough assurance of timely departure.

Purpose of travel, employment, income, education, skills and contacts in the United States can be considered. There is no online calculator that can predict the officer's decision.

Use this sequence:

1. Check whether the passport nationality appears on the current State Department list.
2. Complete the ordinary B-1/B-2 application and interview process.
3. Wait for the officer to set the bond and send the official notice.
4. Follow the case-specific government payment link and Form I-352 instructions.
5. Keep the payment confirmation, bond notice, visa and trip records together.
6. Do not buy a land-border or cruise itinerary that conflicts with the commercial-air condition.

The State Department warns applicants not to pay through a third-party website. Searching for a payment form independently creates a fraud risk and can attach money to the wrong process. A bond paid outside the official route is not protected by the government's refund process.

Is the visa bond refundable?

Yes, when the bond is canceled after the traveler meets its conditions. The State Department describes automatic cancellation and return when its systems record one of these outcomes:

• the traveler leaves the United States on or before the authorized departure date;
• the visa expires without being used;
• CBP denies admission at the airport and cancels the visa.

The final rule also provides for cancellation if the visa is refused after a bond has been posted. The bond principal is different from the visa application fee, which remains nonrefundable because the application was processed.

The person or organization that posts the bond should keep the original payment method available and retain every confirmation. The returned principal does not mean the government will cover card charges, currency conversion losses or financing costs.

What can cause the bond to be forfeited?

The core risk is failing to maintain B-1/B-2 status or failing to leave on time. The final rule identifies substantial violations that can breach the bond, including an overstay, unauthorized work and certain late immigration filings. Filing for asylum or other humanitarian protection can also breach the bond under the program's terms.

Do not calculate the departure deadline from the visa sticker alone. A visa expiration date controls when the document can be used to seek entry. The admission record controls how long the traveler may remain after entry. Check the electronic CBP I-94 record after arrival and resolve an incorrect record promptly.

If a change or extension of status is being considered, the traveler should get qualified legal advice before relying on a general article. The bond creates consequences that can continue beyond the original flight plan.

You must plan entry and final departure by commercial air

Bonded travelers must arrive and depart through a commercial-air U.S. port of entry or a CBP preclearance location. The current State Department wording covers all commercial air ports of entry, including preclearance facilities.

That rule changes ordinary North America planning:

• A flight into the United States can satisfy the arrival route when it uses an eligible commercial-air port.
• A final departure by car into Canada or Mexico does not satisfy the published commercial-air condition.
• A cruise departure is not the same as departure through a commercial airport.
• A domestic flight does not record final departure from the United States.
• A CBP preclearance airport can process U.S. entry before the flight leaves the foreign airport.

Build the itinerary around the final international flight, not only the first arrival. Save the airline confirmation and boarding record after travel. If a multi-country trip needs a land crossing or cruise, check the bond notice before booking it.

A practical budget before you commit to the trip

The bond is refundable when its terms are met, but it is still unavailable cash while the visa and travel process run. Do not treat it as part of the holiday budget.

Separate the costs into four groups:

1. Nonrefundable application cost: the ordinary visa application fee and any separate service expenses.
2. Refundable bond principal: $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 when directed by the officer.
3. Travel cost: flights, accommodation, insurance, local transport and daily spending.
4. Financing and currency cost: card fees, exchange movements or borrowing costs that are not part of the bond refund.

Do not buy a nonrefundable flight merely to make the application look stronger. Public visa guidance does not promise approval because a ticket has been purchased. Wait for the visa and any bond instructions unless the official case guidance requires something different.

Mobile data for the arrival and departure record

The visa bond rule does not require a Roaming eSIM, and mobile data cannot improve visa eligibility or trigger a bond refund. Connectivity is useful for a narrower reason: travelers may need airline changes, maps, hotel details, their I-94 record and the final commercial-air departure plan while away from Wi-Fi.

A United States Roaming eSIM can be selected independently of the visa application, airline or payment process. The live U.S. catalog was checked on August 12 and showed packages with different allowances, validity periods, speed labels, listed AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon network combinations, and package-level top-up status. Those fields vary by package and can change, so use the selected card as the current source.

Where Roaming eSIM has the edge: it lets the traveler choose data for the actual route before departure without waiting for an airline, bank, visa office or travel seller to supply a connectivity benefit. The U.S. card suits a single-country visit. North America or global coverage is relevant only when every country in the wider itinerary appears on the chosen plan.

Roaming eSIM plans are normally data-only and do not replace the visa, passport, regular phone number or carrier SMS service. Check phone compatibility, read when to install a Roaming eSIM, and estimate usage with the travel data calculator. Keep offline copies of the hotel address, bond notice and international flight details even when a data plan is installed.

Ten questions travelers ask about the U.S. visa bond

Does every U.S. tourist visa applicant pay a bond?

No. The permanent program applies to B-1/B-2 applicants using a passport from a country on the current designation list. The consular process still determines whether the individual case falls within the program.

Is the bond a new visa fee?

No. It is a refundable security bond when its conditions are met. The ordinary visa application fee is separate and nonrefundable.

Should I pay before my interview?

No. Wait for a consular officer to set the amount and send the official instructions. Do not use a payment link found through an advertisement, message or search result.

Can a relative or employer post the bond?

The final rule allows an obligor other than the traveler. The person or organization posting the money should understand that the refund belongs to the obligor and that a breach can forfeit the full amount.

What if the visa is denied after payment?

Posting the bond does not guarantee issuance. If the application is later refused, the rule provides for bond cancellation and return of the principal.

How quickly will the refund arrive?

The public rule describes automatic cancellation after a qualifying record is received, but it does not promise an instant airport refund. Keep the original payment method and supporting records available until the transaction is complete.

Can I leave through Canada, Mexico or a cruise port?

The published condition requires final departure by commercial air from a U.S. port of entry or a CBP preclearance location. A land crossing or sea departure should not be treated as compliant without case-specific confirmation.

Which date tells me when to leave?

The I-94 admission record normally controls the authorized stay after entry. The visa expiration date controls when the visa can be presented for admission. Check both.

Are student and work visas included?

Not under the permanent program as published on August 3. It currently covers B-1, B-2 and combined B-1/B-2 applications from designated countries.

Can the bond be waived?

The final rule permits limited waivers when authorized by the State Department, but it does not create a general self-service waiver application. Follow the consular notice for the individual case.

Sources, method and update checks

The amount tiers, effective date, expected $15,000 level, applicant factors, visa categories, rolling country changes, payment sequence, commercial-air condition, visa-validity range, cancellation and breach rules come from the August 3 final rule. The 50-country list, official-payment warning and current refund triggers come from the State Department page checked on August 12.

AP, PBS, AILA and immigration-law analyses were reviewed to identify places where travelers were receiving incomplete or conflicting summaries. Public Reddit and YouTube discussions informed the questions about affordability, payment timing, sponsorship, refunds, interview evidence and travel routes. Those discussions were not used as legal proof.

Update policy: We will recheck this article when the State Department changes the country list, payment page, bond tiers, waiver guidance, entry route, refund process or breach conditions. Check the official page and the notice attached to the visa case before paying or booking a route.