US to make $20,000 visa bond permanent for 50 countries. Check if your country is among those on the list

According to a notice set to be published in the Federal Register on August 3, the US State Department concluded that the pilot had produced enough evidence to justify making the policy permanent.

The maximum bond has also been increased from $15,000 to $20,000, while the minimum $5,000 bond available under the pilot program has been eliminated. Consular officers will now be able to require bonds of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, depending on individual cases.

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The money is refundable if the visa application is denied. If the visa is approved, the bond is returned after the traveler complies with the terms of the visa, including leaving the United States before their authorized stay expires.

The State Department said the list of countries could be expanded in the future.

According to the State Department, nearly 45,500 visitors from the 50 designated countries overstayed their visas in 2024. During the first 10 months of the pilot program, however, the number of overstays from those countries fell to fewer than 50, prompting officials to describe the initiative as a success.

The administration has also argued that enforcing immigration laws against visa overstays is costly, estimating that arresting and deporting an individual who remains in the country illegally costs the government around $18,000.

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According to the US government figures cited in the notice, about 20,000 applicants ultimately fell under the bond requirement, far higher than the 2,000 initially projected. Nearly half chose not to pay the bond, contributing to an 83% decline in business and tourist visas issued to citizens of the affected countries.